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NOTES, 


CKITICAL    AND    PBACTIOAL, 


ON   THE   BOOK   OF 


NUMBERS: 


DESIGNED   AS  A   GENERAL   HELP   TO 


BIBLICAL    READING   AND    INSTRUCTION 


BY  GEORGE  BUSH, 

LATE  PKOF.   OF  HEB.   AND   OEIENT.   LIT.   IN   N.  T.  CITY  TTNIVEE3ITT. 


NEW-YORK: 

IVISON   &    PHINXEY,    321    BROADWAY 

CHICAGO : 

S.   C.  GRIGGS  &   CO. 

1858. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1858,  by 

GEOKGE  BUSH, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


'     JOHN  F.  TROW, 
Printer,  Stereotyper,  &  Electrotyper, 
377  &  379  Broadway,  cor.  White, 
New- York. 


INTRODUCTION 


§  1.     Title,  Author,  Scope,  dtc. 

The  title  by  which  this  book  is  designated  by  the  Jews  is  i!2T^1  va  yedabher, 
and  he  spake,  from  the  first  word  of  the  original,  or  "i^TTC-  hemidbat,  in  the  wil- 
derness, the  fifth  word  of  the  first  verse ;  the  last,  probably,  from  the  fact  that 
the  contents  of  the  book  relate  in  great  measure  to  the  history  of  the  sojourning  of 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  The  Septuagint  terms  it  API0MOI  Arithmoi, 
of  which  the  Latin  Ndmeri,  and  the  English  Numbers  are  a  translation.  The 
fact  is  somewhat  peculiar,  as  every  one  of  the  other  books  of  Moses  is  designated 
by  the  Greek  title  in  Anglicised  form,  viz..  Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Deuter- 
onomy. The  present  book  might  as  well  have  been  called  Arithmoi,  were  it  not 
that  the  Latin  rendering  Numeri  {Numbers)  for  some  reason  had  an  early  prefer- 
ence given  it  over  the  Greek,  and  for  this  reason  it  has  maintained  its  ground. 
The  book  originally  received  its  denomination  mainly  from  its  account  of  the 
numbering,  mustering,  or  marshalling  of  the  people  on  two  different  occasions, 
the  first  in  the  commencement  of  the  history,  the  other  towards  the  close.  Be- 
sides which  we  meet  with  various  lists  or  enumerations  of  persons  and  places, 
that  may  have  entered  into  the  account  with  those  who  first  adopted  the  title. 
We  have  endeavored,  however,  in  our  Notes  to  show,  from  the  genuine  import 
of  the  terms  employed,  that  the  precise  idea  conveyed  is  not  so  truly  that  oi  num- 
bering, as, of  ordering,  arranging,  marshalling,  or,  otherwise,  mystering.  As 
some  important  results  flow  from  the  establishment  of  this  construction,  we 
commend  our  remarks  on  this  head  to  particular  attention. 

The  authorship  of  the  book  is,  like  that  of  some  of  the  preceding,  determined 
by  the  general  current  of  evidence  which  assigns  the  writing  of  the  entire  Pen- 
tateuch to  Moses.  It  is  clearly  recognized  in  the  subsequent  books  as  pertaining 
to  that  body  of  documents  technically  termed  "  The  Law,"  as  for  instance  we 
find  in  Josh.  4  :  12,  the  following  distinct  allusion  to  the  arrangement  made  with 
the  two  tribes  and  a  half  to  settle  on  the  west  side  of  Jordan  after  first  crossing 
over  with  their  brethren;  "And  the  children  of  Reuben,  and  the  children  of 
Had,  and  half  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  passed  over  armed  before  the  children  of 
Israel,  a^  Moses  spake  unto  them."  Compare  2  Chron.  29  :  11.  31 :  3.  Ezek.  20 : 
13.  Matt.  12  :  5, 

The  time  embraced  in  the  book  extends  from  the  early  part  of  the  second 
year  after  the  exodus  to  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  month  of  the  fortieth  year 
after  that  event ;  it  therefore  comprehends  a  period  of  thirty-eight  3'ears  and 
nine  or  tea  months.    Most  of  the  transactions,  however,  recorded  in  the  book 


iv  INTRODUCTION. 

seem  to  have  taken  place  near  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  this  period.  The 
date  of  the  events  mentioned  about  the  middle  of  the  book  cannot  now  be  ascer- 
tained. Up  to  ch.  10  :  11,  we  find  the  people  remaining  at  Sinai,  and  it  is  then 
stated  that  on  the  twentieth  day  of  the  second  month  of  the  second  year  they 
were  directed  to  remove  and  advance  towards  the  Promised  Land.  They  pro- 
ceed as  far  as  Kadesh  on  its  borders,  where  we  find  them  in  ch.  13 :  4G,  and 
where,  on  account  of  gross  rebellion,  the  nation  was  condemned  to  wander  in 
the  desert  for  forty  years,  till  the  then  existing  generation  should  have  died 
away  (ch.  14).  From  this  time  onward  to  ch.  20,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  fix 
with  accuracy  the  order  and  date  of  the  various  transactions,  laws,  etc.  recorded, 
but  at  that  time  we  find  the  Israelites  again  at  Kadesh  taking  measures  to  enter 
Canaan.  The  book  closes  with  the  people  resting  on  the  borders  of  the  Promised 
Laud  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan. 

As  to  the  time  of  its  being  written,  the  evidence  adduced  in  the  Introduction 
to  the  "  Notes  on  Leviticus,"  §  1,  relative  to  the  date  of  the  composition  of  that 
book,  leads  obviously  to  the  conclusion,  that  while  the  former  was  written  during 
the  encampment  at  Mount  Sinai,  the  latter,  or  the  present  book,  was  written  at 
the  station  on  the  plains  of  Moab.  The  authority  for  this  statement  is  found 
in  Num.  36 :  13,  "  These  are  the  commandments  and  the  judgments  which  the 
Lord  commanded  by  the  hand  of  Moses  unto  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  plains 
of  Moab  by  Jordan  near  Jericho."  We  can  glean  nothing  more  definite  than 
this  relative  to  the  date  of  the  writing. 


§  2.     General  Contents. 

The  history  presents  us  with  an  account  of  the  census-tjiking  of  the  tribes, 
the  consecration  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  the  offering  of  the  princes  at  its  dedi- 
cation. It  describes  the  journeys  and  encampments  of  Israel  under  the  miracu- 
lous guidance  of  the  cloudy  pillar,  the  punishment  at  Taberah,  and  the  signal 
vengeance  with  which,  on  several  occasions,  the  Most  High  visited  the  distrust- 
ful murmurs  of  the  people,  and  that  rebellious  spirit  which  so  often  broke  out  in 
sedition  against  his  appointed  ministers.  The  promptitude  and  severity  with 
which  these  rebellious  outbreaks  were  rebuked  are  relieved  by  the  signal  mercy 
and  forbearance  of  Heaven  in  listening  to  the  prayers  of  Moses  in  behalf  of  the 
offending  people.  The  narrative  is  interspersed  with  various  incidents  collateral 
to  the  main  thread  of  the  history,  which  are  full  of  interest  and  instruction. 
Conspicuous  among  these  is  the  account  of  the  rebellion  of  Korah  and  his  com- 
pany, the  visitation  of  the  fiery  flying  serpents,  the  story  of  Balaam  and  his  con- 
strained predictions,  and  the  miraculous  budding  of  Aaron's  rod.  Henry  remarks 
in  his  usual  pithy  way  that  "  an  abstract  of  much  of  this  book  we  have  in  a  few 
■words,  Ps.  95: 10,  "Forty  years  long  was  I  grieved  with  this  generation,"  and 
an  application  of  it  to  ourselves,  Heb.  4:1,"  Let  us  fear  lest  we  seem  to  come 
short."  It  is  worthy  also  of  reflection  that  while  the  annals  of  many  distin- 
guished and  powerful  nations  who  were  cotemporaries  of  the  Israelites  at  this 
period,  are  all  utterly  lost,  here  we  have  preserved  to  us  the  records  of  a  handful 
of  people  that  dwelt  in  tents,  and  wandered  strangely  in  a  wilderness,  but  who 
were  thus  favored  because  they  were  the  children  of  the  covenant,  and  the  germ 
of  the  Church  for  countless  generations. 


INTRODUCTION. 


§  3.    Synoptical  View. 
Part  \.— Preparation  for  Departure  from  Sinai. 

CnAPTEES 

1.  Numbering  or  mustering  the  people  at  large,  ...  I 

2.  Order  of  the  tribes  in  their  encampment,  ...  II 

3.  The  appointment  and  ministrations  of  the  Levites,      .  .  HI,  ly 

4.  Various  laws  respecting  the  unclean,  the  woman  suspected,  and 

♦      the  Xazarite,  .  .  .  ,  .  .  .        Y,  VI 

5.  The  offerings  of  the  princes,  and  the  consecration  of  the  Levites,   VII,  VIII 

6.  Regulations  respecting  the  celebration  of  the  Passover,  the  sig- 

nals and  order  of  marching,  and  the  calling  of  assemblies,         .        IX,  X 

Part  ll,—TJie  Departure  from  Sinui  and  the  Journeying  to  tJie  Land  of 
Moah,  with,  the  Murmurings  on  the  Way. 

1.  Murmurings  from  the  wearisomeness  of  the  way  and  disgust  with 

the  manna,    ........  XI 

2.  Sedition  of  Aaron  and  Miriam,    .....  XII 

3.  Spies  sent  to  explore  the  land,            .....  XIII 

4.  The  people  murmur  at  their  report  and  are  punished,               .  XIV 

5.  Various  ceremonial  laws,         ......  XV 

6.  Rebellion  and  punishment  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,      .  XVI 

7.  Blossoming  of  Aaron's  rod,      ......  XVII 

9.  The  duties  and  the  support  of  the  Priests  and  Levites,              .  XVIII 

10.  Law  respecting  the  water  of  separation  and  the  sacrifice  of  the 

red  heifer,      ........  XIX 

11.  Murmuring  for  want  of  Water,  unbelief  of  Moses,  perfidy  of  Edom, 

and  death  of  Aaron,      ......  XX 

12.  Renewed  murmurings  of  the  people  and  their  punishment  by  fiery 

flying  serpents,  ..,...,  XXI 

Part  III.— Preparation  for  occupying  the  Promised  Zand,  and  Directions 
respecting  the  Occupancy. 

1.  The  summoning  of  Balaam  by  Balak,  and  his  compliance,  XXII 

2.  Balaam's  sacrifice,  and  his  prophetic  benedictions,  .        XXIII,  XXIV 

3.  The  sin  of  the  people  with  the  Midianitish  women  and 

their  punishment,   ......  XXV 

4.  A  new  census  taken  of  the  people,        .  .  .  XXVI 

5.  Law  concerning  inheritance,  and    the    inauguration  of 

Joshua, XXVII 

6.  Various  laws  respecting  offerings,  .  .  .  XXVIII,  XXIX 
7  Law  respecting  vows,  .  .  .  .  .  XXX 
9.  Occupation  of  part  of  the  promised  inheritance  by  reason 

of  the  slaughter  of  the  Midianites,       .  .  .  XXXI 

10.  Allotment  of  the  two  tribes  and  a  half  in  the  east  of  the 

Jordan,  ......  XXXII 


VI 


INTRODUCTION. 


11.  List  of  the  stations  in  the  wilderness,  .... 

12.  The  appointed  boundaries  of  the  land,  and  the  names  of  the 

surveyors         ....... 

13.  Law  concerning  the  cities  of  refuge,  .... 

14.  Laws  respecting  inheritances  for  preserving  the  succession  of 

estates  and  the  distinction  of  families, 


CHAPTERS. 

XXXIII 


XXXIV 
XXXV 


XXXVI 


§  4.     Commentators. 

We  are  obliged  to  repeat  here  the  remark  made  in  the  Introduction  to  Levi- 
ticus, that  the  commentators  on  this  book  are  few  apart  from  those  who  have 
expounded  the  several  books  of  the  Pentateuch,  or  the  Old  Testament  at  large. 
Yet  we  cannot  say  but  our  apparatus  is  sulficiently  ample,  although  every  year 
is  adding  to  its  extent.  No  attempt  at  unfolding  the  genuine  scope  of  the  Mosaic 
books  can  do  justice  to  the  theme,  which  overlooks  the  resources  accumulated 
by  critics  and  travellers  within  the  last  twenty  years.  In  the  preparation  of  the 
following  Notes,  the  author  has  pursued  the  same  general  plan,  and  been  gov- 
erned by  the  same  principles  which  characterize  his  former  volumes  on  the 
books  of  Moses.  He  is  happy  to  acknowledge  his  indebtedness  to  the  labors  of 
his  predecessors,  while  at  the  same  time  he  has  thought  and  spoken  for  himself, 
and  ventures  to  claim  something  more  for  his  work  than  the  mere  culling  out 
and  remoulding  of  the  best  critical  or  practical  remarks  of  others.  Having  the 
inspired  original,  with  its  collateral  ancient  versions,  continually  before  him,  he 
could  scarcely  fail  to  reach  some  results  which  are  peculiar  to  himself,  although 
in  a  work  intended  for  plain  Bible  readers  as  well  as  teachers,  he  has  been 
guarded  as  to  launching  forth  into  veins  of  mere  curious  or  speculative  research. 
He  is  admonished  by  the  lessons  of  advancing  years  that  he  has  no  time  for  any 
but  useful  inquiries,  and  that  even  in  this  department  his  labors  henceforth  must 
be  bounded  by  inevitably  narrow  limits.  He  has  endeavored,  therefore,  so  to 
conduct  his  studies,  and  so  to  shape  the  results,  as  to  subserve  the  highest  inter- 
est of  the  greatest  number  of  his  readers. 

In  the  way  of  critical  and  ethical  helps  in  his  undertaking,  the  most  important 
have  been  the  following,  for  the  use  of  several  of  which  he  has  been  indebted  to 
the  private  and  public  collections  which  have  been  kindly  placed  at  his  service. 


Walton's  Polyglot. 
Pool's  Synopsis. 
Ainsworth  on  the  Pentateuch. 
Attersol  on  Numbers. 
Biblia  Maxima  of  de  la  Ilaye. 
Origen's  Homilies  on  Numbers. 
Theodoret's  Quaestiones  in  Nnmeros. 
Le  Clerc's  Commentary. 


Dodd's 

do. 

Patrick's 

do. 

Oalmet's 

do. 

Cleaver's 

do. 

RosenmuUer's 

do. 

Gill's 

do. 

Henry's 

do. 

Hewlett's 

do. 

Barrett's  Synopsis  of  Criticism, 
Geddes'  Translation  and  Notes. 
Michaelis'  Laws  of  Moses. 

"         Germ.  Translation  of  Scriptures. 
Pyles'  Paraphrase. 
Pool's  Annotations. 
Babington's  Comfortable  Notes. 
Drusius  ad  Loca  Difflcilia. 
Saurin's  Dissertations. 
Parker's  Bibliotheca  Biblica. 
De  Wette's  German  Translation. 
Dathius"  Latin  Translation. 
Jurieu's  Critical  History. 
Bishop  Hall's  Contemplations. 
Outram  on  Sacrifices. 
Kitto's  Daily  Bible  Illustrations. 


INTRODUCTION. 


VU 


Stackhonse's  History  of  the  Bible. 
Vsitablus'  Biblia  Sacra. 
Pfeiffer's  Dubia  Vexata. 
Junius  &  Tremellius'  Latin  Bible. 
Haak's  Dutch  Annotations. 
Kidder  on  the  Pentateuch. 
Wells'  Sacred  Geography. 

"     Help  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 


Eobinson's  Eesearches. 

Bonar's  Sinai  and  the  Desert. 

Lewis'  Hebrew  Antiquities. 

Palfrey's  Lectures  on  Hebrew  Antiquities. 

Kitto's  Pictorial  Bible. 

"      Biblical  Cyclopaedia. 
"Works  of  Philo  and  Josephus. 
Bishop  Wilson's  Bible. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 

Chald.  The  Chaldee,  version,  or  Targum  of  Onkelos. 

Gr.  or  Sept.  The  Greeh  version  of  the  Seventy. 

Vulg.  The  Latin  version,  commonly  called  the  Vulgate. 

Arab.  The  Arabic  version  of  the  Polyglot. 

Sam.  The  Samaritan  Pentateuch. 

Syr.  The  Syriac  version  of  the  Polyglot. 

Targ.  Jon.  The  Targum  or  Paraphrase  of  Jonathan. 

Targ.  Jerus.  The  Targum  of  Jerusalem. 


In  respect  to  these  various  versions  and  Targums,  the  reader  will  find 
ample  information  in  the  Introduction  to  the  Notes  on  Genesis.  They  are  not 
all  of  equal  value,  but  all  of  them  will  occasionally  throw  important  light  upon 
passages  occurring  in  the  sacred  text.  The  Yulg.  and  the  Gr.  are  generally 
quoted  in  the  words  of  the  English  translation— the  former  of  the  Douay,  and 
the  latter  of  Thomson  or  Brenton.  In  quoting  from  the  Targums  and  the 
Jewish  Expositors,  the  author  has  usually  availed  himself  of  the  version  given 
in  Ainsworth's  very  valuable  Notes,  to  which  he  has  had  frequent  recourse 
throughout. 


THE   BOOK   OF   NUMBEKS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Israelites,  at  the  date  of  the 
opening  of  this  book,  had  remained 
about  a  year  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount 
Sinai,  whither  they  had  arrived  within 
little  more  than  a  month  after  their  de- 
parture from  Egypt.  During  this  time 
of  nearly  thirteen  months  they  had 
erected  and  furnished  the  Tabernacle, 
and  had  received  the  various  laws  and 
institutions  recorded  in  the  preceding 
books,  and  had  been  undergoing  a  cer- 
tain preliminary  discipline  or  training 
in  the  matters  of  divine  worship,  which 
infinite  wisdom  saw  to  be  of  the  utmost 
importance  for  them  in  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  were  placed. 
They  had  but  recently  been  delivered 
from  a  state  of  degrading  bondage,  and 
had  come  forth  from  under  the  hand  of 
their  oppressors  as  a  somewhat  rude 
and  uncultivated  horde,  requiring  to 
be  put  through  a  kind  of  educational 
process  before  they  would  be  fit  to  an- 
swer, in  all  respects,  the  ends  of  their 
marvellous  selection  and  segregation 
as  a  peculiar  people.  These  ends  were 
in  a  great  measure  typical  and  represen- 
tative. A  "church  in  the  wilderness" 
was  to  be  formed  that  should,  in  its  dis- 
tinguishing economy  of  rites  and  cere- 
monies, laws  and  judgments,  fitly  fore- 
shadow that  future  Christian  and  spir- 
itual Church,  in  which  it  was  ordained 
that  all  those  shadows  should  be  turned 
into  substance.  It  was  indeed  a  bur- 
densome yoke  that  was  to  be  imposed 
upon  them,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  per- 
ceive that  their  shoulders  must  be  grad- 
1* 


ually  inured  to  the  load  which  they 
were  called,  for  so  many  ages,  to  bear. 
Hence  their  protracted  stay  at  Sinai, 
which  would  naturally  tend  to  Ireah 
them  in  to  the  service  allotted  them  in 
their  typical  capacity — a  capacity  in 
which  it  appears  from  the  whole  drift 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  they  were 
mainly  called  to  act.  For  this  end  it 
was  necessary,  moreover,  that  a  certain 
external  order  and  organization  should 
be  adopted,  whereby  the  analogous 
arrangements  of  the  ulterior  spiritual 
body,  of  long  subsequent  development, 
should  be  suitably  set  forth.  Hence  it 
was  that  a  special  mustering  and  enu- 
meration  of  the  people,  together  with  a 
prescribed/wwi  of  encampinent,  was  or- 
dered at  the  time  of  the  commencement 
of  the  present  history,  for  which  we  may 
in  addition  suggest  a  number  of  collat- 
eral ends  to  be  answered;  as,  (1.)  That 
the  people  might  have  palpable  evi- 
dence how  fully  the  Lord  had  made 
good  his  promise  to  Abraham  of  multi- 
plying his  seed.  (2.)  That  every  Isra- 
elite might  know  for  himself  and  be 
able  to  declare  to  his  posterity,  from 
what  tribe  he  descended  and  to  what 
family  he  belonged,  and  this  more  espe- 
cially with  a  view  that  the  genealogy 
of  the  future  Messiah  might  be  clearly 
ascertained.  (3.)  That  in  case  of  an 
attack  from  their  enemies,  they  might 
know  their  strength  as  a  military  body ; 
in  which  character  however  they  are  to 
be  looked  upon  as  pre-eminently  typi- 
cal of  a  church  militant,  for  nothing 
can  bp  conceived  more  abhorrent  to  the 


10 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


CHAPTER    I. 

ND   the   Lord   spake    unto 
.  Moses  in  the  wilderness  of 


Sinai*,  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,  on  the  first  day 

a  Ex.  19, 1.    Num.  10,  12. 


divine  love  and  wisdom  than  wars  and 
conquests  viewed  in  any  other  light. 
They  may  be  permitted,  but  never  ap- 
proved. (4.)  That  a  more  orderly 
method  of  march  in  their  journey  to 
Canaan  might  be  secured.  "  It  is  a 
rout  and  a  rabble,"  says  Henry,  "  not 
an  army,  that  is  not  mustered  and  put 
in  order."  With  these  prefatory  re- 
marks we  enter  upon  the  critical  expo- 
sition of  the  text. 

The  Mustering  of  the  Tribes. 
V.  1.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses 
in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai.  The  true 
rendering  of  this  clause  depends  upon 
the  determination  of  the  question, 
whether  the  census  here  ordered  to  be 
taken  is  the  same  with  that  previously 
mentioned,  Ex.  30  :  12.  38  :  26,  or  an  en- 
tirely different  one — a  point  about  which 
commentators  greatly  differ.  In  the 
one  case,  the  present  would  be  the  cor- 
rect rendering;  in  the  other  it  would- 
be,  "  The  Lord  had  said."  The  iden- 
tity of  the  two  enumerations  is  favored 
by  the  identity  of  the  sum  total  of  each, 
viz.  603,550,  and  by  the  difficulty  of 
conceiving  why  a  second  numbering 
should  be  ordered  within  so  short  a 
time — not  more  than  a  few  months — 
after  the  first.  But  on  the  other  hand, 
it  is  disfavored  by  the  express  specifi- 
cation of  dates.  The  census  mentioned 
Ex.  SO  :  12  and  38  :  26  was  evidently 
ordered  in  reference  to  the  poll-tax  of 
half  a  shekel  which  was  to  accompany 
it,  and  from  which  a  portion  of  the 
revenue  necessary  for  the  work  of  the 
Tabernacle  was  to  be  derived.  Indeed, 
it  is  expressly  stated  Ex.  38  :  25-27,  that 
the  silver  sockets  of  the  Tabernacle 
were  made  out  of  the  half  shekels  con- 
rributed  on  this  occasion.     The  cen- 


sus, therefore,  which  yielded  this  fund 
must  have  been  taken  previous  to  the 
erection  of  the  sacred  edifice,  and  this, 
we  learn,  was  finished  and  set  up  on 
the  first  day  of  the  fi7'st  month  of  the 
second  year  of  the  sojourn  in  the  wil- 
derness.   But  in  the  passage  before  us 
the  command  to  number  the  people  was 
given  on  the  first  day  of  the  second 
month  of  the  same  year,  or  precisely 
one   month  after  the  erection  of  the 
sanctuary.    Were  it  not  for  this  very 
explicit  mention  of  dates  we  should  be 
inclined  to  Mr.  Kitto's  opinion,  who  re- 
marks of  the  present  census,  that  "  we 
may  doubt  whether  the  enumeration  in 
Ex.  38 :  26  is  the  result  of  a  different 
one.      A  census  must  always  occupy 
some  time  in  making,  and  yet  we  find 
an  interval  of  only  a  few  months  be- 
tween the  two  periods ;  and  if  we  sup- 
pose them  different  it  is  impossible  to 
conceive  why  a  second    enumeration 
should  so  immediately  follow  the  first. 
Besides,  the  amount  stated  in  both  in- 
stances is  the  same,  namely,  603,550 — • 
an  identity  of  numbers  scarcely  possi- 
ble even  in  the  interval  of  a  few  months, 
had  the  enumerations  been  diflerent. 
We  therefore  think  that  the  census  is 
the  same :  it  was  completed  doubtless 
in  time  to  make  the  poll-tax  available 
for  the  works  of  the  Tabernacle,  and 
the  result  is  stated  incidentally  in  Ex. 
38  :  26,  in  connection  with  the  amount ; 
while  here  we  have  a  more  particular 
account  of  the  same  enumeration^  in  or- 
der to  show  the  relative  strength  of  the 
different  tribe  ."  This  would  be  a  very 
probable  view  of  the  matter  but  for  the 
difficulty  stated  above.    If  the  census 
was  made  in  time  to  be  available  for 
the  work  of  the   Tabernacle,  it  must 
have  been  made  prior  to  the  first  day  of 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTEPw  I. 


11 


of  the  second  month,  in  the  sec- 
ond year  after  they  were  come 

the  first  month  of  the  second  year ;  but 
that  brings  it  in  conflict  with  the  pres- 
ent, which  was  not  ordered  till  the  first 
day  of  the  second  month.  In  this  emer- 
gency Rosenmuller  adopts  the  sugges- 
tion of  Vater,  that  the  text  has  been 
tampered  with  by  some  one  who,  sup- 
posing that  a  new  census  is  here  spoken 
of,  took  the  liberty  to  affix  a  false  nota- 
tion of  the  time.  But  as  we  are  opposed 
from  principle  to  all  such  gratuitous  ex- 
pedients in  the  way  of  solving  difficul- 
ties, it  remains,  if  possible,  to  find  some 
solution  which  shall  not  impeach  the 
integrity  of  the  sacred  text,  and  we 
have  satisfied  our  own  mind  that  in  the 
command  here  given  as  to  numbering 
the  congregation,  tlie  previous  one  was 
to  he  assumed  as  a  basis.  As  far  as  the 
bare  numbers  were  concerned,  the  ta- 
bles or  register  already  made  out  would 
answer ;  and  this  accounts  for  the  fact 
that  the  sum  total  is  the  same  in  both 
cases.  Prof.  Palfrey  here  remarks, 
with  great  probability,  that  "  the  sec- 
ond was  not  so  much  a  distinct  count- 
ing, as  a  more  formal  verification  of  the 
first."  "  When  Eleazar  and  Ithamar," 
he  adds,  "  had  already  so  recently  made 
out  their  enumeration  of  the  people  for 
one  purpose,  it  is  altogether  unlikely 
that  their  lists  would  be  disregarded, 
and  a  work  so  onerous  be  gone  through 
a  second  time  de  integro.  It  is  safely 
to  be  presumed,  that  the  list  first  made 
would  be  put  into  the  hands  of  the  offi- 
cers who  were  to  superintend  the  new 
enrolment ;  and  that  as  the  number, 
supposing  it  io  have  been  accurately 
stated  in  the  first  instance,  could  not 
have  become  materially  different  in  so 
short  a  space  of  time,  the  main  purpose 
would  be  to  authenticate  it,  without 
disturbing  it  any  further  than  to  count, 
instead  of  each  individual  in  any  com- 


out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  say- 
ing, 


pany  who  had  died  in  the  interval,  the 
name  of  some  one  who  had  grown  up 
to  full  age."  {Lect.  on  Jewish  Ant.  vol.  I. 
p.  313. )  Thus  too  Dr.  Chalmers  {Script. 
Readings  in  loc.)  : — "  Henry  speaks  of 
their  being  numbered  before  from  Ex. 
38  :  25,  26,  and  remarks  on  the  perfect 
coincidence  of  the  two  censuses.  But 
may  it  not  have  been  one  census,  even 
the  present  one  ?  We  have  only  to  sup- 
pose that  the  levy,  though  begun  and 
proceeded  with,  was  not  completed  till 
after  the  enumeration  was  finished." 
The  object  of  the  measure  in  the  pres- 
ent case  was  not  therefore  precisely  the 
same  that  it  was  before.  Then  it  was 
to  obtain  a  revenue  per  capita  for  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary.  Now  it  was 
with  a  view  to  order  and  arrangement 
among  the  different  tribes,  as  Avell  as 
to  ascertain,  perhaps,  their  relative 
strength.  But  this  design  will  disclose 
itself  more  fully  as  we  unfold  the  import 
j  of  terms  in  what  follows.  We  simply 
remark  at  present  that  the  difference 
j  between  this  and  the  former  numbering 
!  we  regard  as  the  difference  between  a 
i  census  and  a  muster.  What  that  is  the 
reader  will  soon  be  able  to  apprehend. 
T[  In  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation. Heb.  *irn;2  ^nxn  beohel  nw'id, 
in  the  tabernacle  of  appointment,  or  of 
stated  meeting.  Gr.  "  Tent  or  taberaa- 
cle  of  witness,"  doubtless  from  its  con- 
taining the  book  of  the  law,  which  is 
frequently  spoken  of  as  the  witness  of 
the  covenant  established  between  the 
Lord  and  his  people.  See  Note  on  Ex. 
27  :  21.  '  Tabernacle  of  witness.' — Cov- 
erdale.  '  Tent  of  the  congregation.' — 
Ainsworth.  '  Tabernacle  of  the  cove- 
nant.'— Douay,  '  Public  tent/ — Purver. 
There  were  three  places  in  which  the 
Lord  gave  audience  to  Moses,  and  from 
which  he  spake  to  him.     One  was  at 


12 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


2  Take  ^  ye  the  sum  of  all  the 

i  Ex.  30.  12.   c.  26. -2.  63.    2  S.am.  24.  2.    1  Chr.  21.  2. 


congregation  of  the  children  of 


the  door  of  the  Tabernacle,  near  which 
stood  the  Altar  of  Burnt-Offerings.  Ex. 
29  :  42.  "  This  shall  be  a  continual 
burnt-offering  throughout  your  genera- 
tions at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation  before  the  Lord  : 
where  I  will  meet  you,  to  speak  there 
unto  you."  Another  was  out  of  the 
cloudy  pillar.  Ps.  W,  "  He  spake  to 
them  in  the  cloudy  pillar."  Comp.  Ex. 
S3  :  9.  Num  12 :  5.  This,  however, 
concurred  for  the  most  part  with  the 
other,  inasmuch  as  the  pillar  of  cloud 
usually  stood  at  the  door  of  the  Taber- 
nacle when  the  Lord  spake  thence  to 
Moses,  ch.  11 :  17.  The  third  was  the 
Mercy-seat,  the  principal  seat  of  the 
oracle.  Num.  7  :  89.  It  was  hence  that 
the  Most  High  now  addressed  the  com- 
mand to  Moses. T[  I/I  the  Jirst  day 

of  the  second  month  of  tJie  second  year. 
Heb.  "  In  the  one  (day)  to  the  second 
month."  Gr.  ev  fiia,  "In  the  one." 
The  same  phraseology  occurs  several 
times  in  the  Greek  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Thus  Matt.  28  : 1,  "  Toward  the 
first  day  (Gr.  one  day)  of  the  week." 
Comp.  Mark  16  :  2.  John  20  : 1.  Acts  20  : 
7.  Titus  3  :  10,  "  After  the  first  (Gr.  one) 
and  second  admonition."  Comparing 
this  with  Ex.  19  : 1.  40  :  2.  Num.  22  : 
11,  it  appears  that  the  Israelites  abode 
in  the  desert  of  Sinai  very  nearly  a 
whole  year;  for  they  came  into  it  on 
the  first  day  of  the  third  month  of  the 
first  year,  and  continued  there  to  the 
twentieth  daj^  of  the  second  month  of 
the  second  year.  This  second  month  is 
called  in  the  Hebrew  calendar  Zf,  and 
answers  to  a  part  of  our  April.  It  is  so 
called  from  the  brightness  and  beauty  of 
the  flowers  which  then  make  their  ap- 
pearance, as  this  is  the  import  of  Zf. 
Within  this  period  God  published  the 
Law  from  Mount  Sinai,  commanded  the 


erection  of  the  Tabernacle,  which  was 
accomplished  in  the  first  day  of  the 
second  year,  and  in  the  subsequent  days 
of  the  first  month  the  various  laws  re- 
garding the  sacrifices,  the  distinction 
of  clean  and  unclean  animals,  together 
with  all  the  details  of  the  ritual  that 
form  the  contents  of  the  after  part  of 
the  book  of  Exodus  and  of  the  whole  of 
Leviticus,  were  delivered.  But  for  this 
comparison  of  dates  we  should  scarcely 
be  aware  of  the  vast  amount  of  action 
condensed  into  so  brief  a  space.  It  is 
clear  that  the  sojourn  at  the  foot  of  the 
sacred  mount  was  no  idle  vacation  to 
the  chosen  people.  The  intimation  is 
palpable,  that  in  all  matters  pertaining 
to  divine  worship  a  listless  and  languid 
deportment  is  sadly  out  of  place,  and 
that  the  utmost  activity  of  mind  and 
heart  is  called  for.  "  Diligent  in  busi- 
ness, fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the 
Lord,"  is  the  true  motto. 

2.  Take  ye  the  sum  of  all  the  congrC' 
gation  of  the  children  of  Israel.  Heb. 
IDK'I  r;5C  INTD  seoo  eth  rosh,  lit.  tahe  vp, 
lift  vp,  elevate  the  head.  The  expres- 
sion would  not  seem  to  be  in  itself  the 
most  natural  for  conveying  the  idea  of 
census-taking  .  We  should  be  inclined, 
from  the  force  of  the  words,  to  render 
the  clause,  "  elevate  the  headship," 
that  is,  taking  "head"  as  an  abstract 
equivalent  to  chief  ,  principal,  we  would 
understand  it  as  implying  that  a  special 
prominence  and  distinction  was  to  be 
given  to  what  might  be  deemed  the 
headship  of  the  congregation  composed 
of  the  males  of  above  twenty  years  of 
age,  but  excluding  females,  children, 
and  the  infirm  and  aged.  These  were 
to  be  enumerated  and  registered,  which 
was  a  kind  of  elevation  predicated  of  this 
portion  of  the  people,  in  contradistinc- 
tion from  the  others.  This  construction 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


13 


Israel,  after  their   families,  by 
*he  house  of  their  fathers,  with 


IS  favored  by  the  Gr.   AajSere  apxv^i 

take  the  principality  of  all  the  congre- 
gation, by  which  we  suppose  to  be 
meant  tke principal  or  ?)iost  distinguish- 
ing part.  But  however  probable  this 
interpretation,  it  is  certain  that  the 
majority  of  the  versions  agree  with  the 
rendering  of  the  English.  Thus,  Chal. 
"Take  the  sum,  or  computation,  of  the 
congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel." 
Syr.  "  Take  the  sum  of  the  number  of 
the  heads  of  the  whole  assembly." 
Sam.  **  Take  the  sum  of  the  congrega- 
tion," etc.  Arab.  "Take  the  sum  of 
the  sons  of  Israel."  In  this  rendering 
we,  on  the  whole,  concur,  though  with 
some  degree  of  doubt,  and  take  the 
leading  idea  to  be  that  of  capitation. 
"Taking  the  head"  is  ascertaining  the 
sum  total,  and  it  is  obvious  that  the 
summation  of  a  series  of  numbers  is  the 
bringing  them,  as  it  were,  into  a  head. 
Thus  we  speak  of  heading  vp  a  row  or 
a  column  of  figures.  As  in  the  human 
body  all  the  different  parts  are  devel- 
oped from  the  head,  and  exist  in  it  in 
potency,  so  the  sum  total  in  any  nu- 
merical count  is  in  like  manner  a  head 
to  all  the  different  parts  of  which  it  is 
composed,  and  into  which  it  may  be  re- 
solved. So  the  word  capital,  from  ca- 
put, head,  is  familiar  with  us  to  denote 
the  amount  of  wealth  belonging  to  an 
individual  or  a  company.  The  parallel 
usage  of  the  Scriptures  in  regard  to  this 
word  is  worthy  of  note,  Ps.  139 :  17, 
'  How  precious  are  thy  thoughts  unto 
me,  0  God,  how  great  is  the  sum  of 
tlieni  (Heb.  roshehem,  their  head)."  Ps. 
119  :  100,  "  Thy  word  is  true  from  the 
beginning  ;  "  rather,  "  T?ie  sum  total 
(Heb.  rosh,  head)  of  thy  word  is  truth." 
From  this  general  order  it  is  evident 
from  what   follows    that   the  Levites 


the    number   of    their    names, 
every  male  by  their  polls ; 

were  to  be  exempted,  v.  47. T[  After 

their  families,  ly  the  house  of  their  fa- 
thers. Heb.  lemishpehothdm,  according 
to  their  families ;  Gr.  Kara  crvyye- 
veias  avTwu,  accoj'ding  to  their  Mn- 
dreds,  Luke  1 :  61.  The  precise  distinc- 
tion here  designed  to  be  understood 
between  "their  families"  and  "the 
houses  of  their  fathers,"  is  not  entirely 
obvious.  In  the  summoning  together 
of  the  congregation  under  Joshua,  ch. 
7  :  14,  for  the  search  which  resulted  in 
the  detection  of  Achan,  they  came  by 
tribes,  by  families,  and  by  houses, 
which  would  seem  to  imply  that  fami- 
lies denoted  a  wider  range  of  kindred 
than  houses.  But  we  find  ourselves 
forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the  phrase 
"  house  of  their  fathers"  is  merely  exe- 
getical  of  "families;"  that  is  to  say, 
that  the  way  in  which  the  different 
families  in  any  tribe  were  distinguished, 
was  by  denominating  them  respectively 
from  that  individual  who  could  proper- 
ly be  termed  its  father,  founder,  or 
head.  Otherwise  we  are  at  a  loss  to 
conceive  how  the  families  could  be  dis- 
tinguished. Thus  in  the  account  of  the 
numbering  recorded  ch.  26 : 5-7,  we 
seem  to  be  furnished  vyith  a  clew  to  the 
diction  before  us  ;  "  Take  the  sum  of 
the  people,  from  twenty  years  old  and 
upward  ;  as  the  Lord  commanded  Mo- 
ses and  the  children  of  Israel,  which 
went  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Reuben,  the  eldest  son  of  Israel :  the 
children  of  Reuben  ;  Hanoch,  of  whom 
cometh  the  family  of  the  Hanochites . 
of  Pallu,  the  family  of  the  Palluites : 
of  Hezron,  the  family  of  the  Hezronites : 
of  Carmi,  the  family  of  the  Carmites. 
These  are  the  families  of  the  Reuben- 
ites  :  and  they  that  were  numbered  of 
them  were  forty  and  three  thousand 


14 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


3  From  twenty  years  old 
and  upward,  all  that  are  able 
to  go   forth  to  war  in  Israel : 


and  seven  hundred  and  thirty."  In 
this  paragraph  we  see  how  it  is  that 
the  families  in  a  tribe  are  distinguish- 
ed. The  eldest  son  of  Reuben  is  Ha- 
noch,  and  all  his  descendants  are  called 
from  him  Hanochites.  He  was  there- 
fore the  head  or  father  of  that  family ; 
and  so,  of  the  rest  who  are  mentioned. 
"We  know  not  what  to  make  of  any 
"  houses  of  fathers  "  apart  from  these 
families,  upon  whom  the  fathers'  names 
are  thus  called.  These  several  families 
might  each  of  them  be  numerously  sub- 
divided into  minor  branches,  but  they 
would  still,  as  we  suppose,  be  called  by 
the  name  of  their  common  ancestor, 
which  is  perhaps  intimated  in  the  Gr. 
version  of  the  present  passage,  ''Ac- 
cording to  their  kindred,  according  to 
the  houses  of  their  patriarchal  fathers. " 

T[  wall  the  number  of  their  names. 

Heb.  hemispar  shemoth,  in,  with,  ly,  or 
according  to  their  names.  If  our  pre- 
vious suggestions  are  well  founded  re- 
specting the  relation  which  this  census 
bears  to  the  preceding,  we  may  reason- 
ably suppose  that  the  actual  nnmher  of 
the  host  was  ascertained  by  the  number 
of  half  shekels  received  by  Moses  on 
that  occasion,  Ex.  38 :  25,  26,  but  the 
names  may  not  have  been  recorded,  nor 
even  the  people  duly  classified  accord- 
ing to  the  arrangement  here  prescribed, 
nor  their  pedigree  accurately  ascer- 
tained, which  was  a  work  that  would 
require  a  considerable  time,  at  least  as 
compared  with  the  collecting  the  poll- 
tax   above  mentioned. T|    By  their 

polls.  Heb.  legulgelothdm,  according 
to  their  skulls.  This  is  equivalent  to 
man  or  person.  Thus  Ex.  38  :  25,  "  A 
bekah  for  every  man."  Heb.  "  A  bekah 
for  a  skull."      From    the   same    root 


thou  and  Aaron   shall  number 
them  by  their  armies. 


comes  "  Golgotha,"  the  place  of  a  skull. 
Gr.  "  According  to  their  head."  "  Head 
by  head."—  Cov.  "  Poll  by  poll."— J/a^. 
"  Man  by  man." — Gen.  The  sum  total 
was  to  be  made  up  of  the  separate  units. 
V.  3.  From  twenty  years  and  upward. 
Heb.  "  From  the  son  of  twenty  years." 
That  is,  going  on  in  the  twentieth  year, 
but  not  having  completed  it,  which  is 
the  force  of  the  original.  This  became 
ever  after  the  age  at  which  one  was 
thought  fit  for  war.  According  to  the 
Jewish  writers,  sixty  was  the  age  when 
they  were  considered  to  be  exempt 
from  militaiy  service,  but  this  is  no- 
where stated    in    the    Scriptures. 

T[  All  that  are  able  to  go  forth  to  war  in 
Israel.  Heb.  kol  yotzt  tzdbd,  every  one 
going  forth  host-wise.  "  Every  one  that 
goeth  forth  (with)  the  army." — Ains. 
That  is,  every  one  that  usually  goes 
forth,  every  one  that  is  able  to  go.  The 
present  participle  in  Hebrew  denotes 
an  habitual  course  of  action,  thus  in- 
volving oftentimes  the  idea  of  the  fu- 
ture, and  occasionally  of  the  past ; 
whence  some  commentators  contend 
that  the  phrase  here  refers  properly  to 
those  that  came  forth  out  of  Egypt, 
as  appears  from  ch.  26  : 4,  where  the 
very  same  Heb.  term  is  thus  rendered. 
This  would  of  course  exclude  all  that 
were  not  of  Israel,  all  that  were  under 
twenty,  and  all  that  would  naturally 
be  incapacitated  from  disease,  old  age, 
and  other  infirmities.  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served, however,  that  there  is  nothing 
in  the  original  corresponding  to  "  able," 
which  word  might  therefore  more  prop- 
erly have  been  printed  in  italics. 

T[  Tliou  and  Aaro?i  shall  number  them 
by  their  armies.  Heb.  tiphkedu  otlidm 
letzibothdmy    rendered    by  Ainsworth, 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


15 


ye  shall  muster  tTum  by  their  armies. 
The  Heb.  term  (nptn  tiphkedu),  ren- 
dered in  our  version  "  number,"  does 
not*primarily  convey  this  idea.  Re- 
course to  lexicography  will  show  that 
the  leading  sense  of  the  word  is  to  visit, 
either  with  a  view  to  mercy  and  bless- 
ing, or  to  punishment,  and  hence  to  in- 
spect, to  survey,  to  look  after,  to  oversee, 
to  preside,  general  ideas  which  include 
also,  from  the  force  of  the  Hiphil  or 
causative  form,  the  import  of  giving  in 
charge,  ajypointing  over,  ordering,  dis- 
posing, and  commanding.  In  the  use 
of  the  terms  visit  and  visitor  as  applied 
to  a  class  of  men  constituting  a  board 
of  revision  and  superintendence  in  con- 
nection with  universities  and  other  in- 
corporated institutions,  whose  duty  it 
is  to  mark  defects,  to  rectify  wrongs, 
and  to  enforce  statutes,  we  find  an  illus- 
tration of  the  extended  meaning  which 
this  term  bears  in  the  sacred  writings. 
The  following  examples  will  throw 
light  upon  the  usage.  Gen.  21 : 1,  "  The 
Lord  visited  Sarah,  and  did  unto  Sarah 
as  he  had  spoken."  Gen.  39  :  4,  "  And 
Joseph  found  grace  in  his  sight,  and  he 
served  him ;  and  he  made  him  overseer 
over  his  house,  and  all  that  he  had  he 
put  into  his  hand."  Lev.  26  :  16,  "  I  will 
appoint  over  you  terror,  consumption, 
and  the  burning  ague."  Num.  3  :  10, 
"  Thou  shalt  appoint  Aaron  and  his 
sons,"  i.  e.  give  them  their  charge; 
and  so  very  often  for  appointing,  in- 
trusting, and  giving  charge  and  poicer 
to  loolc  after.  Ex.  20  :  5,  "  Visiting  the 
iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  chil- 
dren." The  overseer  or  visitor  is 
clothed  with  power  to  punish  or  ani- 
madvert upon  offenders,  in  which  sense 
the  word  often  occurs.  It  is  found  also 
in  the  sense  oi  mustering  or  numlering, 
as  in  the  chapter  before  us,  but  this  is 
merely  an  incidental  sense,  for  it  does 
not  strictly  signify  to  nuniber,  although 
at  the   muster  or   review  the   people 


might  be  numbered.  But  the  idea  of 
numbering  has  become  attached  to  the 
term  because  the  inspection,  survey, 
ordering,  and  disposition  implied  in  the 
term  was  usually  an  accompaniment 
of  the  capitation  or  census-taking.  The 
proper  significance  of  pakad,  to  visit, 
has  thus  become  extended  so  as  to 
cover  a  ground  for  which  it  was  not 
originally  designed.  The  appropriate 
term  for  numbering  is  ^£0  sdphar,  with 
which  TpD  pakad  is  not  synonymous, 
the  two  differing  in  the  manner  above 
stated.  The  accessory  has  therefore, 
in  this  instance,  assumed  the  place  of 
the  principal — a  fact  which  it  is  de- 
sirable for  the  reader  to  know.  "To 
inspect  or  visit  the  people,"  says  Mr. 
Bates  (Heb.  Lex.  sub  voce),  "related 
as  well  to  their  conduct,  religious  and 
civil,  as  to  their  number,  and  at  such 
musters,  lustrations,  purifications,  and 
typical  atonements  were  necessary." 
See  Ex.  30 :  12.  "When  it  is  said,  there- 
fore, in  the  passage  before  us,  "  Thou 
and  Aaron  shall  number  them  by  their 
armies,"  the  import  is  not  so  strictly 
that  oi  numbering  as  of  disposition  and 
arrangement ;  they  were  to  be  inspect- 
ed and  marshalled,  and  set  in  proper 
array.  We  are  happy  to  be  confirmed 
in  the  above  interpretation  by  the  re- 
marks of  a  valuable  writer  of  the  17th 
century  (Robert  Gell),  whose  work,  en 
titled  "  An  Essay  towards  the  Amend- 
ment of  the  last  English  Translation  of 
the  Bible,"  has  come  into  our  hand 
since  the  above  was  written.  "  They 
r^n^QV paTcad,  to  number,  which  though 
it  so  signifies,  yet  in  the  business  of 
this  and  the  next  chapter,  it  is  a  word 
too  general,  and  is  more  properly  to  be 
termed  to  visit,  or  rather  to  muster  ;  as 
the  Latin  phrase  imports,  "  exercitum 
lustrare,"  "  facere  militum  recognitio- 
nem."  So  "  armilustmm "  signifies 
mustering,  a  viewing  of  harness,  wea- 
pons, and  soldiers.    For  they  who  mws- 


16 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


ter  their  forces  do  not  only  take  account 
Tiow  many  their  soldiers  are,  and  so 
numher  them,  but  they  also  take  notice 
and  inquire  how  able,  how  well  appoint- 
ed, how  well  furnished  they  are  for 
war.  Besides,  the  Scripture  through- 
out this  and  the  next  chapter  useth  di- 
verse words,  as  mispar  for  number,  and 
pdhad  for  msiting  or  mustering.  So 
that  the  translation  confounds  those  acts 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  distinguish- 
eth."  To  this  he  adds  that  the  muster 
prescribed  involved  the  idea  of  inspec- 
tion as  to  sex,  age,  pedigree,  etc.,  and 
as  the  design  of  this  was  to  cull  out 
the  choice,  the  flower  of  the  host,  the 
most  hale,  vigorous,  and  valiant,  or  the 
truly  "excellent  ones,"  therefore  the 
term  visiting  or  numbering  is  applied 
to  them ;  for  that  "  such  are  highly  es- 
teemed, loved,  cared  for,  numbered,  ap- 
pears from  the  contrary ;  as  it  is  said 
of  persons  despicable  and  contemned, 
extra  numerum  esse;  nulla  numero 
esse;  nullius  esse  numeri  —  military 
phrases  implying  such  as  are  of  no 
reckoning,  no  account,  who  stand  for 
ciphers.  But  the  Lord's  soldiers  are 
all  numbered,  visited,  mustered."  That 
there  is  an  ulterior  purport  in  this, 
would  appear  from  the  usage  of  the 
term  in  the  following  passage:  Luke 
12  : 7,  "  Even  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  aW  numbered.'"  The  idea  here 
is  not  precisely  that  of  numbering, 
which  would  of  course  be  useless  to 
Omniscience,  but  of  the  minutest  in- 
spection, of  the  most  intimate  provi- 
dential cognizance,  a  knowledge  ac- 
companied with  the  most  watchful  and 
tender  care.  Is.  13  : 4,  "  The  Lord  of 
hosts  mustereth  (Heb.  mepaTclced)  the 
host  of  the  battle."  The  battle  here  is 
spiritual,  for  the  Lord  wages  no  other, 
and  mustering  the  host  is  arranging, 
ordering,  and  arraying  the  internal 
states  and  principles  of  those  who  com- 
pose it.     Again,  Is.  40  :  26,  "  Lift  up 


your  eyes  on  high,  and  behold,  who 
hath  created  these  things,  that  bring- 
eth  out  their  host  by  numher."  So  also 
Ps.  147  :  4,  "  He  telleth  the  number  of 
the  stars,  he  calleth  them  all  by  their 
names."  That  by  numbering  in  these 
passages  is  signified  to  ordain,  order, 
or  arrange,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that 
it  is  spoken  of  the  Most  High,  who  does 
not  in  reality  number  or  name  armies 
or  stars,  but  inspects,  orders,  arranges, 
and  disposes  the  things  represented  by 
them,  which  are  of  course  things  per- 
taining to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and 
the  church.  As  this  is  the  high  pre- 
rogative of  Jehovah  himself,  who  alone 
is  competent  to  the  task,  we  may  gather 
from  this  source,  perhaps,  the  true 
grounds  of  the  reason  why  David's  con- 
duct in  numbering  the  people  was 
viewed  by  the  Lord  in  so  heinous  a 
light.  As  the  people  of  Israel  represent- 
ed typically  the  church,  and  as  it  is  the 
province  of  the  Lord  alone  to  order  the 
internal  conditions  and  interests  of  the 
church,  therefore  any  measure  wlii:;Il 
by  its  representative  significancy  would 
imply  that  man  was  invested  with  that 
power  involved  a  high  degree  of  pre- 
sumption, and  therefore  called  for  pun- 
ishment. Such  was  the  character  of 
David's  conduct  in  the  transaction  re- 
ferred to.  He  took  it  upon  him  to  do 
that  which  in  its  true  bearings  implied 
an  invasion  of  the  divine  prerogative. 
Hence  its  enormity.  We  may  farther 
observe  upon  this  subject  of  number- 
ing, that  while  it  evidently  has  no  spe- 
cial moral  character  when  viewed  in 
itself,  yet  it  is  occasionally  introduced 
in  such  connections  as  to  compel  us  to 
seek  some  sense  beyond  that  of  the 
simple  letter.  Thus  for  example,  Ps. 
90 :  12,  "  So  teach  us  to  number  our 
days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts 
vinto  wisdom."  As  man  is  ignorant  of 
the  number  of  his  days  on  earth,  Ps. 
71 :  15,  as  "  the  number  of  his  years  is 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


17 


hidden,"  not  to  the  "  oppressor  "  only, 
but  to  all  other  naen,  it  is  evident  that 
a  man  can  "number  his  days"  only  by 
ordering  and  regulating  the  states  of 
his  life  from  one  day  to  another  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  meet  the  demands  of 
true  wisdom.  Is.  38  :  10,  "  I  said,  in 
the  cutting  off  of  my  days,  I  shall  go 
to  the  gates  of  the  grave ;  I  am  deprived 
of  the  residue  of  my  years  (Heb.  pik- 
kadti,  lam  numbered  as  to  the  residue 
of  my  years)."  That  is,  the  term  of  my 
existence  is  ordered  and  arranged,  and 
in  the  divine  counsels  brought  to  a 
completion.  Dan.  5  :  25,  26,  "  And  this 
is  the  writing  that  was  written,  Mene, 
Mene,  Tekel,  Upharsin.  This  is  the  in- 
terpretation of  the  thing :  Mene ;  God 
hath  numbered  thy  kingdom ;"  i.  e.  hath 
brought  to  an  end,  hath  finished,  thy 
kingdom,  after  accurately  exploring, 
weighing,  and  estimating  its  quality. 
And  so  elsewhere. — From  the  whole, 
then,  we  gather  that  the  numbering 
here  commanded  to  Moses  and  Aaron 
has  respect  rather  to  the  visitation,  in- 
spection, and  orderly  arrangement  im- 
plied in  the  more  genuine  import  of  the 
term,  and  that  in  its  typical  bearings  it 
refers  to  that  inner  process  which  causes 
the  church  to  "  shine  forth  fair  as  the 
moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as 
an  army  with  banners,^'  in  which  last 
expression  we  are  probably  to  recog- 
nize an  allusion  to  the  appearance  of 
the  hosts  of  Israel  when  marshalled  in 
the  order  described  in  this  and  the  fol- 
lowing chapters.  The  principle  we  re- 
gard as  sound  that  the  nation  of  Israel 
sustained  a  typical  relation  to  the 
church  of  after  times — the  relation,  as 
it  were,  of  a  shadow  to  a  substance — 
and  that  consequently  it  is  no  matter 
of  surprise  if  we  occasionally  meet  with 
terms  which,  though  applied  in  the  first 
instance  to  the  Israelitish  economy,  yet 
have  not  their  meaning  exhausted  in 
that  application,  and  are  therefore  to 


be  carried  over,  as  we  may  say,  to  the 
more  adequate  and  substantial  subject 
of  the  Lord's  church  under  the  New 
Testament.  Thus,  for  instance,  the 
promises  in  regard  to  the  excessive 
multiplication  of  the  seed  of  Abraham 
cannot  be  regarded  as  having  been  ful- 
filled in  the  literal  history  of  that  peo- 
ple. Gen.  13:16,  "And  I  will  make 
thy  seed  as  the  dust  of  the  earth :  so 
that  if  a  man  can  number  the  dust  of 
the  earth,  then  shall  thy  seed  also  be 
numbered."  Gen.  15:5,  "And  he 
brought  him  forth  abroad,  and  said, 
Look  now  toward  heaven,  and  tell  the 
stars,  if  thou  be  able  to  number  them  : 
and  he  said  unto  him.  So  shall  thy  seed 
be."  Num.  23  :  10,  "  Who  can  count 
the  dust  of  Jacob,  or  number  the  fourth 
part  thereof? "  This  language  can  only 
be  considered  as  holding  good  of  the 
spiritual  and  not  of  the  natural  Israel. 
They  became  indeed  a  populous  nation, 
but  the  expressions  cited  above  far 
transcend  the  actuality  of  their  literal 
increase.  It  is  in  the  Christian  church 
only  that  they  receive  a  complete  fulfil- 
ment. The  same  remark  may  be  made 
in  regard  to  the  perpetuity  of  David's 
throne,  2  Sam.  7  :  10,  "  Thine  house 
and  thy  kingdom  shall  be  established 
for  ever  before  thee :  thy  throne  shall 
be  established  for  ever."  Comp.  Ps. 
89  :  36,  37.  Luke  1 :  33.  We  are  com- 
pelled to  have  recourse  to  an  ulterior 
meaning  in  order  to  satisfy  the  demands 
of  these  texts.  In  giving,  therefore,  a 
similar  scope  to  the  word  number  in 
this  connection,  we  consider  ourselves 
warranted  by  the  principle  above 
stated,  and  which  has  ever  been  con- 
sidered sound  by  the  great  mass  of 
Christian  expositors.  The  giving  up 
of  this  principle  is  in  our  view  a  most 
injudicious  and  dangerous  concession 
to  the  spirit  of  German  rationalism, 
which  would  fain  eliminate  from  the 
Word  of  God  every  divine  element. 


18 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  149C 


4  And  with  you  there  shall 
be  a  man  of  every  tribe  ;  every 
one  head'  of  the  house  of  his 
fathers. 

5  And  these  are  the  names 
of  the  men  that  shall  stand  with 
you  :  Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  ; 
Elizur'^  the  son  of  Shedeur. 

6  Of  Simeon ;  Shelumiel  the 
son  of  Zurishaddai. 

7  Of  Judah;  Nahshon*  the 
son  of  Amminadab. 

cEi.  18.  25.   Josh.  22.  14.     d  ch.  2.  10,  etc.  ch.  7. 
30,  etc.    10.  18,  etc.  e  Ruth  4.  20. 


V.  4.  And  with  you  there  shall  he  a 
man  of  every  tribe.  Heb.  "With  you 
there  shall  be  (plur.)  a  man,  a  man  to 
a  tribe."  This  is  rendered  for  the  most 
part  by  the  dififerent  versions  as  in  ours 
— "  a  man  of  every  tribe,"  as  the  subse- 
quent verses  show  to  have  been  the 
fact ;  although  from  the  plural  usage 
and  the  repetition  of  "  man,"  it  might 
seem  that  more  than  one  individual 
was  intended  for  each  tribe.  But  as 
shown  from  parallel  usage  it  is  doubt- 
less a  distributive  form  of  expression 
involving  no  special  peculiarity  of 
sense.  Probably  the  more  exact  idea 
is,  "  there  shall  be  with  you  some  man 
or  other  to  each  tribe,"  but  whoever  he 
were,  he  was  to  be  one  holding  a  con- 
spicuous rank  in  his  tribe.  This  is  im- 
plied in  the  appellation  "  head  of  the 
house  of  his  fathers,"  which  however 
does  not  signify  the  first-born  in  their 
several  tribes,  but  those  who  were  ac- 
knowledged as  prominent  on  some 
other  account,  as  their  wisdom  or  valor, 
or  some  other  distinguishing  trait. 

V.  5.  These  are  the  names  of  the  men 
that  shall  stand  with  you.  To  "  stand 
with  "  is  to  "  assist,"  which  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  the  word  "assist" 
itself  iss  etymologically  equivalent  to 
"  stand  with"  {ad  and  sto). ^  Of  {the 


8  Oflssachar;  Nethaneel  the 
son  of  Zuar. 

9  Of  Zebulun;  Eliab  the  son 
of  Helon. 

10  Of  the  children  of  Jo- 
seph :  of  Ephraim,  Elishama 
the  son  of  Ammihud :  of  Ma- 
nasseh,  Gramaliel  the  son  of 
Pedahzur. 

11  Of  Benjamin;  Abidan  the 
son  of  Grideoni. 

12  Of  Dan ;  Ahiezer  the  son 
of  Ammishaddai. 


tribe  of)  Reuben.  Heb.  "  To  Reuben." 
Gr.  "  Of  those  of  Reuben."  The  sup- 
ply of  "  tribe,"  "  sons,"  "  children,"  or 
something  equivalent  is  very  proper,  as 
appears  from  comparing  v.  10,  where 
instead  of  simply  "  of  Joseph,"  as  here 
"  of  Reuben,"  we  read  "of  the  children 
of  Joseph." — In  the  ensuing  verses  to 
V.  16  we  have  barely  a  list  of  the  names 
of  the  twelve  chiefs,  princes,  or  head- 
men who  were  now  selected  as  assist- 
ants to  Moses  and  Aaron  in  the  muster 
enjoined.  In  regard  to  these  there  is 
nothing  of  special  note  demanding  at- 
tention, excepting,  perhaps,  that  in  the 
order  of  recital  Reuben,  Simeon,  Judah, 
Issachar,  and  Zebulun,  the  sons  of  Leah, 
and  Ephraim,  Manasseh,  and  Benjamin, 
the  sons  of  Rachel,  take  the  precedence 
of  Dan,  Asher,  Gad,  and  Naphtali,  the 
sons  of  the  handmaids  Billah  and  Zil- 
pah.  In  the  former  enumeration,  Ex. 
1:2,  3,  and  in  the  inscinption  on  the 
precious  stones,  Ex.  28  :  9,  10,  the  order 
is  very  nearly  the  same,  although  the 
name  of  Asher  does  not  come  in  here  as 
elsewhere. — Levi  and  Joseph  are  omit- 
ted ;  the  first  because  that  tribe  was  to 
be  numbered  by  itself,  and  the  second, 
because  Joseph's  two  sons,  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh,  representing  the  double 
portion  that  pertained  to  his  birthright, 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


19 


13  OfAsher;  Pagieltheson 
of  Ocran. 

14  Of  Gad ;  Eliasaph  the  son 
of  Deuel. 

15  Of  Naphtali;    Ahira  the 
son  of  Enan. 

were  substituted  in  his  place,  Gen.  48 : 
5,  6.  1  Chron.  5:1.  2.  Gad  is  also 
omitted,  as  his  tribe  was  virtually 
merged  in  that  of  Judah,  Num.  2  :  10- 
14  "  Deuel,"  v.  14,  is  called  "  Reuel," 
ch.  2 :  14.  The  similarity  of  the  letter 
T  D  and  "i  r  would  make  the  exchange 
of  the  one  for  the  other  easy. 

V.  16.  These  were  the  renowned  of  the 
congregation.  Heb.  Jcerue  hdedcih,  the 
called  ones  of  the  congregation.  The 
original  word  signifies  hterally  called 
or  named,  as  if  in  this  instance  imply- 
ing those  who  were  designated  by  the 
Lord  himself  to  this  function,  which 
would  of  course  have  the  effect  to  ren- 
der them  more  distinguished  and  hon- 
orable than  before.  The  Latin  Yulg. 
accordingly  has  "nobilissimi  principes 
multitudinis,"  most  nolle  princes  of  the 
multitude.  The  Gr.  eirLK\r]Toi,  distin- 
guished, illustrious.  In  other  connec- 
tions, as  Num.  16  :  2.  26  :  9.  Ez.  23  :  23, 
it  is  rendered  to  the  same  eSect,  famous 
and  renowned;  but  for  the  most  part 
the  English  words  answering  to  it  are 
called,  invited,  hiddeji,  and  also  guests. 
We  may  here  perhaps  unite  the  two 
senses,  and  consider  the  term  as  denot- 
ing persons  renowned  for  the  wisdom  of 
age,  and  therefore  called  to  consult  upon 
all  matters  of  importance  pertaining  to 
the  tribes.  This  is  favored  by  some  of 
the  earlier  English  versions.  "  Ancient 
men  (or  elders)." — Gov.  "  Counsel- 
lors."—i/aj!.  "  The  called.''— Ains. 
"  They  who  are  called."— Fur.  Rabbi 
Sol.  Jarchi  says  these  were  the  same 
personages  who  in  Egpyt  were  beaten 
by  Pharaoh's  taskmasters.    Ex.  5  :  14, 


1(1  These-''  were  the  renown- 
ed of  the  congregation,  princes 
of  the  tribes  of  their  fathers, 
heads  ^  of  thousands  in  Israel. 

/  ch.  7.  2.     1  Chr.  27.  16,  etc.        f  Ex.  18.  21,  2i. 


"And  the  oflBcers  of  the  children  oi 
Israel,  which  Pharaoh's  taskmasters 
had  set  over  them,  were  beaten,  and 
demanded,  Wherefore  have  ye  not  ful- 
filled your  task  in  making  brick,  both 
yesterday  and  to-day,  as  heretofore  ?  " 

H  Of  the  congregation.    From  the 

usage  of  this  term  in  several  instances 
it  would  appear  that  it  does  not  always 
denote  the  whole  congregation,  the  en- 
tire mass  of  the  Israelitish  nation,  but 
the  deputies  or  representatives  of  the 
several  tribes  convened  and  acting  in 
the  name  of  the  whole.  Michaelis  (Zaivs 
of  Moses,  P.  I.  art.  45)  draws  this  infer- 
ence from  the  fact  that  while  Moses  is 
said  to  have  spoken  "  to  the  whole  con- 
gregation," yet  he  could  not  possibly 
have  been  heard  by  one  or  two  millions 
of  people,  and  therefore  he  must  have 
addressed  himself  to  a  certain  number 
of  persons  deputed  to  represent  the 
rest.  These  persons  he  understands  to 
be  denoted  by  "  the  called  of  the  con- 
gregation "  here  mentioned.  Syr.  "  The 
celebrated  of  the  assembly."  This  im- 
port of  a  national  council  or  diet,  of  a 
representative  character,  we  regard  as 
probably  the  correct  one.  The  context 
will  generally  determine  when  it  bears 

this  sense. T[  Princes  of  the  tribes 

of  their  fathers.  Heb.  nesie  mattoth, 
princes  or  rulers  of  the  tribes.  "  Cap- 
tains."—Cov.  "LoTds."—Maf.,  Gran. 
The  original  is  derived  from  a  root  sig- 
nifying to  raise,  to  elevate,  and  denotes 
accordingly  one  who  is  lifted  uj)  and 
offt^cialhj  preferred  above  the  rest  of  the 

people. If  Heads  of  the  thousands 

in  Israel.     Gr.  x^Xiapxoi,   chiliarchs. 


20 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490 


17  And  Moses  and  Aaron 
took  these  men  which  are  ex- 
pressed '^  by  their  names  ' : 

18  And  they  assembled  all 
the  congregation  together  on 
the  first  day  of  the  second 
month,  and  they  declared  their 
pedigrees  after  their  families, 
by  the  house  of  their  fathers, 
according^  to  the  number  of 
the  names,  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward,  by  their  polls. 

19  As '  the  Lord  command- 

k  Rev.  7. 4,  etc.    i  John  10.  3.    k  ver.  20,  etc.    I  ver.  2. 


These ''heads"  were  not  only  men  of 
note  and  weight  in  their  tribes,  such 
men  as  Jethro  advised  Moses  to  asso- 
ciate with  him  in  governing  the  people, 
Ex.  18 :  21,  but  also  commanders  of  the 
bands  or.  companies  of  thousands  into 
which  the  tribes  were  divided,  respect- 
ing which  see  Ex.  18  :  21,  25.  The  Heb. 
term  for  "thousands"  is  rendered 
"families"  in  Judg.  6:15,  though  re- 
tained in  Mic.  5 :  2,  where  it  is  trans- 
lated by  the  Gr.  "  rulers  "  or  "  govern- 
ors," which  rendering  is  sanctioned  by 
the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  as  it  occurs 
Mat.  2 : 6. 

V.  17.  Which  are  expressed  hy  their 
names.  Heb.  nikkebo,  pricked  ov pierced, 
i.  e.  designated.  See  Note  on  Lev.  26  :  11. 

V.  18.  And  they  assembled,  etc.  As 
the  command  was  given  by  the  Lord 
from  the  Tabernacle  on  the  first  day  of 
the  second  month,  v.  1,  so  it  appears  it 
was  immediately  executed,  or  began  to 
be  executed,  on  the  same  day.  True 
obedience  is  ever  a  prompt  obedience, 

• T[  And  they  declared  their  pedigrees. 

Heb.  yithyaledu,  they  genealogized  them- 
selves. That  is,  recited  their  pedigree 
according  to  their  families  and  houses. 
The  Gr.,  according  to  one  reading,  has 
eireaK€Trr]aau,  recounted,  and  according 
to  another  (mj^ovovcrai^,  i.  e.  referred 


ed  Moses,  so  he  numbered  them 
in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai. 

20  And  the  children  of  Reu- 
ben, Israel's  eldest  son,  by 
their  generations,  after  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  the  names,  by  their 
polls,  every  male  from  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  all  that 
were  able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

21  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 


or  conveyed  to  a|oj/a9,  tables,  denoting 
a  process  of  registration.  As  they  de- 
clared their  genealogies,  the  proper 
officers  took  them  down.  The  fair  im- 
plication is,  that  in  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  order  in  which  the  Lord 
would  have  his  church  arranged,  while 
he  in  a  supreme  manner  controls  and 
overrules  every  thing,  yet  his  people 
are  not  to  forego  their  own  agency,  but 
are  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  number 

and  arrange  themselves. 1[  By  their 

polls.  Heb.  "By  their  skulls."  Gr. 
"  From  head  to  head." 

V.  20.  A7id  the  children  of  Reuben. 
Reuben  holds  the  first  place,  not  be- 
cause his  tribe  was  the  most  numerous, 
for  in  this  respect  it  fell  short  of  seve- 
ral of  the  others,  but  from  his  being  the 

first-born. T[  By  their  generations, 

after  their  families,  etc.  See  on  these 
subdivisions  of  the  tribes  the  Note  on 
V.  2.  above.  "  Generations  "  denotes  a 
larger  number  than  "  families,"  and 
"  families "  than  "  houses, "  while 
"houses,"  or  households,  comprised  all 
the  individuals  pertaining  to  each. 

V.  21.  Those  that  loere  numbered  of 
them,  etc.  Heb.  pehudehem  le-mattch 
re-uben,  the  numbered  of  them  to  the 
tribe  of  Beuben,  or  more  corre(;tly  the 
arranged,  the  marshalled,  the  ordered; 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


21 


Reuben,  were  forty  and  six  thou- 
sand and  five  hundred. 

22  Of  the  children  of  Simeon, 
by  their  generations,  after  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names,  by  their 
polls,  every  male  from  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  all  thai 
were  able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

for  we  still  adhere  to  the  view  given 
above  of  the  purport,  in  this  connec- 
tion, of  the  original  word.  "VYe  do  not 
regard  it  as  implying  strictly  to  num- 
her,  but  rather  to  review,  marshal,  or 
arrange.  The  numbering  of  the  previ- 
ous census  we  take  to  be  assumed  in 
this  transaction,  and  made  its  basis. 
It  will  be  observed  that  in  every  in- 
stance the  phrase  "  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names "  occurs,  which 
we  take  to  imply  that  the  number  al- 
ready ascertained  was  made  use  of 
What  can  be  understood,  for  example, 
by  the  expression  predicated  of  the 
tribe  of  Simeon  "  numbered  according 
to  the  number  of  the  names,"  especially 
when  the  word  for  "numbered"  (peku- 
ddv)  is  entirely  different  from  that  for 
"  number  "  (jnispar)  ?  \yhat  is  it  but  an 
unmeaning  tautology?  But  take  the 
term  "numbered"  here  to  signify  re- 
viewed, marshalled,  arranged,  and  all  is 
clear.  In  fact,  the  whole  transaction 
recorded  in  this  chapter,  instead  of  be- 
ing properly  a  census  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  the  numbers  of 
the  host,  was  undoubtedly  an  inspec- 
tinn,  order-ing  and  classification  of  the 
whole  body,  on  the  basis  of  a  prior  cen- 
sus, with  reference  to  the  order  of  the 
march  and  the  encampment  during  the 
Sojourn  in  the  wilderness.  What  else 
can  we  infer  from  the  absolute  identity 
o!  the  totals  lie^e  given  with  that  given 


23  Those  that  were  number- 
ed of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Simeon,  were  fifty  and  nine 
thousand  and  three  hundred. 

24  Of  the  children  of  Gad, 
by  their  generations,  after  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  the  names,  from  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  all  that 
were  able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 


in  Ex.  38  :  26.  In  regard  to  each  tribe 
the  object  is  not  to  ascertain  de  novo  of 
how  many  it  consisted,  but  the  number 
already  previously  ascertained  is  mere- 
ly restated.  We  here,  after  Ainsworth 
and  Adam  Clarke,  present  a  compara- 
tive view  of  the  state  of  the  tribes  un- 
der the  present  and  a  still  later  census 
recorded  ch.  26,  which  will  preclude 
the  necessity  of  farther  comment  upon 
a  large  portion  of  the  chapter.  In  the 
first  column  the  numbers  are  given  in 
their  decreasing  proportion,  in  the  sec- 
ond the  increase  of  some  and  the  de- 
crease of  others  will  be  seen  at  a  glance. 

\it  Census.  2rf  Census. 

Ch.  I.  Ch.  XXVI. 

1.  Judah, 74,600 76,500 

2.  Dan, 62,700 64,400 

3.  Simeon, 59,300 22,200 

4.  Zebulun, 57,400 60,500 

5.  Issachar, 54,400 64,300 

6.  Naphtali, 53,400 45,400 

7.  Eeuben, 46,500 43,730 

8.  Gad, 45,650 40,500 

9.  Asher, 41,500 53,400 

10.  Ephraim, 40,500 32,500 

11.  Benjamin, 35,400 45,600 

12.  Manasseh, 32,200 52,700 

Total,    603,550     Tot.  601,730 

Judah,  as  being  the  most  distinguish- 
ed, is  the  most  numerous  tribe,  and 
Manasseh  the  least  so,  the  difference 
between  them  being  no  less  than  42,400. 
But  in  the  subsequent  census,  ch.  26 ; 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  149a. 


25  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of  Gad, 
were  forty  and  five  thousand  six 
hundred  and  fifty. 

26  Of  the  children  of  Judah, 
by  their  generations,  after  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  according  to  the  number 
of  the  names,  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward,  all  that  were 
able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

27  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah, were  threescore  and  four- 
teen thousand  and  six  hundred'". 

28  Of  the  children  of  Issa- 
char,  by  their  generations,  after 
their  families,  by  the  house  of 
their  fathers,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names,  from  twen 
ty  years  old  and  upward,  all 
that  were  able  to  go  forth  to 


m  2  Chr.  17.  14 


84,  while  Judah  has  the  pre-emuience, 
Simeon  the  third  in  number  before, 
has  become  the  least,  and  Manasseh 
has  risen  to  the  seventh  place.  During 
the  interval  between  the  two  enumera- 
tions seven  of  the  tribes  had  an  in- 
crease;  five  a  decrease.  Which  thej 
were  and  to  what  extent  the  change  oc- 
curred may  be  learned  from  the  fore- 
going table. — It  is  remarkable  that  ex- 
cept in  the  case  of  Gad  in  this  chapter, 
and  Reuben  in  ch.  26,  all  the  numbers 
are  whole  or  round  numbers,  beginning 
with  thousands  and  ending  with  liun- 
dreds — Gad  and  Reuben  alone  ending 
with  tens.  Whether  this  is  to  be  un- 
derstood as  the  exact  enumeration  of 
the  tribes,  in  which  case  a  special  prov- 
idence is  to  be  recognized  in  precluding 
broken  numbers,  or  whether  it  was  de- 
signed to  give  simply  round  numbers 


29  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of  Is- 
sachar,  were  fifty  and  four  thou- 
sand and  four  hundred. 

30  Of  the  children  of  Zebu- 
lun,  by  their  generations,  after 
their  families,  by  the  house  of 
their  fathers,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names,  from 
twenty  years  old  and  upward, 
all  that  were  able  to  go  forth  to 
war; 

31  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Zebulun,  were  fifty  and  seven 
thousand  and  four  hundred. 

32  Of  the  children  of  Jo- 
seph," namely,  of  the  children 
of  Ephraim,  by  their  genera- 
tions, after  their  families,  by  the 
house  of  their  fathers,  according 
to  the  number  of  the  names,  from 
twenty  years  old  and  upward, 


without  regard  to  units  and  fractions,  it 
is  not  easy  to  determine.  We  are  in.- 
clined,  on  the  whole,  to  adopt  Rosen- 
muUer's  solution,  viz.,  that  as  the  mus- 
ter now  instituted  was  in  order  to  select 
from  the  whole  body  of  the  people  those 
that  were  "  able  to  go  forth  to  war," 
and  to  marshal  them  into  proper  array, 
they  were  accordingly  divided,  as  is 
common  in  all  armies,  into  divisions  of 
thousands  and  hundreds,  leaving  the 
overplus  uncounted,  even  although  it 
may  have  consisted  in  some  cases  of 
those  who  were  twenty  years  and  up- 
ward. This  remainder  would  constitute 
a  corps,  from  which  recruits  would  be 
taken  to  supply  the  places  of  those  who 
might  die  or  be  otherwise  disqualified 
for  military  service.  This  confirms  our 
previous  suggestion :  that  the  object  of 
the   measure   here   recorded  was  not 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


23 


all  that  were  able  to  go  fortli  to 
war; 

33  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Ephraim,  ivere  forty  thousand 
and  five  hundred. 

34  Of  the  children  of  Manas- 
seh,  by  their  generations,  after 
their  families,  by  the  house  of 
their  fathers,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names,  from  twen- 
ty years  old  and  upward,  all  that 
were  able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

35  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Manasseh,  were  thirty  and  two 
thousand  and  two  hundred. 

36  Of  the  children  of  Benja- 
min, by  their  generations,  after 
their  families,  by  the  house  of 
their  fathers,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  names,  from  twen- 
ty years  old  and  upward,  all  that 
were  able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

37  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin,  were  thirty  and  five 
thousand  and  four  hundred. 

38  Of  the  children  of  Dan, 
by  their  generations,  after  their 

strictly  to  make  out  an  exact  numerical 
census.  This  is  still  farther  confirmed 
by  the  fact  that  in  every  instance  of  the 
repetition  of  the  language  of  v.  21, 
"those  that  were  numbered  of  them, 
even  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  were,"  etc. 
The  Heb.  has  it,  "  the  numbered  of 
them  to  the  tribe  of  Reuben  was,"  etc., 
as  if  setting  off  or  assigning  to  each  from 
the  whole  or  exact  number  of  which 
it  consisted,  a  certain  definite  round 
number,  rejecting  the  units.  This  we 
conceive  to  be  the  force  of  the  par- 
ticle to. 


families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  according  to  the  number 
of  the  names,  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward,  all  that  were 
able  to  go  forth  to  war ; 

39  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of  Dan, 
were  threescore  and  two  thou- 
sand and  seven  hundred. 

40  Of  the  children  of  Asher, 
by  their  generations,  after  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  according  to  the  number 
of  the  names,  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward,  all  that  were 

able  to  go  forth  to  war ;  T^ 

41  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Asher,  were  forty  and  one  thou- 
sand and  five  hundred. 

42  Of  the  children  of  Naph- 
tali,  throughout  their  genera- 
tions, after  their  families,  by  the 
house  of  their  fathers,  according 
to  the  number  of  the  names, 
from  twenty  years  old  and  up- 
ward, all  that  were  able  to  go 
forth  to  war ; 

43  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  even  of  the  tribe   of 

V.  22-43.  The  question  may  perhaps 
be  asked,  why  was  it  necessary  to  re- 
peat the  formula  of  enumeration  in 
every  instance  instead  of  stating  in  one 
comprehensive  passage  that  the  tribes 
were  all  numbered,  or  that  each  tribe 
contributed  such  a  quota,  and  the  sum 
total  was  so  much  ?  "We  suggest  in  re- 
ply that,  although  it  might  seem  at  first 
view  that  a  revelation  from  heaven,  to 
give  all  needed  knowledge,  and  yet  be 
comprised  within  reasonable  limits, 
could  not  afford  to  devote  space  to  such 
repetitions  as  we  find  here  and  else- 


24 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1490. 


Naphtali,  were  fifty  and   three 
thousand  and  four  hundred. 

44  These "  are  those  that  were 
numbered,  which  Moses  and 
Aaron  numbered,  and  the  prin- 
ces of  Israel,  being  twelve  men  : 
each  one  was  for  the  house  of 
his  fathers. 


1  45  So  were  all  those  that 
were  numbered  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  from  twenty  years  old 
and  upward,  all  that  were  able 
to  go  forth  to  war  in  Israel ; 

46  Even  all  they  that  were^ 
numbered    were     six    hundred 


where,  particularly  in  regard  to  build- 
ing the  Tabernacle,  yet  there  may  be 
moral  considerations  amply  sufficient 
to  warrant  the  course  pursued.  One 
reason  may  be,  that  the  Most  High  is 
particular  to  record  to  the  honor  of  his 
servants  an  exact  obedience  to  an  exact 
command.  He  would,  moreover,  im- 
pressively teach  that  he  is  no  respecter^ 
of  persons,  that  he  has  the  same  care 
of  and  regard  for  one  as  another ;  that 
as  a  common  Father  he  neglects  none, 
but  remembers  all.  He  thus  removes 
too  all  ground  of  discontent  and  envy 
on  the  score  of  alleged  favoritism. 
The  numbers  of  the  fewest  shall  be  as 
distinctly  and  minutely  specified  as 
those  of  the  most  numerous,  and  we  can 
easily  see  that  the  fulfilment  of  the  di- 
vine promise  in  the  multiplication  of 
the  peculiar  people  would  engrave  itself 
more  deeply  on  their  hearts  when  each 
particular  tribe  was  specifically  remind- 
ed of  its  own  separate  increase.  A  mi- 
nute recital  leads  to  a  more  minute 
contemplation. 

V.  44.  Tliese  are  those  that  were  num- 
bered, etc.  Heb,  lit.  "  These  are  the 
marshalled  or  mustered  which  Moses 
mustered  and  Aaron  and  the  princes  of 
Israel:  twelve  men;  one  man  each  to 
the  house  of  his  fathers  were  they." 
Gr.  "  One  man  for  one  tribe  according 
to  the  tribe  of  their  fathers'  houses  were 
they."  Here  also  wc  express  our  pre- 
ference for  the  rendering  mustered  in- 
jlead  of  numhertd. 


p  Ex.  12.  37.    38  26.    c.  2.  32.    26.  51.    Deut.  10.  22. 


Vs.  45,  46.  &0  were  all  those  that  were 
numbered,  etc.  The  rendering  of  these 
verses  is  not  happy.  The  strictness  of 
the  letter  requii-es  the  following:— 
"And  they  were,  all  the  mustered 
(ones)  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  to  the  house 
of  their  fathers,  from  the  sou  of  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  every  one  that 
was  able  to  go  forth  to  war  in  Israel ; 
they  were,  (I  say),  all  the  mustered 
ones,  six  hundred  thousand,  and  three 
thousand,  and  five  hundred  and  fifty." 
The  increase  indicated  by  the  sum  total 
is  certainly  remarkable,  but  not  such  as 
to  require  the  operation  of  a  miracle. 
"We  recognize  the  efiect  rather  of  an  ex- 
traordinary benediction  than  of  a  mira- 
culous generation  in  the  multitudinous 
progeny  of  seventy  persons  during  the 
space  of  216  years.  The  Lord  had 
promised  that  he  would  make  of  the 
seed  of  Abraham  "  a  great  nation,"  and 
the  record  before  us  shows  that  the 
promise  was  abundantly  fulfilled.  This 
promise  was  renewed  from  time  to  time 
to  the  patriarchs  for  their  fuller  assur 
ance  and  consolation,  and  the  result 
enumerated  here  is  celebrated  in  wor- 
thy strains,  by  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  105  : 
24.  37,  "  He  increased  his  people  great- 
ly and  made  them  stronger  than  their 
enemies. — He  brought  them  forth  also 
with  silver  and  gold,  and  there  was  not 
one  feeble  person  among  their  tribes ; " 
from  which  we  infer,  that  though  the 
course  of  nature  was  not  violated,  yet 
its  powers  were  extraordinarily  aided 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


25 


thousand  and    three    thousand 
and  five  hundred  and  Mtj. 

47  But'^  the  Levites  after  the 
tribe  of  their  fathers  were  not 
numbered  tamong  them. 

48  For  the  Lokd  had  spoken 
unto  Moses,  saying, 


1  Chr.  6.  &  21,  6. 


in  accomplishing  the  result.  The  grand 
lesson  taught  by  the  history  is,  that  the 
divine  promises  will  all  and  always  be 
infallibly  performed,  as  will  also  the  di- 
vine threatenings.  It  was  said  that 
Caleb  and  Joshua  alone  should  enter 
the  land  of  Canaan,  Num.  14 :  30,  and 
such  was  the  precise  fact.  All  the  rest, 
because  of  their  murmuring,  idolatry, 
and  disobedience,  perished  in  the  wil- 
derness ;  some  having  been  slain  with 
the  sword,  some  swallowed  up  of  the 
earth,  some  consumed  with  pestilence, 
some  stung  by  serpents,  and  some  hav- 
ing died  a  natural  death.  Consequent- 
ly neither  their  eyes  saw,  nor  their  feet 
trod  upon,  the  goodly  land  of  promise, 
as  the  Lord  had  threatened.  To  friend 
and  to  foe  the  Lord  will  be  sure  to  be 
as  good  as  his  word.  Analogous  to  the 
increase  of  the  natural  seed  of  Israel  is 
that  also  of  the  spiritual.  The  church 
says  in  heart,  Is.  49  :  21,  "  Who  hath 
begotten  me  these  ?  "  The  Lord's  king- 
dom began  to  be  preached  by  the  twelve 
apostles  and  the  seventy  disciples,  and 
that  immortal  seed  of  the  word  soon  be- 
gat "many  ten  thousands  of  Jews," 
Acts  21 :  20,  and  many  more  of  the  Gen- 
tUes,  even  an  "  innumerable  multitude," 
Rev.  7 : 9. 

V.  47.  But  the  Levites,  etc.  Heb. 
"But  the  Levites,  according  to  the 
tribe  of  their  fathers,  were  not  muster- 
ed in  the  midst  of  them."  This  tribe 
was  exempt  from  military  service  ;  ac- 
cordingly when  they  were  numbered 
the  census  included  all  even  from  chil- 


49  Only  thou  shalt  not  num- 
ber the  tribe  of  Levi,  neither 
take  the  sum  of  them  among  the 
children  of  Israel : 

50  Buf  thou  shalt  appoint 
the  Levites  over  the  tabernacle 
of  testimony,  and  over  all  the 


Ex.  38.  21.    c.  3.  6,  etc. 


dren  of  one  month  old.  See  ch.  3  :  15. 
26  :  62.  The  phrase  "  after,  or  accord- 
ing to,  the  tribe  of  their  fathers "  is 
probably  a  compendious  form  of  ex- 
pression denoting  in  brief  what  is  said 
at  length  of  all  the  rest,  "  by  their  gen- 
erations, after  their  families,  by  the 
house  of  their  fathers,"  etc. 

V.  49.  Only  thou  shalt  not  numher 
the  tribe  of  Levi,  neither  take  the  smn 
of  them.  The  truth  of  our  previous  re- 
marks on  the  distinction  between  num- 
hering  and  mustering  is  evident  from 
the  language  of  this  verse,  in  which  we 
cannot  suppose  that  "  numbering"  and 
"taking  the  sum"  signify  the  same 
thing.  The  original  in  the  former  case 
is  tipJikod,  which  in  its  different  forms 
we  have  generally  rendered  muster, 
marshal,  etc.  for  the  reasons  stated  in 
the  note  on  v.  3.  Nothing  was  to  be 
done  towards  arranging  or  marshalling 
the  tribe  of  Levi  together  with  the 
others,  because  they  were  to  be  set  apart 
to  a  peculiar  function  with  which  no 
others  were  to  interfere. 

V.  50.  But  thou  shalt  appoint  the  Le- 
vites over,  etc.  Heb.  haphked,  shalt  give 
in  charge,  or  clothe  with  a  tisitorial 
power,  from  the  root pdkad,  to  visit,  and 
in  the  causative  to  make  to  visit,  that  is, 
to  set  over.  The  special  functions  allot- 
ted to  each  of  the  several  families  of  the 
Levites  are  detailed  in  the  third  chap- 

ter.^ ^  Tabernacle  of  testiraorLy.    So 

called  from  its  being  the  depository  of 
the  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  within  whicli 
were  contained  the  tables  of  the  Law, 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


vessels  thereof,  and  over  all 
things  that  belong  to  it :  they 
shall  bear  the  tabernacle,  and 
all  the  vessels  thereof;  and  they 
shall  minister  unto  it,  and  shall 
encamp  *  round  about  the  taber- 
nacle. 

51  And'  when  the  taberna- 


called  "  tables  of  testimony,"  Ex.  31 :  18. 

If  Over  all  things  that  lelong  to  it. 

Viilg.  "  And  whatever  pertains  to  the 
ceremonies."  This  is  perhaps  favored 
by  the  next  clause  which  is  nearly  equiv- 
alent, and  in  which  "  they  shall  minis- 
ter unto  it"  seems  to  answer  to  the 
phrase  before  us — "  they  shall  bear  the 
tabernacle,  and  all  the  vessels  thereof, 
and  they  shall  minister  unto  it,^'  in  effect 
the  same  as  having  charge  of  the  cere- 
monies connected  with  it. T[  Shall 

bear,  etc.  This  service,  the  burdens  of 
which  were  appointed  by  the  Lord 
through  Moses,  is  more  particularly 
specified  Num.  4 :  25.  31.  36.  To  aid 
them  in  it  the  use  of  six  wagons  was 
allowed  to  two  of  the  three  main  Leviti- 

cal  families.     Num.  7  :  7-9. H  SJiall 

encamp  round  about  the  tabernacle. 
That  is,  in  immediate  proximity  to  it, 
between  it  and  the  stations  of  the  rest 
of  the  tribes.  The  Levites,  therefore, 
may  be  said  to  have  constituted  a  kind 
of  sacred  legion  around  the  palace  of 
the  Great  King.  Of  this  arrangement 
see  in  what  follows,  chs.  2  and  3. 

V.  51.  And  when  the  tabernacle  setteth 
forward,  the  Levites  shall  take  it  down. 
Heb.  ubinsoa  Jiammishkan,  and  in  the 
journeying  of  the  tabernacle  ;  i.  e.  when- 
ever the  signal  should  be  given  by  the 
motion  of  the  cloudy  pillar  that  the  en- 
campment was  to  be  broken  up  and  the 
tabernacle  removed,  then  it  was  the 
business  of  the  Levites  to  take  off  and 
roll  up  tlu'  curtains,  to  remove  the  np- 


cle  setteth  forward,  the  Levites 
shall  take  it  down  :  and  when 
the  tabernacle  is  to  be  pitched, 
the  Levites  shall  set  it  up :  and 
the  "  stranger  that  cometh  nigh 
shall  be  put  to  death. 

52  And  the  children  of  Israel 
shall   pitch    their   tents,   every 


right  boards  from  their  sockets,  to  gath- 
er together  all  the  component  parts  of 
the  edifice,  with  its  various  utensils, 
and  dispose  of  them  in  the  most  conve- 
nient way  for  travelling.  So,  on  the 
contrary,  when  a  new  resting-place  was 
indicated,  the  Levites,  and  they  alone, 
were  to  attend  to  the  re-erection  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  putting  in  order  of 
all  its  appurtenances. ^  The  stran- 
ger. That  is,  one  who  was  not  of  the 
tribe  of  Levi.  This  was  their  peculiar 
province,  in  respect  to  which  every  one 
else  was  a  stranger.  So  in  regard  to 
the  priesthood,  as  distinguished  from 
this  inferior  ministry  or  service,  both 
Israelites  and  Levites  were  counted 
"  strangers."  Thus  when  Eleazer  the 
priest  took  the  brazen  censers  which 
had  been  profaned  by  Korah  and  his 
company,  and  made  them  into  plates 
for  covering  the  altar,  it  is  said  that 
they  were  "to  be  for  a  memorial  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  no  stranger, 
which  is  not  of  the  seed  of  Aaron,  comt 
near  to  offer  incense  before  the  Lord." 
This  exclusiveness  of  function  is  recog- 
nized also  by  David,  1  Chron.  15 : 2, 
"  Then  David  said,  None  ought  to  car- 
ry the  ark  of  God  but  the  Levites :  for 
them  hath  the  Lord  chosen  to  carry  the 
ark  of  God,  and  to  minister  unto  him 

for  ever." ^[  Shall  be  put  to  death. 

Ileb.  yumothy  shall  be  made  to  die; 
without  expressly  indicating  whether 
directly  by  the  stroke  of  the  divine 
hand,  or  by  the  agency  of  the  magis- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


27 


man 


by   his 


own   camp, 


and 


every  man  by  his  own  standard, 
throughout  their  hosts. 

53   But   the   Levites"   shall 


trate.  Targ.  Jon.  "  He  shall  be  killed 
by  fire  flaming  out  from  before  the 
Lord."  The  case  of  Nadab  and  Abihu, 
and  of  Uzzah,  1  Chron.  13  :  10,  would 
seem  to  imply  that  a  special  interposi- 
tion of  heaven  was  to  be  generally  un- 
derstood by  the  expression. 

V.  52.  Evet'y  man  hy  7iU  own  camp. 
That  is,  at  his  own  camping-place,  in 
his  own  allotted  station.  Gr.  "  In  his 
own  order,"  equivalent  to  Paul's  phrase 
in  speaking  of  the  resurrection,  1  Cor. 
15  :  23,  "  every  man  in  his  own  order." 
The  order  here  referred  to  is  described 

in  the  next  chapter. Tf  Every  man 

by  his  own  standard.  Gr.  "  By  his  own 
regiment." 

V.  53.  That  there  he  no  wrath  upon 
the  congregation^  etc. ;  as  there  would 
be  danger  of  if  the  discrimination  be- 
tween holy  and  common  were  not  most 
rigidly  observed.  The  exterior  portion 
of  the  encampment  was  not  to  press  too 
closely  upon  the  consecrated  centre. 
The  reason  was  the  same  that  dictated 
the  prohibition  respecting  the  body  of 
the  people  approaching  too  near  the 
sacred  mount  from  which  the  Law  was 
delivered.  Ex.  19:  12,  13,  "And  thou 
shalt  set  bounds  unto  the  people  round 
about,  saying,  Take  heed  +o  yourselves 
that  ye  go  not  up  into  the  mount,  or 
touch  the  border  of  it :  whosoever  touch- 
eth  the  mount  shall  be  surely  put  to 
death :  there  shall  not  an  hand  touch  it, 
but  he  shall  surely  be  stoned,  or  shot 
through ;  whether  it  be  beast  or  man, 
it  shall  not  live."  The  order  here  pre- 
scribed was  wholly  of  a  representative 
character,  as  there  is  no  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  the  interior  states  of  mind  of 


pitch  round  about  the  taberna- 
cle of  testimony,  that  there  be 
no  wrath '  upon  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  children  of  Israel : 

X  c.  8.  19.      16.  46.      18.  5.      1  Sam.  6.  19. 


the  tribe  of  Levi  were  distinguished  by 
any  higher  degree  of  spirituality  or 
sanctity  than  those  of  the  rest  of  the 
nation.  But  a  ritual  or  official  sanctity 
pertained  to  them,  which  was  a  suffi- 
cient ground  for  the  command  here 
given,  and  the  truth  or  mystery  shad- 
owed forth  is  to  be  sought  in  the  true 
spiritual  priesthood  of  the  Christian 
church,  which  consists  of  all  those  who 
by  the  graces  of  their  renewed  spirits 
are  brought  especially  near  to  the  Lord, 
whether  belonging  to  the  ranks  of  the 
clergy  or  the  laity.  The  import  of  the 
name  Levi  is  adhesion,  and  wherever 
there  is  such  a  cleaving  to  the  Lord 
from  the  force  of  an  internal  attraction, 
there  are  spiritual  Levites,  and  in  re- 
gard to  them  the  above  interdict,  we 
learn,  is  removed  under  the  New  Tes- 
tament dispensation.  Is.  56  :  3,  6,  7, 
"  Neither  let  the  son  of  the  stranger, 
that  hath  joined  himself  (mrrn  hannil- 
vdh,  conjoined  himself,  as  it  were,  Levi- 
tically)  to  the  Lord,  speak,  saying,  The 
Lord  hath  utterly  separated  me  from 
his  people  :  neither  let  the  eunuch  say, 
Behold,  I  am  a  dry  tree.  Also  the  sons 
of  the  stranger,  that  join  themselves  to 
the  Lord,  to  serve  him,  and  to  love  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  to  be  his  servants, 
every  one  that  keepeth  the  sabbath 
from  polluting  it,  and  taketh  hold  of  my 
covenant ;  even  them  will  I  bring  to 
my  holy  mountain,  and  make  them  joy- 
ful in  my  house  of  prayer :  their  burnt 
offerings  and  their  sacrifices  shall  be 
accepted  upon  mine  altar ;  for  mine 
house  shall  be  called  an  house  of  prayer 
for  all  people."  Adhesion,  in  this  rela- 
tion, is  but  another  term  for  spiritual . 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


and  the  Levites"  shall  keep  the 
charge  of  the  tabernacle  of  tes- 
timony. 

54  And  the  children  of  Israel 
did  according  to  all  that  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses,  so  did 
they. 

y  c.  3.  7,  8.    31.  30,  47.    1  Chr.  23.  32.    2  Chr.  13.  10. 

conjunction,  which  is  the  effect  of  love, 
and  all  the  subjects  of  genuine  love  to 
the  Lord  and  charity  to  the  neighbor 
are  spiritual  priests. 

V,  54.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did 
according  to  all  that  the  Lord  command- 
ed Moses.  His  being  able  thus  to  refer 
everj  thing  to  a  divine  command  would 
effectually  preclude  the  charge  that 
Moses  designed  to  elevate  and  aggran- 
dize his  own  tribe.  The  opponents  of 
revelation  have  always  been  disposed 
to  accuse  Moses  of  being  actuated  by 
mercenary  motives,  whereas  the  whole 
drift  of  the  narrative  shows  that  he  was 
merely  an  obedient  instrument  in  the 
Lord's  hands  for  accomplishing  his 
purposes  in  respect  to  the  chosen  peo- 
ple. Heb.  3:5,  "  Moses  verily  was 
faithful  in  all  his  house  as  a  servant." 


CHAPTER  IL 

Tite  Ordering  of  the  Encampment. 

V.  1.  And  the  Lord  spaTce  unto  Moses 
and  unto  Aaron.  The  former  order  re- 
specting the  mustering  was  given  to 
Mo.ses  alone;  the  present  respecting 
the  arrangement  of  the  camp  is  given 
to  both  Moses  and  Aaron.  The  typical 
bearings  ofthis  arrangement  had  a  more 
important  reference  to  the  spiritual  or- 
der of  the  church,  and  therefore  Aaron, 
the  high  priest,  has  a  prominent  part 
assign('d  him  in  the  transaction.  Mo- 
ses represents  that  part  of  the  economy 
wbicli  WHS  more  distinctively  secular. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ND   the   Lord   spake 
Moses  and  unto  Aaron, 


unto 
say- 


A 

ing, 

2  Every"  man  of  the  children 
of  Israel  shall  pitch  by  his  own 
standard,'  with   the   ensign   of 


V.  2.  Every  mun  of  the  children  of 
Israel  shall  pitch  hy  his  own  standard. 
Heb.  al  diglo,  hy  his  banner.  The  origin 
of  the  Heb.  term  is  not  very  obvious, 
though  the  Arab,  has  dagal,  to  Deil,  to 
cover.  The  Gr.  renders  it  by  tagma, 
an  orderly  hand,  a  cohort.  Vulg.  tur- 
mas,  troops.  Chald.  tiksa,  supposed  to 
be  derived  from  the  Gr.  taxis,  order.  The 
idea  of  a  hanner,  standard,  flag,  is  gen- 
erally by  commentators  attached  to  the 
word,  and  this  is  confirmed  by  the  par- 
allel usage  in  the  following  instances : 
Ps.  20  :  5,  "  We  will  rejoice  in  thy  sal- 
vation, and  in  the  name  of  our  God  will 
set  up  our  hanners  (nid-gol)."  Cant.  2 : 
4,  "  He  brought  me  to  the  banqueting 
house,  and  7iis  banner  (diglo)  over  me 
was  love."  Cant,  5  :  10,  "  My  beloved 
is  white  and  ruddy,  the  chief  est  {dagul, 
a  bannered  one)  among  ten  thousands." 
The  twelve  tribes  were  arranged  into 
four  divisions,  three  in  each,  and  each 
of  the  four  was  distinguished  by  a  ban- 
ner.    Comp.  vs.  3,  18,  25. If  With 

the  ensign  of  their  fathers^  house.  Heb. 
he-othoth,  in  or  with  the  signs.  This  is 
usually  understood  to  intimate  that  not 
only  the  several  tribes,  but  also  the 
several  families  and  kindreds  had  their 
distinct  ensigns  or  banners.  This,  how- 
ever, is  doubtful,  as  the  original  othoth 
may  refer  to  the  signs  or  devices  figured 
on  each  of  the  above  mentioned  stand- 
ards. What  these  were  it  is  now  im- 
possible to  determine.  Ainsworth  sup- 
poses that  they  were  particular  colors 
corresponding  with  those  of  the  pre- 


B.  0.  149G.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


29 


their   father's   house :    far  *  off 

6  Josh.  3.  4. 

cious  stones  in  Aaron's  breastplate,  on 
which  Tvere  engraved  the  names  of  the 
different  tribes.  This  he  derives  from 
the  Targum  of  Jonathan,  who  expati- 
ates thus  : — "  The  standard  of  the  camp 
of  Judah  was  of  linen  of  three  colors, 
according  to  the  three  precious  stones 
in  the  breastplate  (Chalcedony,  Sap- 
phire, and  Sardonyx),  and  in  it  were 
engraved  and  expressed  the  names  of 
the  three  tribes,  Judah,  Issachar,  and 
Zebulun ;  and  in  the  midst  thereof  was 
written,  '  Rise  up.  Lord,  and  let  thine 
enemies  be  scattered  ; '  in  it  also  was 
portrayed  the  figure  of  a  Lion.  The 
standard  of  the  camp  of  Reuben  was  of 
linen  of  three  colors,  answerable  to  the 
three  precious  stones  in  the  breastplate 
(Sardine,  Topaz,  and  Amethyst),  and 
therein  were  engraved  and  expressed 
the  names  of  the  three  tribes,  Reuben, 
Simeon,  and  Gad ;  and  in  the  midst 
thereof  was  written,  *  Hear,  0  Israel,  the 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  ;'  therein  also 
was  portrayed  the  figure  of  an  Hart." 
And  so  he  proceeds  with  the  rest.  Anoth- 
er of  the  Rabbinical  writers,  Aben  Ezra, 
says,  "there  were  signs  in  every  stand- 
ard, and  our  ancestors  have  said  that  in 
Reuben's  standard  there  was  the  figure 
of  a  Man,  etc. ;  in  Judah's  standard  the 
figure  of  a  Lion,  etc, ;  in  Ephraim's,  the 
figure  of  a  Bullock,  etc. ;  and  in  the 
standard  of  Dan  the  figure  of  an  Eagle ; 
so  they  were  like  the  Cherubim  which 
the  prophet  Ezekiel  saw  (Ezek.  1 :  10)." 
"We  may  perhaps  find  in  this  circum- 
stance a  clew  to  the  symbolic  scenery, 
Rev.  4  :  6,  7,  where  mention  is  made  of 
four  living  creatures  precisely  corre- 
sponding with  these  devices  upon  the 
standards  of  the  four  tribes  here  men- 
tioned. Their  place  in  the  encampments 
was  between  the  Tabernacle  and  the 
outmost  circuit  of  the  tribes.    So  on  the 


about  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation shall  they  pitch. 


Apocalyptic  platform  the  four  beasts 
are  said  to  have  occupied  the  space  in 
the  midst  between  the  throne  and  the 
circle  or  semicircle  encompassing  it  at 
considerable  distance.  These  "  living 
creatures"  were  symbols  of  a  vast 
multitude.  As  we  can  only  give  on  the 
subject  of  the  standards  the  conjectures 
of  Jewish  writers,  it  is  needless  to  dwell 
upon  it.  It  is  suflScient  to  know  that 
the  several  divisions  of  the  host  had 
each  of  them  a  banner  to  serve  as  a 
rallying  point  to  their  respective  tribes, 
and  to  remind  them  of  the  necessity  of 
an  orderly  adherence  to  whatever  posi- 
tion the  Lord  had  assigned  them.  "  As 
a  bird  wandering  from  her  nest  is  a  man 
wandering  from  his  place."  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  rendering  of  the  Gr.  of 
the  first  two  verses  of  this  chapter : — ■ 
"And  the  Lord  spoke  to  Moses  and  to 
Aaron  saying,  Let  the  children  of  Israel 
encamp  fronting  (each  other),  every 
man  keeping  his  own  rank,  according 
to  (their)  standards,  according  to  the 
houses  of  their  families ;  the  children 
of  Israel  shall  encamp  round  about  the 

tabernacle  of  witness." T[  Far  off 

about  the  tabernacle,  etc.  Heb.  rainne- 
ged,frorii  he/ore,  i.  e.  aloof,  at  a  distance 
from.  "  Over  against  round  about." — 
Ains.  "  Away  from  the  presence  of." — 
Mat.  "  On  the  other  side  and  round 
about." — Cran.  "  At  a  distance  round 
about." — Purv.  The  original  imports 
that  the  tents  should  be  stationed  at 
some  distance  from  the  tabernacle,  and 
yet  that  the  doors  of  the  tents  should  be 
inwards  towards  the  tabernacle.  The 
following  passages  show  the  usage  of 
the  word,  Ps.  38  :  11,  "My  lovers  and 
my  friends  stand  aloof  {minneged,frorn, 
before)  from  my  sore,  and  my  kinsmen 
stand  afar  off;"  i.  e.  they  stand  at  a 
distance,  yet  so  that  their  faces  look  to- 


30 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


3  And  on  the  east  side   to- 
ward the  rising  of  the  sun  shall 

wards  the  smitten  one.  2  Kings  2 :  7, 
"And  fifty  men  of  the  sons  of  the  pro- 
phets went  and  stood  to  view  afar  off 
{minneyed  meharoq,  in  sight,  or  over 
against)"  Deut.  32 :  52,  "  Yet  thou 
shalt  see  the  land  before  {thee)  {minne- 
ged),  but  thou  shalt  not  go  thither,"  etc. 
By  the  distant  position  a  due  reverence 
for  the  sacred  structure  was  inculcated, 
and  it  aflforded  space  also  for  the  inter- 
vening camp  of  the  Levites  who  made  a 
nearer  interior  enclosure  within  the 
general  host,  and  of  the  same  form  with 
the  camp  itself,  which  was  quadrangu- 
lar. From  the  distance  which  was  re- 
quired to  intervene  between  the  body 
of  the  Israelites  and  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  in  crossing  the  Jordan  (Josh. 
3  :  4),  it  has  been  reasonably  conjectured 
that  the  distance  of  the  camp  of  Israel 
from  the  Tabernacle  was  two  thousand 
cubits,  or  an  English  mile.  Rabbi  Solo- 
mon writes  thus  on  this  passage :  "  Over 
against ;  that  is,  afar  oflf,  a  mile,  as  it  is 
said  in  Joshua,  'yet  there  shall  be  a 
space  between  you  and  it,  about  two 
thousand  cubits  by  measure.' "  The 
arrangement  was  such  that  the  Lord 
dwelt  in  the  midst  of  his  people,  who 
were  round  about  the  sanctuary  to  guard 
it.  Allusion  is  probably  had  to  this  ar- 
rangement in  Rev.  4 :  2-4,  where  the 
prophet  beholds  in  heaven  a  central 
Throne  answering  to  the  Tabernacle 
and  Temple,  which  in  Ezek.  43 : 7  are 
called  God's  Throne,  and  "  round  about 
the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats 
(Gr.  thrones),"  which,  as  double  the 
number  of  the  twelve  tribes,  points  per- 
haps to  the  increase  and  enlargement 
of  the  church  under  the  Gospel,  Is. 
54:2.  Between  the  Throne  and  the 
circuit  round  about,  which  Vitringa 
supposes  to  have  been  a  semicircular 
area,  were  *'  four  living  creatures  full 


they    of  the   standard   of    the 
camp  of  Judah  pitch  throughout 


of  eyes,"  respecting  which  see  a  previ- 
ous note.  This  feature  of  the  symboli- 
cal scenery  is  evidently  most  appropri- 
ate to  the  Levites,  or  the  spii'itual  priest- 
hood represented  by  them ;  for  as  eyes 
denote  inspection  and  watching,  they 
shadow  forth  the  function  of  the  sacred 
ministry,  which  pertained  to  the  tribe 
of  Levi,  and  not  to  those  of  Judah, 
Reuben,  Ephraim,  and  Dan.  But  the 
scenery  of  the  Israelitish  camp  under- 
goes various  modifications  when  trans- 
ferred to  the  stage  of  the  Apocalyptic 
visions,  and  as  the  whole  of  the  tribes 
are  represented  to  John  by  the  twenty- 
four  elders,  and  these  elders  adumbrate 
the  church  as  a  Kingship,  their  heads 
being  adorned  with  "  crowns,"  so  the 
four  living  creatures  may  represent  the 
same  church  viewed  more  especially  as 
a  priesthood,  seeing  they  evidently  lead 
in  worship.  Yet  the  two  great  classes, 
the  Elders  and  the  Living  Creatures, 
are  so  intimately  associated  and  con- 
joined in  their  acts,  that  we  cannot 
easily  regard  them  as  two  entirely  dis- 
tinct and  separate  orders  or  castes. — 
Moses  and  Aaron  were  on  the  east,  the 
Gershonites  on  the  west,  the  Kohathites 
on  the  south,  and  the  Morarites  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Tabernacle. 

V.  3.  And  on  the  east  side  toward  the 
rising  of  the  sun  shall  they  of  the  stand- 
ard of  the  camp  of  Judah  pitch.  Lit. 
"And  they  that  encamp  eastward  (or 
foremost)  toward  the  rising  of  the  sun," 
etc.  Gr.  "  They  that  encamp  first  to- 
ward the  east  shall  be  the  order  of  the 
camp  of  Judah."  The  original  Heb. 
hadmah,  denotes  either  the  east,  or  he- 
f ore,  foremost,  in  front,  i.  e.  relative  to 
the  Tabernacle,  which  is  at  the  same 
time  equivalent  to  east,  as  in  relation  to 
the  west  the  east  is  said  to  be  before 
and  the  west  behind.     The  south  is 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


31 


their  armies  :  and  Nahshon'  the 
son  of  Amminadab  shall  he  cap- 
tain of  the  children  of  Judah. 


1.  7,  etc.     10.  14.     1  Chr.  2.  10. 
.  32,  33. 


Mat.  1.4.    Luke 


called  the  rigM  side  of  the  -world,  Ps. 
89  :  13,  and  the  north  the  left.  Comp. 
Job  23  :  8,  9.  The  general  camp  was 
appointed  to  be  in  the  form  of  a  square, 
the  four  sides  of  which  corresponded 
with  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the 
compass.  Each  side  was  to  consist  of 
the  united  bodies  of  three  tribes,  near- 
est related  by  blood  to  each  other.  The 
eastern  side,  as  being  the  most  honora- 
ble from  its  relation  to  the  sun,  the 
grand  symbol  of  the  Deity,  and  from 
looking  toward  the  Most  Holy  Place  of 
the  Tabernacle,  was  assigned  to  the 
standard  of  Judah,  to  which,  as  to  their 
chief  head,  were  annexed  those  of  Issa- 
char  and  Zebulun,  to  pitch  on  each  side 
of  him,  the  whole  amounting  to  186,400 

men. T[  Shall  they  of  the  standard 

of  the  camp  of  Judah  pitch.  Prece- 
dence and  pre-eminence  are  here  as- 
signed to  Judah  as  frequently  else- 
where in  the  sacred  history.  In  this 
we  recognize  an  incipient  fulfilment  of 
Jacob's  prophecy  respecting  the  rank 
which  he  should  hold  among  his  breth- 
ren, Gen.  49  :  8,  9.  This  prophecy  was 
slow  in  its  accomplishment,  though 
abundantly  verified  in  the  end.  It  is 
true  that  in  point  of  numbers  this  tribe 
exceeded  the  rest  on  their  coming  out 
of  Egypt,  and  on  the  present  occasion 
was  appointed  to  take  the  lead  under 
the  standard  of  Xahshon.  But  this  was 
but  a  dim  foreshadowing  of  the  future 
distinction  of  Judah,  for  he  was  still 
without  kingdom  or  principality.  To 
the  eye  of  sense,  moreover,  it  would 
seem  as  if  every  thing  was  so  ordered, 
and  that  too  for  a  long  lapse  of  time,  as 
to  fi-ustrate  the  accomplishment  of  the 
prediction.    Moses,  of  the  tribe  of  Levi, 


4  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
were  threescore  and  fourteen 
thousand  and  six  hundred. 


was  clothed  with  the  supreme  command 
of  the  host,  and  after  his  death  Joshua, 
of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  was  chosen 
leader,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  a  se- 
ries of  Judges  who  were  raised  up  now 
from  one  tribe,  and  now  from  another, 
till  we  come  to  Saul,  the  first  king,  who 
was  ofthe  tribe  of  Benjamin.  Meantime, 
the  pre-eminence  of  Judah  was  kept 
in  abeyance,  nor  was  it  till  the  time 
of  David  that  the  tree  of  his  predict- 
ed renown  began  to  bud  and  blossom. 
David  was  of  the  stock  of  Judah,  and 
from  him  descended,  according  to  the 
flesh.  He  who  was  to  be  the  "  lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,"  and  in  whose  spiritual 
supremacy  all  these  prophecies  culmi- 
nated to  a  bead.  In  the  character  of 
standard-bearer  of  the  armies  of  Israel 
Judah  also  prophetically  represents 
Michael,  who  leads  the  heavenly  armies 
in  their  contests  with  the  Dragon  and 
his  army.  Rev.  5:5.  12:7.  19 :  11.  So 
in  regard  to  all  the  divine  promises, 
though  the  performance  may  be  long 
deferred,  )' et  it  is  certain  to  be  realized 
at  last.    "  Though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it." 

T[  Throughout  their  armies.    Heb. 

letzibothdm.  That  is,  in  the  order  and 
disposition  of  their  several  bodies  or 
corps,  answering  to  our  brigades,  bat- 
talions, regiments,  etc. ^  And  JVah- 

shon,  etc.  shall  be  captain.  By  compar- 
ing this  with  the  preceding  chapter,  it 
will  be  observed  that  the  commanders- 
in-chief  of  the  several  tribes  were  the 
very  persons  who  were  selected  to  pre- 
side over  the  numbering  there  related ; 
which  shows  that  they  were  men  of  dis- 
tinction among  their  brethren. 

Y.  4.  And  his  host,  and  those  that  were 
numbered,  etc.    Rather,  **  And  his  host, 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


5  And  those  that  do  pitch 
next  unto  him  shall  he  the  tribe 
of  Issachar  :  and  Nethaneel  the 
son  of  Zuar  shall  he  captain  of 
the  children  of  Issachar. 

6  And  his  host,  and  those  that 
were  numbered  thereof,  luere  fif- 
ty and  four  thousand  and  four 
hundred. 

7  Then  the  tribe  of  Zebulun  : 
and  Eliab  the  son  of  Helon  shall 


even  they  that  were  mustered."  Oth- 
erwise, if  we  suppose  the  women  and 
children  and  servants,  together  with  the 
aged  and  infirm  to  be  included,  it  would 
have  made  the  number  much  greater. 
The  transition  from  the  words  of  the 
Lord  himself  commanding  the  order  of 
the  encampment,  to  those  of  Moses  de- 
claring the  respective  numbers  of  each 
division,  is  not  to  be  overlooked.  This 
remark  is  to  be  applied  to  the  whole  of 
the  present  chapter. 

Vs.  5-7.  Children  of  IssacJiar — tribe 
of  Zebulun.  Judah,  Issachar  and  Zebu- 
lun were  all  three  born  of  Leah,  which 
rendered  it  natural  that  they  should  be 
associated  under  one  banner. 

V.  9.  An  liundred  thousand,  etc.  This 
was  by  far  the  most  numerous  of  the 
four  grand  divisions,  as  will  be  evident 
from  a  tabular  view. 

The  Camp  of  Judah,..  ..186,400  East. 
"           Eeuben,..  151,450  South. 
"           Ephraim,.  108,100  West 
"  Dan, 157,600  North. 

The  excess  on  the  part  of  Judah  is  not 
far  from  30,000.  This  tribe,  which  led 
the  van,  and  that  of  Dan,  which  brought 
up  the  rear,  were  the  most  numerous. 
This  would  contribute  to  the  safety  of 
the  sanctuary,  and  its  attendants  march- 
ing in  the  middle  between  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  well-known  rule  of  mili- 
tary tactics,  that  the  advanced  and  rear 


he  captain  of  the  children  of  Zeb- 
ulun. 

8  And  his  host,  and  those  that 
were  numbered  thereof,  were  fif- 
ty and  seven  thousand  and  four 
hundred. 

9  All  that  were  numbered 
in  the  camp  of  Judah  were  an 
hundred  thousand  and  fourscore 
thousand  and  six  thousand  and 
four  hundred,  throughout  their 


guards    should  be   stronger  than  the 

centre. 1[  Tliese  shall  first  set  forth. 

Heb.  lycii  naiCiX"!  rishonah  yissd-u, 
shall  foremost  breah  up  ;  in  reference  to 
striking  their  tents  and  thus  breaking 
up  the  encampment.  The  original  is  a 
term  properly  used  to  signify  ih^  pluck- 
ing lip  of  the  stakes,  pins,  or  fixtures  to 
which  the  cords  of  the  tents  were  at- 
tached, and  by  which  they  were  held 
secure.  The  corresponding  word  in 
Arabic  is  applied  to  plucking  teeth  out 
of  their  sockets.  See  Note  on  Gen.  11 :  2. 
See  also  Barnes  on  Is.  33  :  20.  As  their 
journeying  was  mainly  towards  the 
East,  so  the  eastern  division  would 
naturally  be  the  first  to  move.  As  the 
words  stand,  they  would  appear  to  be 
uttered  by  Moses,  as  the  previous  part 
of  the  verse  contains  his  language  in 
contradistinction  from  that  of  the  Lord ; 
yet  understood  as  a  command  they 
would  seem  to  be  more  appropriate  to 
Jehovah  himself.  RosenmuUer,  how- 
ever, takes  the  clause  as  spoken  by  Mo- 
ses in  his  own  person,  and  translates  it 
in  the  past  instead  of  the  future,  in 
which  latter  form  it  is  found  in  the  ori- 
ginal. "We  incline  to  favor  this  con- 
struction. Considering  the  words  as 
those  of  Moses,  we  would  take  them  in 
the  narrative  sense  as  equivalent  to — 
"those  uniformly  set  forth  first;"  i.  e. 
it  was  appointed  to  them,  it  was  made 
their  duty,  and  it  was  their  uniform 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


33 


armies.     These  shall  first**  set 
forth. 

10  On  the  south  side  shall  he 
the  standard  of  the  camp  of  Reu- 
ben according  to  their  armies  : 
and  the  captain  of  the  children 
of  Reuben  shall  he  Elizur  the 
son  of  Shedeur. 

11  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  thereof, 
tvere  forty  and  six  thousand  and 
five  hundred. 

12  And  those  which  pitch  by 
him  shall  he  the  tribe  of  Sime- 
on :  and  the  captain  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Simeon  shall  he  Shelu- 
miel  the  son  of  Zurishaddai. 

13  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were    numbered  of  them, 


practice.  See  ch.  10  :  14.  This  is  the 
frequent  usage  of  the  Heb.  future  when 
employed  to  denote  an  action  that  is  of 
repeated  or  customary  occurrence.  See 
Nordheimer's  Heb.  Grammar,  Yol.  II. 
p.  167. 

Ys.  10-16.  On  the  south  side  shall  ie 
the  standard  of  the  host  of  Eeuhen,  etc. 
The  south  side  of  the  camp  was  to  con- 
sist of  the  companies  of  Reuben,  with 
those  of  Simeon  and  Gad  on  either  side 
of  him,  pitching  under  his  banner, 
though  under  their  own  commanders. 
These  formed  the  second  great  camp, 
called  the  camp  of  Reuben,  consisting 
of  151,450  men,  who  were  in  all  their 
marches  to  occupy  the  second  rank.  To 
the  tribe  of  Reuben  is  assigned  the  pre- 
cedency in  this  division,  while  those  of 
Simeon  and  Gad  are  adjoined  to  it.  Reu- 
ben was  the  firstborn,  and  by  birth  was 
entitled  to  take  the  lead  of  all  the  tribes, 
but  having  lost  his  birthright  by  trans- 
gression, the  first  place  fell  to  Judah, 
and  the  second  rank  became  his.    Sim- 


were   fifty   and   nine   thousand 
and  three  hundred. 

14  Then  the  tribe  of  Gad: 
and  the  captain  of  the  sons  of 
Gad  shall  he  Eliasaph  the  son 
of  Reuel. 

15  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
ivere  forty  and  five  thousand  and 
six  hundred  and  fifty. 

16  All  that  were  numbered 
in  the  camp  of  Reuben  were  an 
hundred  thousand  and  fifty  and 
one  thousand  and  four  hundred 
and  fifty,  throughout  their  ar- 
mies. And  they  shall  set  forth 
in  the  second*  rank. 

17  Then-^  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation  shall  set  for- 

e  c.  10.  18.  /  c.  10.  17,  21. 


eon  was  the  next  brother  to  him,  of  the 
same  mother,  and  Gad  was  the  first- 
born of  Zilpah,  maid  to  that  mother 
(Leah.)  This  relationship  probably 
governed  the  arrangement. — It  will  be 
observed  that  the  order  of  falling  in, 
when  the  tribes  took  up  their  march, 
was  from  the  East  to  the  South,  thence 
to  the  West,  and  so  on  to  the  North, 
"according,"  says  Ainsworth,  "to  the 
course  of  the  sun',  and  the  climates  of 
the  world." 

Y.  14.  Eliasaph,  the  son  of  Reuel. 
See  ch.  1 :  14,  where  he  is  called  Deuel, 
the  similarity  of  the  Heb.  d  ( "7 )  and 
R  ( n )  doubtless  having  caused  the  in- 
terchange of  the  one  for  the  other. 

Y.  16.  They  shall  set  forth  in  the  sec- 
ond rank.  Heb.  sheniyim  yissd-u,  they 
shall  hreah  ttp  second.  See  Kote  on  v. 
9.  This  closes  the  account  of  the  sec- 
ond division. 

Y.  17.  Tlieji  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation shall  set  forward.  Heb.  nasa. 
shall  break  up  ;  i.  e.  by  plucking  up  the 


34 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


ward  with  the  camp  of  the  Le- 
vites  in  the  midst  of  the  camp ; 
as  they  encamp,  so  shall  they 
set  forward,  every  man  in  his 
place  by  their  standards. 

pins  as  in  the  case  of  the  other  tents,  for 
the  Tabernacle  was  a  tent,  though  of  a 
ditierent  construction  from  all  others. 
The  Tabernacle  was  to  follow  the  two 
divisions  above  mentioned,  and  to  be 
followed  by  those  of  Ephraim  and  Dan  ; 
but  the  particular  mode  of  transporting 
the  Tabernacle  and  its  appendages  will 
be  more  fully  considered  in  the  Notes 
on  ch.  10 :  14^21.  It  appears  that  in 
one  respect  they  did  not  march  as  they 
pitched  ;  for  then  there  was  a  camp  on 
each  side  of  the  Tabernacle,  but  when 
they  marched  there  was  none  on  the 
sides,  but  two  divisions  went  before  it, 
and  two  behind.  This,  however,  does 
not  describe  the  exact  order,  as  we  shall 
see  on  ch.  10.  When  the  host  was  en- 
camped a  central  position  was  assigned 
to  the  Sanctuary,  in  reference  to  which 
it  is  said  of  the  Church,  Ps.  46  :  5,  "  God 
is  in.  the  midst  of  her,  she  shall  not  be 
moved."  The  original  word  here  em- 
ployed (belciridh)  is  used  to  denote  the 
interior  parts  of  the  body,  the  seat  of 
the  various  viscera,  as  the  heart,  the 
stomach,  the  womb,  etc.,  implying  that 
the  divine  presence  is  central  to  his 
church,  constituting  its  inmost  heart 
and  life.  The  place,  then,  of  the  Tab- 
ernacle, the  grand  symbol  of  the  Lord's 
habitation  among  his  people,  was  not 
in  a  corner  of  the  host,  nor  upon  one 
side,  nor  outside,  but  in  their  very 
midst.  So  it  is  said.  Lev.  26 :  11,  12, 
*'  And  I  will  set  my  tabernacle  among 
you  :  and  my  soul  shall  not  abhor  you. 
And  I  will  walk  among  you,  and  I  will 
be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  peo- 
ple." Thus  placed,  with  the  Shckinah 
enshrouded  in  it,  it  served  as  a  more 


18  On  the  west  side  shall 
be  the  standard  of  the  camp 
of  Ephraim  according  to 
their  armies  :  and  the  captain 
of  the  sons  of   Ephraim   shall 


striking  pre-intimation  of  Him  who  was 
to  be  called  "  Emmanuel,  God  with  us." 
T[  In  the  midst  of  the  camp.  It  ap- 
pears from  ch.  10,  that  this  is  to  be  un- 
derstood with  some  qualification,  as  in 
the  march  the  Tabernacle  was  in  fact 
carried  in  two  separate  portions,  one 
by  the  sons  of  Gershon  and  Merari,  and 
the  other  by  the  Kohathites.  Still  the 
expression  ":n  the  midst"  is  entirely 

proper  in  reference  to  the  fact. If  As 

they  encam/p,  so  shall  they  set  forward. 
This  doubtless  is  to  be  understood  of 
the  Levites  instead  of  the  tribes  at 

large. 1[  Every  man  in  his  place. 

Heb.  al  yddo,  upon  his  hand,  i.  e.  to- 
wards the  side  or  quarter  to  which  he 
belongs. 

Vs.  18-24.  There  is  but  little  to  be 
noted  in  respect  to  this  third  division, 
except  that  Ephraim  has  the  prece- 
dence assigned  him  instead  of  Manas- 
seh,  which,  however,  was  according 
to  Jacob's  blessing  (Gen.  48 :  19,  20). 
With  him  were  associated  Manasseh 
and  Benjamin,  all  three  being  descend- 
ed from  Rachel. 

V.  18.  Onthe  west  side.  YlQb.ydmmdh, 
seaward,  i.  e.  towards  the  Mediterra- 
nean, which  lay  to  the  west  of  Canaan. 
See  Note  on  Gen.  12 :  8.  The  west  side 
of  the  camp  was  to  contain  the  tribes 
of  Ephraim,  Manasseh,  and  Benjamin — 
all  three  descended  from  Rachel — un- 
der their  several  heads  or  captains, 
now  united,  for  the  sake  of  order,  un- 
der the  standard  of  Ephraim,  and  mak- 
ing the  third  great  division,  consisting 
of  108,100  men.  This,  therefore,  was 
the  smallest  body  of  all  the  four,  being 
about  80,000  less  than  that  of  Judah. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


be  Elishama  the  son  of  Ammi- 
hud. 

19  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
ivere  forty  thousand  and  five 
hundred. 

20  And  by  him  shall  he  the 
tribe  of  Manassch  :  and  the  cap- 
tain of  the  children  of  Manas- 
seh  shall  he  Gamaliel  the  son 
of  Pedabzur.  j 

21  And  his  host,  and  those  i 
that  were  numbered    of  them,  i 
were  thirty   and   two   thousand 
aud  two  hundred. 

22  Then  the  tribe  of  Benja- : 
min  :    and  the   captain   of.  the 
sons  of  Benjamin  shall  be  Abi- 
dau  the  son  of  Gideoni. 

23  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
were  thirty  and  five  thousand 
and  four  hundred.  I 

2-4  All  that  were  numbered  j 
of  the  camp  of  Ephraim  were  } 
an  hundred  thousand,  and 
eight  thousand  and  an  hundred, 
throughout  their  armies.  And 
they  shall  go  forward  in  the 
third  ^  rank. 


V.  24.  And  tliey  shall  go  forward  in 
the  third  raiik.  Heb.  shelkhirn  yissa-u^ 
shall  hrealc  up  third.  There  is  no  ade- 
quate reason  for  rendering  the  original 
in  this  place  bj  "  go  forward "  when 
precisely  the  same  word  in  vs.  9  and  1(?^ 
is  rendered  by  "  set  forth."  It  is  far 
better,  as  a  general  rule,  not  to  break 
the  uniformity  of  rendering  where  it 
can  well  be  avoided. 

Ys.  25-31.  The  last  of  the  four  divi- 
sions is  made  up  of  the  tribes  of  Dan, 
Asher,  and  Naphtali — three  sons  of  Ja- 
cob by  the  handmaids  Bilhah  and  Zil- 


25  The  standard  of  the  camp 
of  Dan  shall  be  on  the  north 
side  by  their  armies  :  and  the 
captain  of  the  children  of  Dan 
shall  he  Ahiezer,  the  son  of 
Ammishaddai. 

26  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
were  threescore  and  two  thou- 
sand and  seven  hundred. 

27  And  those  that  encamp  by 
him  shall  he  the  tribe  of  Asher  : 
and  the  captain  of  the  children 
of  Asher  shall  he  Pagiel  the  son 
of  Ocran. 

28  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
ivere  forty  and  one  thousand 
and  five  hundred. 

29  Then  the  tribe  of  Naph 
tali :  and  the  captain  of  the 
children  of  Naphtali  shall  he 
Ahirah,  the  son  of  Enan. 

30  And  his  host,  and  those 
that  were  numbered  of  them, 
were  fifty  and  three  thousfmd 
and  four  hundred. 

31  All  they  that  were  num- 
bered in  the  camp  of  Dan 
were  an  hundred  thousand  and 


pah — and  furnishing  the  largest  num- 
ber of  men  except  the  division  of  Judah, 
viz.  150,600  men.  They  were  appoint- 
ed, therefore,  in  all  their  marches,  to 
bring  up  the  rear,  as  Judah  led  the  van, 
for  the  greater  security  of  the  Sanc- 
tuary, which  was  to  be  guarded  by 
them. 

"  The  collective  encampment  enclosed 
a  large  open  square,  in  the  centre  of 
which  stood  the  Tabernacle.  The  posi- 
tion which  the  Tabernacle  thus  occu- 
pied still  remains  the  place  of  honor  in 
grand  oriental  camps,  and  is  usually  oc- 


NUMBEES. 


fifty   and    seven   thousand  and 
six  hundred.      They  shall  go^ 


cupied  by  the  king  or  general.  The  dis- 
tance between  it  and  the  common  camp 
was  indicative  of  respect  and  reverence. 
The  interior  was  not,  however,  wholly 
vacant,  being  occupied  by  the  small 
camps  of  the  Levites,  who  had  the 
charge  and  custody  of  the  Tabernacle, 
and  pitched  their  tents  around  it ;  the 
tents  of  Moses,  Aaron,  and  the  priests 
occupying  the  most  honorable  place, 
fronting  the  entrance  to  the  Taberna- 
cle, or  rather  to  the  court  which  con- 
tained it.     The  Jewish  writers  say  that 


hindmost 
ards. 


with 


[B.  C.  1490. 
their     stand- 


the  circumference  of  the  entire  encamp- 
ment was  about  twelve  miles ;  a  state- 
ment which  seems  sufficiently  moder- 
ate, when  we  recollect  the  hollow  square 
in  the  centre,  and  consider  the  vast  ex- 
tent of  ground  required  for  the  tents  of 
two  millions  of  people." — Pict.  Bible. 
The  accompanying  sketch  will  af- 
ford the  reader  an  idea  approximating 
the  truth  of  the  plan  and  order  of  the 
encampment,  whenever  they  pitched 
during  their  march  through  the  des- 
ert. 


EAST. 

186,400  Men. 
FIEST  GEAND  DIVISION. 

NOKTII. 

15T,600"Men. 
FOUETH  GEAND  DIVISION. 

JUDAH. 

74,601). 

I8SACHAE,  and  zebxtlon. 

54,400.                        57,400. 

SOUTH. 

151,450  Men. 
SECOND  GEAND  DIVISION. 

Eh-* 

MOSES,  AAEON, 

AND 

THE  PEIE8T8. 

REUBEN. 

46,500. 
SIMEON,  and  GAB. 

69,300.                45,650 

LEVITES 

OF 

MEEAEI, 

8-200. 

SHEKINAH. 
TABERNACLE. 

LEVITB9 

KOHATH, 

2750. 

•0S95 

'NOHsaao 

«0 

saiiAai 

•ont'ss                   -oos'?.? 
•niKvrKaa  pt*  'nassvuvw 

•UOS'Ol' 
•IVIVHHda 

'NOisiAia  ciNvao  aaiHi, 

•U3K  OOl'SOl 

V.  31.  They  shall  go  hindmost  with 
their  standards.  Heb.  laaharondh  yisu 
hdiglehem,  they  shall  break  vp  {march) 


to  the  r^mr  of  their  standards,  i.  e.  of  the 
standards  of  the  preceding  tribes,  call- 
ed "theirs"  from  their  all  forming  one 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


37 


32  These  are  those  which 
were  numbered  of  the  children 
of  Israel  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers ;  all  '  those  that  were 
numbered  of  the  camps,  through- 
out their  hosts,  ivere  six  hun- 
dred thousand  and  three  thou- 
sand and  five  hundred  and  fifty. 

33  But  the  Levites  were  not 
numbered  among  the  children 
of  Israel ;  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses. 

34  And  the  children  of  Israel 


Ex.  38.  26.    c.  1.46,  47. 


united  body.  On  any  other  construc- 
tion it  is  not  easy  to  see  how  '*  stand- 
ards "  in  the  plural  should  be  ascribed 
to  one  division,  when  it  is  clear  that 
each  had  but  a  single  standard. 

V.  32.  These  are  tJiose  that  were  num- 
hered,  etc.  Heb.  "  These  are  the  mus- 
tered ones."  Gr.  avrr)  rj  eiriaKeipis, 
this  is  the  survey  or  visitation.      See 

Note  on  ch.  1 : 2. T[  £i/  the  house  of 

their  fathers.  Collective  singular  for 
the  plural.  Gr.  kot  oikovs,  according 
to  the  houses. 

y.  38.  Butthe  Levites  were  not  num- 
hered  among  the  cMldren  of  Israel.  Heb. 
lethoh  hene  Tisrael,  in  the  midst  of  the 
sons  of  Israel,  implying  that  the  Leviti- 
cal  tribe  was  centrally  interfused  in  the 
midst  of  the  general  mass  of  the  tribes. 
Typically  understood  it  denotes  that  the 
true  priesthood  of  the  church  exists  in 
the  midst  of  the  body,  instead  of  consti- 
tuting a  class  distinct  from  the  body. 
The  priesthood  consists  in  the  priestly 
function  which  is  to  be  exercised  by 
those  who  are  possessed  of  certain  gifts 
and  endowments  that  enable  them  to 
edify  their  brethren. 

Y.  34.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did 
according  to  all  that  the  Lord  commxind- 
ed  Moses.  As  the  obedience  of  Israel  in 
making  and  setting  up  the  Tabernacle 


did  according  to  all*  that  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses:  so' 
they  pitched  by  their  standards, 
and  so  they  set  forward,  every 
one  after  their  families,  ac- 
cording to  the  house  of  theii 
fathers. 

CHAPTER   IIL 

THESE  also  are  the  genera- 
tions of  Aaron  and  Moses 
in  the  day  ihat  the  Lord  spake 
with  Moses  in  Mount  Sinai. 


is  borne  witness  to  on  a  former  occasion 
(Ex.  39  :  42,  43),  so  here  also  their  exact 
compliance  with  the  divine  directions 
as  to  an  orderly  encamping  round  about 
it,  and  marching  before  and  after  it. 
The  practical  lesson  inculcated  through- 
out is  the  beauty  and  the  benefit  of  or- 
der in  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
Church.  The  camp  of  Israel,  viewed  in 
its  external  aspect,  was  arranged  with 
so  much  regularity  and  beauty,  that 
Balaam  upon  beholding  it  was  led  to 
exclaim,  Num  24  :  5,  "  How  goodly  are 
thy  tents,  0  Jacob,  and  thy  tabernacles, 
0  Israel !"  A  similar  exclamation  would 
be  drawn  from  us  if  we  could  see,  in 
clear  vision,  the  exquisite  and  heavenly 
disposition  of  the  true  church  in  its  in- 
ternal economy. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  family  Stoch  of  Aaron. 
V.  1.  These  also  are  the  generations 
of  Moses  and  Aaron.  That  is,  these 
are  the  offspring  of  Aaron,  and  the  ge- 
nealogy of  the  Levites,  as  also  the  nar- 
rative, the  rehearsal,  of  the  events,  acts, 
or  transactions,  that  occurred  in  re- 
spect to  them.  In  this  sense  we  find 
"  generations "    employed    Gen.    5 : 1. 


88 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


2  And  these  are  the  names 
of  the  sons  of  Aaron ;  Nadab " 
the  first-born,  and  Abihu,  Elea- 


zar,  and  Ithamar. 


3  These  are  the  names  of  the 
sous  of  Aaron,  the  *  priests  which 


b  Ex.  M.  41.    Lev.  8.  2,  etc. 


6:9.  25 :  18,  where  see  Notes.— The  in- 
spired historian  being  now  about  to 
enter  upon  a  recital  of  the  appointed 
order  and  functions  of  the  tribe  of  Levi, 
who  were  exempted  from  the  former 
numbering  or  muster,  first  pauses  to 
advert  to  the  family  of  Aaron  as  the 
head  of  the  priestly  caste.  He  then 
goes  on  to  relate  their  numbering  and 
the  order  of  their  ministration  in  the 
department  to  which  they  were  devo- 
ted.  T[  In  the  day  that  the  Loi'dspahe 

with  Moses  in  Mount  Sinai.  That  is, 
when  he  spake  on  a  former  occasion ; 
a  clause  introduced  probably  with  a 
view  to  intimate  that  Nadab  and  Abihu, 
mentioned  in  the  next  verse,  were  then 
living,  whereas  they  were  now  dead. 
It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  "  These  are  the 
generations  of  Aaron  and  Moses  that 
were  then  alive  in  the  day  that  the  Lord 
spake  with  Moses  in  Mount  Sinai."  It 
is  evident  that  at  the  time  when  this 
part  of  the  history  commences  Moses 
was  not  in  the  mount,  but  in  the  midst 
of  the  camp. 

V.  2.  And  these  are  the  names  of  the 
sons  of  Aaron.  As  the  first  verse  nat- 
urally leads  us  to  expect  an  account  of 
Moses'  posterity  as  well  as  Aaron's,  it 
becomes  a  question  why  that  of  Aaron 
only  is  given.  To  which  it  is  answered, 
that  Moses'  lineage  is  probably  included 
under  the  general  name  of  the  Amram- 
ite,  V.  27,  embracing  all  the  children 
and  grandchildren  of  Amram,  with  the 
exceptions  only  of  Moses  and  Aaron. 
The  "generations"  or  descendants  of 
Moses  are  perhaps  thus  obscurely  men- 


were  anointed,  whom  he  conse- 
crated to  minister  in  the  priest's 
ofiice. 

4  And  Nadab  and  Abihu 
died'  before  the  Lord,  when 
they  offered  strange  fire  before 

c  Lev.  10.  1,  2.     c.  26.  61.     1  Chr.  24.  2. 

tioned  from  the  fact  of  their  being  but 
common  Levites,  the  priesthood  being 
given  exclusively  to  Aaron's  posterity, 
for  which  reason  we  may  suppose  that 
he  is  here  named  before  Moses,  though 
generally  mentioned  after  him. 

V.  3.  Whom  he  consecrated.  Heb. 
"Whose  hand  he  filled."  Upon  this 
phraseology,  see  the  Note  on  Ex. 
29  :  9.     Gr.  "  Whom  they  perfected,  or 

accomplished,  as  to  their  hands." 

T[  To  minister  in  the  priest's  office.  This 
is  expressed  in  the  Heb.  by  a  single 
word,  lehahen,  the  root  from  whence 
comes  hohen,  a  priest.  It  is  a  term  of 
peculiar  significancy,  and  sometimes 
implies  j9nViC6  as  well  as  priest. 

V.  4.  Aiid  Nadab  and  AVihu  died  he- 
fore  the  Lord,  etc.  Of  which,  see  Lev.  10 : 
1,2.  Numb.  26:61.  1  Chron.  24:1,2. 
As  they  offered  strange  fire,  they  per- 
ished by  strange  fire,  showing  that 
men's  punishments  often  bear  a  strik- 
ing  analogy  to   their  sins. T[  And 

they  had  no  children.  This  is  mention- 
ed that  it  might  be  known  in  all  subse- 
quent time,  that  none  were  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  office  of  the  priesthood, 
but  such  as  could  trace  their  genealogy 
to  Eleazar  or  Ithamar.  Had  Nadab  ■ 
and  Abihu  left  any  sons,  they  would 
have  inherited  their  fathers'  office  be- 
fore Eleazar.  The  Rabbins  say,  "  Who- 
ever is  foremost  in  inheritance,  is  fore- 
most for  honor  or  dignity." T[  In 

the  sight  of  Aaron  their  father.  Heb. 
"  Before  the  face  of."  That  is,  while 
Aaron  lived.  So  it  is  said  of  Haran 
(Gen.  11 :  28)  that  he  died  "  before  the 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  m. 


39 


the  Lord  in  the  wilderness  of 
Sinai,  and  they  had  no  chil- 
dren :  and  Eleazar  and  Itha- 
mar  ministered  in  the  priest's 
office  in  the  sight  of  Aaron  their 
father. 


face  of  Terah,"  i.  e.  while  Terah  was 
alive.  So  "before  the  moon  and  the 
sun "  (Ps.  72 : 5,  17,)  i.  e.  while  those 
bodies  continue  to  give  their  light.  Gr. 
"With  Aaron."  In  1  Chron.  24:39, 
they  are  said  to  have  ministered  "  un- 
der Aaron."  Heb.  "  By  the  hand  of 
Aaron."  From  these  two  descended  so 
large  a  company  of  priests,  that  in  the 
days  of  David  they  were  distributed 
into  twenty-four  courses,  sixteen  of 
Eleazar  and  eight  of  Ithamar.  The  He- 
brew Doctors  say,  "  Over  every  course 
there  was  one  President.  And  they 
went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  serve  by  course 
every  week.  And  every  sabbath  day 
they  changed ;  one  course  went  out,  and 
the  next  after  them  came  in."  Comp 
1  Chron.  9  :  22,  25.  2  Kings  11 :  5,  7. 
The  words  carry  with  them  the  impli- 
cation, that  they  exercised  their  minis- 
try so  entirely  in  conjunction  with  their 
father,  that  they  were  little  liable  to 
such  dangerous  lapses  as  had  been  fatal 
to  Nadab  and  Abihu.  They  kept  under 
their  father's  eye,  and  took  instructions 
from  him  in  all  they  did.  Their  breth- 
ren, perhaps,  were  out  of  their  father's 
sight  when  they  offered  strange  fire. 

Tlie  Gift  of  the  Levites  to  Aaron  for 
the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle. 

Ys.  5,  6.  Bring  the  trihe  of  Levi  near, 
etc.  Heb.  hakr'eh,  cause  to  approach. 
The  word  has  the  double  import  of  lo- 
cal approximation  and  of  setting  apart 
and  offering  to  the  Lord  in  a  special 
dedication  to  his  service.     See  Note  on 


5  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 


Moses,  saying, 

6  Bring''  the  tribe 
near. 


of  Levi 
and  present  them  before 
Aaron  the  priest,  that  they  may 
minister  unto  him. 


d  c.  8.  6.     18.  2,  etc.    Dent.  33.  10.    Mai.  2.  4. 

Ex.  29  :  8.  Indeed,  so  emphatically  is  the 
tribe  of  Levi  spoken  of  in  this  charac- 
ter, as  solemnly  dedicated  to  the  service 
of  the  Sanctuary,  that  the  very  terms 
are  applied  to  them  which  are  elsewhere 
employed  to  denote  the  sacrificial  offer- 
ings. Thus  ch.  8 :  11,  "  And  Aaron 
shall  offer  (Heb.  wave)  the  Levites  be- 
fore the  Lord  for  an  offering  (Heb. 
wave-ofering)  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
that  they  may  execute  the  service  of  the 
Lord."  Having  spoken  of  Aaron  and 
his  immediate  descendants,  he  now 
comes  to  give  order  respecting  the  rest 
of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  who  had  been  omit- 
ted in  the  late  muster. — — T[  Present 
them.  Heb.  haamadtd  otho,  cause  him 
(or  it)  to  stand  before  Aaron,  etc.  The 
whole  tribe  is  spoken  of  in  the  singular. 
Gr.  steseis  antous,  thoti  shalt  place,  set, 
or  station  them.  The  original,  in  the 
Hiphil  or  causative  conjugation,  is  fre- 
quently rendered  to  presad,  as  also  to 
set,  to  establish,  to  appoiiit.  This  tribe 
had  on  a  former  occasion  (Ex.  32 :  29) 
"consecrated"  themselves  to  God  by  a 
signal  act  of  obedience,  in  consequence 
of  which  they  had  now  secured  to  them- 
selves the  "  blessing"  which  they  were 

then  promised. T[   That   they  may 

minister  unto  him.  Heb.  ve-sherethu 
otho,  and  they  shall  minister  (to  or  wait 
upon)  him.  There  is  nothing  of  special 
importance  in  the  meaning  of  this  term, 
except  that  it  is  a  different  term  in  the 
original  from  "minister,"  "minister- 
ed" in  vs.  3,  4,  which  implies  the  min- 
istry or  service  of  the  priests  instead  of 
that  of  the  Levites,  which  was  of  a  low- 


40 


NIMBEKS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


7  And  they*  shall  keep  his 
charge,  and  the  charge  of  the 
whole  congregation  before  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
to  do  ^  the  service  of  the  taber- 
nacle. 

t  1  Chr.  26.  20,  22.  /  c,  1.  50. 

er  order.  It  were  desirable  that  words 
differing  in  the  original,  even  though 
by  a  slight  shade,  should  be  represented 
by  different  words  in  a  version.  In  this 
case  it  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that 
the  Heb.  T^Xi  shdrath,  is  frequently  ap- 
plied to  the  ministry  of  the  priests, 
though  the  other  word  l^l-Q  Mhan,  is 
never  applied  to  that  of  the  Levites. 
V.  7.  And  they  shall  Tceep  his  charge. 
Heb.  shdmeru  eth  mishmarto,  they  shall 
keep  his  keeping.  In  Lev.  18 :  30  it  is 
rendered,  "Ye  shall  keep  my  ordi- 
nance." Elsewhere  the  original  is  ren- 
dered ward,  watch,  safeguard,  office. 
The  leading  idea  is  that  of  something 
imposed  as  a  matter  of  strict  observ- 
ance, custody,  and  care.  A  part  of  this 
charge  was  evidently  keeping  watch 
day  and  night  at  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle. Lev.  8 :  35.  By  keeping  the 
charge  of  Aaron  and  of  the  whole  con- 
gregation is  meant  the  performance  of 
those  duties  and  services  about  the 
sanctuary  which  would  otherwise  have 
devolved  upon  the  principals  in  whose 
behalf  they  acted.  This  clause,  there- 
fore, would  more  properly  be  rendered, 
"  even  the  charge  of  the  whole  congre- 
gation," as  it  is  in  one  of  the  old  Eng- 
lish versions.  As  it  now  reads,  the 
"charge  of  the  whole  congregation" 
seems  to  imply  the  charge  which  would 
have  devolved  upon  the  whole  congre- 
gation, provided  the  Levitical  tribe  had 
not  been  substituted  for  this  purpose  in 
their  stead.  This,  however,  does  not 
exclude  the  additional  idea  in  regard 
to  Aaron,  that  he  may  have  delivered 


8  And  they  shall  keep  all  the 
instruments  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation,  and  the  charge 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  to  do 
the  service  of  the  tabernacle. 

9  And  thou   shalt  give  ^  the 

g  c.  8.  19.    18.  6,  7. 


to  them  a  solemn  charge  or  command- 
ment respecting  their  services  which 

they  are  here   required  to  obey. 

If  Before  the  tdhemacle  of  the  congre- 
gation. This  expresses  very  precisely 
the  nature  of  their  office,  which  was  to 
minister  lefore  the  sanctuary  and  not 

in  it,  like  the  priests. 1  To  do  the 

service.  Heb,.  laahod  eth  abodath,  to  serve 
the  service.  We  give  the  literal  render- 
ing simply  to  let  the  English  reader 
know  what  it  is ;  and  so  in  multitudes 
of  other  cases. 

Y.  8.  All  the  instruments  of  the  tab- 
ernacle. That  is  to  say,  the  tabernacle 
itself  and  all  its  contents,  which  are 
particularly  described  vs.  25,  26,  31,  36, 
37.  The  Levites,  as  the  servants  of  the 
priests,  were  to  perform  the  most  com- 
mon and  laborious  offices.  It  was  a 
special  part  of  their  charge  to  take 
down,  put  up,  and  carry  the  tabernacle 

with  its  various  utensils. T[  And  the 

charge  of  the  children  of  Israel.  That 
is,  the  general  charge  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  the  charge  which  would  other- 
wise have  been  theirs,  but  which  was 
transferred  to  the  Levites. 

Y.  9.  And  thou  shalt  give  the  Levites 
unto:  Aaron,  and  to  his  sons.  Being 
first  virtually  presented  to  the  Lord  as 
his  peculium,  they  are  now,  by  his  com- 
mand, bestowed  as  a  gift  upon  the 
priests,  ch.  8:19.  So  ministers  under 
the  N.  T.  are  called  "  gifts,"  Eph.  4 :  8, 

11. T  TAey  are  wholly  given.    Heb. 

netJiunim,  nethunim,  given,  given.  A 
Hebraism  well  represented  in  our  ver- 
sion by   "  wholly  given,"  implying  a 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  in. 


41 


Levites  unto  Aaron,  and  to  his 
sons :  they  are  wholly  given 
unto  him  out  of  the  children  of 
Israel. 

10  And  thou  shalt  appoint 
Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  they 
shall  wait  on  their  priest's  of- 
fice ;    and   the   stranger  *    that 

h,  ver.  38.    Eph.  2.  19.     Heb.  10.  19-22. 

complete  dedication.  In  like  manner 
the  Gibeonites  devoted  by  Joshua  to 
menial   services  about  the    sanctuary 

were  also  called  Netliinim,  given. 

T[  To  Mm.  Heb.  1^  lo,  for  which  the 
Gr.  evidently  read  "^  U,  to  me,  as  it  has 
fxoi,  to  me. 

V.  10.  And  thou  sJialt  appoint  Aaron 
and  his  sons.  Heb.  tiphhod,  shalt  cause 
to  preside  or  superintend ;  the  term 
which  we  have  so  fully  explained  in  the 
Note  on  ch.  1 : 3.  Gr.  katasteseis,  thou 
shalt  constitute  or  set.  It  is  to  be  re- 
marked, however,  that  others  render  it 
by  thou  shalt  number,  or  muster,  as  the 
term  is  precisely  the  same  with  that 
which  occurs  ch.  1 :  49,  "  Only  thou 
shalt  not  number  (Heb.  tiphJcod)  the 
tribe  of  Levi."  In  that  case  the  Levites 
were  not  to  be  included  in  the  general 
census;  in  the  present  case  they  also 
were  to  be  numbered  apart  by  them- 
selves. But  we  doubt  if  the  precise 
idea  of  numbering  is  intended  to  be 
conveyed  by  the  term  in  this  connec- 
tion. The  dominant  import  of  the  ori- 
ginal, as  we  have  seen,  is  to  order,  a?'- 
range,  adjust  in  a  visitorial  way,  and 
this  we  incline  to  adopt  as  the  true 
sense  <n  the  present  passage.  Moses, 
as  clothed  with  a  visitorial  or  superin- 
tending power,  was  to  order  the  priestly 
functions  of  Aaron  and  his  sons  accord- 
ing to  the  divine  will. T[  And  they 

sh all  wait  upon  tJteir priesf  s  office.  Heb. 
shameru  eth  Icehonnethdm,  they  shall 
keep  their  priesthood,  i.  e.  "  for  every 


cometh   nigh   shall   be   put   to 
death. 

11  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

12  And  I,  behold,  I  have 
taken  the  Levites  '  from  among 
the  children  of  Israel  instead  of 
all  the  first-born  that  openeth 


ver.  41.     c.  8.  16. 


thing  of  the  altar  and  within  the  veil," 

ch.  18  : 7. T[  The  stranger  that  cometh 

nigh.  That  is,  to  take  upon  him  the 
duties  of  the  priests.  Gr.  "  That  touch- 
eth."  By  the  stranger  is  to  be  understood 
any  and  every  one  who  was  not  "  of  the 
seed  of  Aaron,"  as  explained  ch.  16  :  40 ; 
for  "no  man  taketh  this  honor  unto 
himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as 
was  Aaron."  Even  the  common  Levite 
was  excluded  as  well  as  the  rest  of  Is- 
rael from  the  sacred  function  of  the 
priests.  Comp.  ch.  18  : 3,  "And  they  (the 
Levites)  shall  keep  thy  charge,  and  the 
charge  of  all  the  tabernacle  :  only  they 
shall  not  come  nigh  the  vessels  of  the 
sanctuary  and  the  altar,  that  neither 

they,  nor  ye  also,  die." If  Shall  be 

put  to  death.  That  is,  by  the  magis- 
trate, or,  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God, 
as  in  the  case  of  Korah  and  his  com- 
pany. 

The  Substitution  of  the  Levites  for 
the  First-born. 

y.  12.  I  have  taken  the  Levites  from 
among  the  children  of  Israel.  Heb.  mit- 
tok,  from  the  midst ;  a  more  emphatic 
form  of  expression  than  "  from  among." 
The  Levites  are  frequently  spoken  of 
subsequently  as  an  element  centrally  in- 
terfused throughout  the  whole  mass  of 
the  people.  As  to  their  substitution  for 
the  tirst-born  and  the  grounds  of  it,  see 
the  note  on  Ex.  13  :  2.  It  is  very  gen- 
erally conceded  that  prior  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  priesthood  of  Aaron  and 


42 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


the  matrix  among  the  children 
of  Israel :  therefore  the  Levites 
shall  be  miae ; 

13  Because  all  the  first-born^' 
are  mine  :  for  on  the  day  that 
I  smote  all  the  first-born  in  the 
land  of  Egypt  I  hallowed  unto 
me  all  the  first-born  in  Israel, 

k  Ex.  13.  2,  12.     Lev.  27.  26.     Luke  2.  23. 


his  sons,  the  first-born  in  the  patri- 
archal famines  officiated  in  that  capa- 
city. The  Talmud  says,  "Before  the 
Tabernacle  was  erected,  the  use  of  pri- 
vate Altars  and  High  Places  was  per- 
mitted, and  the  eldest  of  each  family 
performed  the  sacrifices."  (  Tract.  Mili- 
kim  in  Mishna,  14.)  See  Note  upon 
JEx.  24 :  5,  respecting  the  "  young  men  " 
sent  by  Moses  to  perform  the  office  of 
sacrificers.  The  conclusion  seems  fair 
that  priesthood  was  one  of  the  privi- 
leges of  primogeniture.  We  are  aware 
that  this  opinion  is  questioned  by  Out- 
ram,  Patrick,  and  others,  but  their  ob- 
jections do  not  strike  us  as  satisfac- 
tory.  Tf  That  openeth   the   matrix. 

Heb.  peter  rehem,  the  opening,  or  open- 
er, of  the  womb  ;  in  apposition  with 
the  first-born,"  by  which  is  to  be  un- 
derstood the  first-born  of  the  father, 
and  not  merely  the  first-born  of  the 
mother. 

V.  13.  On  the  day  thdt  I  smote  all  the 
first-born  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  This 
clause  assigns  the  reason  why  the  first- 
born were  especially  set  apart  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  Lord.  As  Moses  says  to 
Pharaoh  that  the  Most  High  had  raised 
him  up  (or,  Heb.  "  caused  him  to  stand, 
to  survive")  when  he  was  as  good  as 
dead  by  reason  of  the  destructive 
plagues,  so  here  the  first-born  of  Israel, 
that  were  graciously  exempted  when 
the  first-born  of  Egypt  were  destroyed, 
in  the  midst  of  whom  they  were,  are 
claimed  as  the  special  property  of  Jeho- 


both  man  and  beast;  mine  shall 
they  be  :  I  am  the  Lord. 

14  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai, 
saying, 

15  Number  the  children  of 
Levi  after  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  by  their  families  :  every 


vah,  inasmuch  as  they  might  be  consid- 
ered by  their  parents  as  having  been 
virtually  taken  from  them  by  the  aveng- 
ing stroke.  It  was  not  because  they 
were  intrinsically  better  than  the  first- 
born of  the  Egyptians  that  they  were 
spared,  but  merely  out  of  the  sovereign 
good  pleasure  of  the  Lord  himself,  who 
"  giveth  not  account  of  any  of  his  mat- 
ters." He  therefore  says  of  them, 
"Mine  they  shall  be."  A  separate  and 
independent  reason  is  given  for  the  sub- 
stitution of  the  Levites  in  their  stead,  to 
wit,  the  devoted  zeal  they  had  mani- 
fested on  the  occasion  of  the  iniquity 
connected  with  the  worship  of  the  gold- 
en  calf,   Ex.   32  :  26.    Deut.  33  :  9,  on 

which  see  Notes. T[  /  hallowed  vnto 

me  all  the  first-born.  That  is,  sanctified 
and  set  apart  from  all  profane  and  sec- 
ular use,  and  appropriated  as  something 
holy. 

T%e  Numbering  or  Muster  of  the 
Levites. 

V.  15.  Number  the  children  of  Levi, 
Heb.  pehbd,  visit,  muster.  The  com- 
mand is  here  directed  solely  to  Moses, 
but  it  is  evident  from  v.  39  and  ch.  4  : 
34,  that  the  duty  was  performed  by 
Moses  and  Aaron,  and  by  the  princes 

of  the  congregation. 1[   After  the 

house  of  their  fathers.  Gr.  leaf  oiJcous, 
according  to  the  houses.  They  were 
counted  after  the  houses  of  their  fathers 
and  not  of  their  mothers,  inasmuch  as 
if  a  woman  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


43 


male  ^  from  a  month  old  and  up- 
ward shalt  thou  number  them. 

16  And  Moses  numbered 
them,  according  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  as  he  was  command- 
ed. 

17  And  these  "*  were  the  sons 
of  Levi  by  their  names ;  G-er- 
shon  and  Kohath  and  Merari. 

18  And  these  are  the  names 


I  of  the  sons  of  Gershon,  by  their 
families  ;   Libni ",  and  Shimei. 
I       19  And  the  sons  of  Kohath 
;  by  their  families ;  Amram,  and 
I  Izehar,  Hebron,  and  Uzziel. 
I      20  And  the  sons  of  Merari 
by  their  families;    Mahli,  and 
Mushi.     These  are  the  families 
of  the  Levites  according  to  the 
house  of  their  fathers. 


TO  Gen.  46.  11.    Ex.  6. 


married  to  a  man  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
or  any  other  tribe,  her  son  was  not 
reckoned  a  Levite.  Maimonides,  the 
great  expounder  of  the  Hebrew  Canons, 
says,  "  Priests  and  Levites  and  Israel- 
ites may  lawfully  go  in  one  to  another 
(i.  e.  to  marry)  and  that  which  is  born 
goeth  after  the  male,  etc.,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, According  to  the  house  of  their 
fathers ;  the  house  of  his  father,  that  is, 
his  family,  and  not  the  house  of  his  mo- 
ther."  T[  Every  male  from  a  month 

old.  Heb.  mihhen  'Jiodes7i,from  the  son 
of  a  month.  Male  children  were  not 
reputed  wholly  purified  from  their  un- 
cleanness  till  they  were  a  month  old, 
Lev.  12  :  4,  when  the  first-born  were 
brought  and  presented  before  the  Lord, 
Luke  2 :  22,  and  when  also  they  were 
redeemed.  The  main  reason,  therefore, 
of  the  Levites  being  numbered  or 
mustered  from  this  age  doubtless  was, 
that  as  they  were  substituted  for  the 
first-born  of  the  other  tribes,  and 
their  redemption  was  appointed  from 
a  month  old,  the  same  period  is  fixed 
upon  in  this  case.  To  this  we  may 
add,  that  as  the  males  of  all  the  other 
tribes  were  numbered  "  from  twenty 
years  and  upward,"  had  the  Levites 
been  numbered  in  the  same  way,  they 
would  have  fallen  far  short  of  the 
count  of  the  first-born  of  the  twelve 
tribes. 
V.  16.  According  to  the  word  of  the 


n  Ex.  6.  17-19. 


Lord.  Heb.  al  pi  Yehovah,  according 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  Gr.  "  By  the 
voice  of  the  Lord." 

The  Descendants  of  Levi. 

V.  17.  And  these  were  the  sons.  Heb. 
va-yihyu  elleh,  and  these  hecame  or  were 
made  to  'be.  A  nice  shade  of  meaning 
is  conveyed  by  this  phraseology.  As  a 
general  fact,  in  enumerations  of  this 
kind,  the  substantive  verb  is  omitted  in 
the  original  and  "  are  "  in  the  present 
tense  supplied,  as  in  the  next  verse, 
where  it  is  said,  "And  these  are  the 
names,"  etc.  So  if  nothing  more  was 
intended  in  the  present  passage  than 
the  simple  specification  of  the  three 
sons  of  Levi,  it  would  doubtless  have 
read,  ''And  these  were  the  sons,"  etc. 
The  true  meaning,  therefore,  we  think 
•is  given  in  the  Vulg.  version,  which 
renders  it  "inventi  sunt,"  were  found 
to  be,  i.  e.  were  made  out  to  be,  by  con- 
sulting the  genealogical  tables  to  ascer- 
tain their  names,  for  they  themselves 
were  not  now  living.  Allusion  is  prob- 
ably had  to  Gen.  46  :  11.  Ex.  6  :  16. 

T[  Gershon,  and  Kohath,  and  Merari; 
whose  descendants  are  ordinarily  term- 
ed the  Gershonites,  the  Kohathites,  and 
Merarites. 

V.  20.  According  to  the  house  of 
their  fathers.  Gr.  "According  to  the 
houses  of 'their  fathers;"  as  above, 
V.15. 


44 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1490. 


21  Of  Grerslion  was  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Libnites,  and  the 
family  of  the  Shimites :  these 
are  the  families  of  the  Gershon- 
ites. 

22  Those  that  were  numbered 
of  them,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  all  the  males,  from  a 
month  old  and  upward,  even 
those  that  were  numbered  of 
them,  were  seven  thousand  and 
five  hundred. 

23  The  families   of  the  Ger- 


The  Families  of  the  House  of  Gerslion, 
their  Number,  Position,  and  Charge. 


V.  22.  Those  that  were  numbered  of 
them  according  to  the  number,  etc.  Heb. 
fekudehem  bemispar,  the  mustered  ones 
of  them  in  (i.  e.  according  to)  the  num- 
ber. This  makes  it  still  plainer  that 
there  was  a  real  distinction  between  the 
acts  denoted  by  these  two  words,  and 
which  we  have  endeavored  all  along  to 
set  forth  by  rendering  the  one  by  mus- 
ter and  the  other  by  number.  Of  the 
nature  of  this  distinction,  see  Note  on 
ch.  1 : 3.  Inspection,  adjustment,  ar- 
rangement, are  mainly  implied  by  the 
first,  and  enumeration  by  the  second. 
Granting,  however,  that  the  distinc- 
tion is  somewhat  subtle  and  obscure, 
still  it  is  desirable  that  a  translation 
should  in  some  way  indicate  the  fact 
that  different  words  are  employed  in 
the  Hebrew. 

V.  24.  And  the  chief  of  the  house,  etc. 
An  officer  in  chief  was  to  be  set  over 
each  of  the  families,  and  over  all  these 
chiefs  a  supreme  or  presiding  inspector, 
V.  32.  The  exact  order  and  regularity 
established  throughout  the  camp,  in  the 
disposition  of  the  tribes,  the  services 
of  the  Levites,  etc.  is  every  where  to 
be  observed.     The  phrase  "house  of 


shonites  *  shall  pitch  behind  the 
tabernacle  westward. 

24  And  the  chief  of  the  house 
of  the  father  of  the  Gershonites 
shall  he  Eliasaph  the  son  of  LaeL 

25  And  the  charge  of  the 
sons  of  Gershon^  in  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation  shall 
he  the  tabernacle '',  and  the 
tenf,  the  covering  thereof,  and 
the  hanging  for  the  door  of 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion. 

0  c.  1.  53.    p  c.  4.  24-26.    q  Ez.  25.  9.    r  Ex.  26. 1,  etc. 


the  father"  is  probably  equfvalent  to 
"  father-house,"  and  as  to  its  import, 
see  Note  on  ch.  1 :  2. 

V.  25.  In  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation, {shall  be)  the  tabernacle,  and  the 
tent,  and  the  covering  thereof.  The 
terms  here  employed  may  lead  to  some 
confusion  in  the  mind  of  the  reader. 
The  original  has  three  distinct  words 
applied  to  denote  the  different  parts  of 
the  tabernacle. — (1.)  Ohel  mo'ed,  tent  of 
the  congregation,  here  rendered  "tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation."  This 
is  applied  to  the  edifice  as  a  whole, 
(2.)  Mishhan,  habitation,  sometimes 
also  denoting  the  whole  tabernacle,  but 
here  the  inner  set  of  ten  curtains  made 
of  fine  twined  linen,  and  described  Ex. 
26:1,  7,  14.  36:8,  14,  19.  (3.)  Ohel, 
tent,  used  to  designate  the  next  outer 
set  made  of  goat's  hair.  To  these  may 
be  added  inihseh,  covering,  the  term  ap- 
plied to  the  outer  envelope  of  ram's 
skins  spread  over  the  whole.  See  Note 
on  Ex.  26  : 1,  where  a  fuller  account  is 
given.  The  care  of  the  curtains  and 
hangings  in  general  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 

Gershonites. T[  The  hanging  for  the 

door.  Of  this  see  the  Note  on  Ex.  26  : 
36,  and  of  the  hangings  of  the  court  and 
the  curtain  for  the  entrance,  see  Note 
on  Ex.  27 :  9. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  ni. 


45 


26  And  the  hangings  *  of  the 
court,  and  the  curtain  for  the 
door  of  the  court,  which  is  by 
the  tabernacle,  and  by  the  altar 
round  about,  and  the  cords '  of 
it,  for  all  the  service  thereof 

27  And  of  Kohath "  was  the 
family  of  the  Amramites,  and 
the  family  of  the  Izeharites,  and 
the  family  of  the  Hebronites, 
and  the  family  of  the  Uzzielites  : 
these  are  the  families  of  the 
Kohathites. 

28  In  the  number  of  all  the 
males,  from  a  month  old  and 
upward,  were  eight  thousand 
and  six  hundred,  keeping  the 
charge  of  the  sanctuary. 

s  Ex.  27.  9,  etc.      t  Ex.  35.  18.      «  1  Chr,  26-  23. 

Y.  26.  And  the  cords  of  it.  That  is, 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  not  of  the  altar. 
The  affixed  pronoun  in  Hebrew  often 
refers  not  to  the  nearest  noun,  but  to 
one  more  remote.  See  Glassius  Phil. 
Sac.  p.  155.  ed.  Dath. 

The  Families  of  the  House  of  Kohath, 
their  Number,  Position,  and  Charge. 

V.  27.  And  of  Kohath  was  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Amramites.  A  precedency  is 
given  to  this  family  because  Moses  and 
Aaron  pertained  to  it,  they  being  the 
sons  of  Amram.  The  branch  of  the 
family  here  alluded  to  must  have  been 
the  descendants  of  Moses,  for  they  were 
mere  ordinary  Levites,  whereas  those 
descended  from  Aaron,  and  called  his 
"  sons,"  were  priests. 

V.  28.  Keeping  the  charge  of  the 
sanctuary.  Heb.  Icodesh,  the  holy,  or, 
the  holiness.  Gr.  "the  holies."  The 
abstract  is  here  used  for  the  con- 
crete. Thus,  Is.  60:17,  "peace"  and 
"righteousness"  are  used  as  abstracts 


29  The  families  of  the  sons 
of  "  Kohath  shall  pitch  on  the 
side  of  the  tabernacle  south- 
ward. 

30  And  the  chief  of  the  house 
of  the  father  of  the  families  of 
the  Kohathites  shall  he  Eliza- 
phan  the  son  of  Uzziel. 

31  And  their ""  charge  shall 
he  the  ark  *,  and  the  table  •",  and 
the  candlestick,  and  the  altars ', 
and  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary 
wherewith  they  minister,  and 
the  hanging ",  and  all  the  ser- 
vice thereof. 

32  And  Eleazar  the  son  of 
Aaron  the  priest  shall  he  chief 


)  c.  1.  53.       w  c.  4.  15.       X  Ez.  25.  10.       y  Ex.  25. 
~  30.  1.        a  Ex.  26.  32. 


V   V,%    1,   oo*  w    u.  **- 

3,31.        zEx.  27.  1. 


for  "men  of  peace  and  righteous- 
ness." 

V.  29.  Southward.  Heb.  tcmanah, 
to  the  right.  The  points  of  the  com- 
pass, according  to  Scriptural  usage,  are 
supposed  to  be  determined  by  the  posi- 
tion of  one  who  looks  to  the  east.  In 
this  case  the  south  will  be  to  the  right. 
So  Ps.  89  :  12,  "  The  north  and  the 
south  (Heb.  yamin,  the  right),  thou  hast 
created  them." 

V.  30.  Klizaphan  the  son  of  Uzziel. 
This  man  was  of  the  fonrth  and  young- 
est family  of  the  Kohathites,  and  yet 
was  preferred  to  the  chief  rank  among 
them.  This,  according  to  some  of  the 
Hebrew  writers,  gave  offence  to  Korah, 
who  was  of  the  second  family,  or  that 
of  Izhar,  and  prompted  the  rebellion 
of  which  he  was  the  leader,  recorded  in 
ch.  16 : 1-11. 

V.  32.  Chief  over  the  chief  of  the  Le- 
Dites.  Heb.  "  Chief  of  the  chiefs,"  which 
is  an  expression  implying  somewhat 
less  of  official  pre-eminence.  Eleazar, 
who  was  appointed  to  this  dignity,  was 


46 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


over  the  chief  of  the  Levites, 
and  have  the  oversight  of  them 
that  keep  the  charge  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. 

33  Of  Merari  *  was  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Mahlites,  and  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Mushites:  these  are 
the  families  of  Merari. 

34  And  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  according  to  the 
number  of  all  the  males,  from  a 
month  old  and  upward,  were  six 
thousand  and  two  hundred. 

35  And  the  chief  of  the  house 
of  the  father  of  the  families  of 
Merari  was  Zuriel  the  son  of 
Abihail :  these ''  shall  pitch  on 


h  1  Chr.  6.  19. 


more  than  a  Levite,  being  a  priest,  and 
hence  arose  the  distinction  between 
high-priest  and  second  priest,  as  inti- 
mated 2  Kings  25 :  18. If  Of  the  Le- 
vites, Heb.  halltvi,  the  Levi.  The  name 
of  the  individual  becomes  collective  by 
prefixing  the  article  n  h.  So  in  all  such 
words  as  Gershonites,  Libnites,  Kohath- 
ites,  Ilebronites,  Merarites,  etc.  They 
are  the  names  of  the  heads  of  the  fami- 
lies with  the  article  prefixed.  In  1  Chr. 
12  :  27,  "  the  Aaronites"  is  "  Aaron  "  in 

the  original   without  the    article. 

1  Have  the  oversight.  Heb.  pehuddah, 
visitation  or  visitorial  oversight,  from 
the  Yooi  pdkad,  on  the  import  of  which 
we  have  had  such  frequent  occasion  to 
remark.  See  Note  on  ch.  1 :  3.  The 
original  is  often  rendered  in  the  Gr.  by 
episkope,  bishopric,  implying  the  office 
of  overseer. 

The  Families  descended  from  Merari, 
their  Number,  Position,  and  Charge. 

V.  33.  TJiese  are  the  families  of  Me- 
rari. There  is  nothing  peculiarly  wor- 
thy of  note  to  be  remarked  respecting 


the  side  of  the  tabernacle  north- 
ward. 

36  And  under  the  custody 
and  ^  charge  of  the  sons  of  Me- 
rari shall  he  the  boards  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  bars  thereof, 
and  the  pillars  thereof,  and  the 
sockets  thereof,  and  all  the  ves- 
sels thereof,  and  all  that  serveth 
thereto, 

37  And  the  pillars  of  the 
court  round  about,  and  their 
sockets,  and  their  pins,  and  their 
cords. 

38.  But  those  that  encamp 
before  the  tabernacle  toward  the 
east,  even  before  the  tabernacle 


this  branch  of  the  Levites,  except  that 
it  was  fewest  in  number  of  all  the  rest, 
being  1300  less  than  the  children  of 
Gershon.  They  had  charge  of  the 
framework  of  the  tabernacle.  As  their 
burden  on  this  account  was  heavier 
than  that  of  their  brethren  the  Gershon- 
ites, therefore  they  were  allowed  four 
wagons  and  eight  oxen  for  their  ser- 
vice, whereas  the  Gershonites  had  only 
two  wagons  and  four  oxen.  See  ch.  7 : 
7,8. 

TJie  Encampment  of  Moses  and  Aaron. 

V.  38.  Toward  the  east.  Heb.  hede- 
mah,  which  may  also  be  rendered  in 
front,  foremost,  a  rendering  probably 
to  be  preferred  on  account  of  the  occur- 
rence of  the  word  "  eastward "  in  the 
next  clause.  The  east,  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  always  supposed  to  take  the 
precedence  of  the  other  quarters,  as  it 
is  there  that  the  sun  rises,  and  the  sun 
from  the  earliest  ages  has  ever  been  ac- 
counted the  most  striking  symbol  of  the 
Deity.  The  position  now  assigned  to 
Moses  and  Aaron  was  of  course  the 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


47 


of  the  congregation  eastward, 
shall  he  Moses,  and  Aaron  and 
his  sons,  keeping '  the  charge  of 
the  sanctuary  for  the  charge  of 
the  children  of  Israel;  and  the 
stranger  ^  that  cometh  nigh  shall 
be  put  to  death. 


most  honorable,  being  between  the 
standard  of  Judah  and  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  which  it  was  their  province 

to  guard. ^  Keeping  the  charge  of 

the  sanctuary  for  the  charge  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Isi'ael.  The  original  is  vari- 
ously rendered  by  the  versionists; — 
"  Keeping  the  charge  of  the  sanctuary, 
for  the  charge  of  the  sons  of  Israel." — 
Ains,  "  That  they  may  wait  upon  the 
sanctuary  and  the  children  of  Is- 
rael."—  Cov.  "  "Wait  on  the  sanctuary 
instead  of  the  children  of  Israel." — Mat. 
"  Wait  to  keep  the  sanctuary  and  to 
keep  the  children  of  Israel." — Cran. 
Bish.  The  Latin  Vulg,  has; — "Hav- 
ing the  custody  of  the  sanctuary  in  the 
midst  of  the  sons  of  Israel."  The  idea 
is  undoubtedly  that  of  a  charge  allotted 
to  Moses  and  Aaron  and  his  sons,  which 
would  otherwise  have  devolved  upon 
the  Israelites  as  a  body. 

Y.  39.  Moses  and  Aa7'on.  The  reader 
of  the  original  Hebrew  will  observe  that 
there  are  in  this  place  a  number  of  ex- 
tra diacritical  points  over  the  word 
Aaron,  which  doubtless  have  some  pe- 
culiar significancy,  but  what  they  indi- 
cate it  is  not  possible  to  ascertain  with 
certainty.  Some  of  the  Rabbinical  wri- 
ters say  it  is  to  denote  that  Aaron  him- 
self was  not  embraced  in  the  numbering 
of  the  tribe  ;  but  as  we  find  no  reason 
given  for  this  opinion,  it  can  pass  for 
nothing  more  than  a  conjecture,  al- 
though it  may  be  in  itself  true.  J.  H. 
Michaelis,  in  the  notes  to  his  invaluable 
edition  to  the  Heb.  Bible,  approves  the 


39  All  ^  that  were  numbered 
of  the  Levites,  which  Moses  and 
Aaron  numbered  at  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord,  through- 
out their  families,  all  the  males 
from  a  month  old  and  upward, 
were  twenty  and  two  thousand. 

g  c.  26.  62. 


suggestion  of  Hiller,  who  regards  these 
points  as  a  Masoretic  symbol  to  indicate 
the  absence  of  the  entire  word  in  other 
manuscripts ;  and  accordingly  it  is  act- 
ually found  wanting  in  the  Samaritan, 
Codex,  and  in  vs.  14, 16  of  this  chapter, 
Aaron  is  not  named  with  Moses.  Ken- 
nicott  also  observes  that  the  word  is 
omitted  in  the  most  ancient  Hebrew 
manuscript  in  the  Bodleian  library. 
There  are  fifteen  of  these  words  in  the 
whole  Hebrew  text,  printed  with  dots 

over  every  letter,  thus  innjcl  ve-aharon, 
whereas    normally    there    should    be 

but  one  dot  over  the  whole  word. 

*\  Twenty  and  two  thousand.  A  diffi- 
culty here  arises  from  the  fact  that  the 
sum  total  resulting  from  the  enumera- 
tion of  the  several  families  as  given 
above  is  22,300.     Thus, 

Gershon, 7,500 

Kohath, 8,600 

Merari, 6,200 

22,300 
The  prevailing  mode  among  commenta- 
tors of  reconciling  the  discrepancy  is  to 
suppose  that  the  first-horn  of  the  Le- 
vites themselves  were  deducted  from  the 
gross  census  of  the  tribe,  and  their 
number,  if  in  proportion  to  the  other 
tribes,  would  not  have  been  far  from 
three  hundred.  It  would  have  come 
sufficiently  near  to  it  to  warrant  the 
present  expression.  By  the  fact  of  their 
being  the  first-born,  they  belonged  to 
God  of  course  (Ex.  13  :  2.  34  :  20),  and 
could  not  be  exchanged  for  the  first- 


48 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


born  of  other  tribes,  and  substituted  in  | 
their  stead,  as  other  Levites  were.  We 
know  of  no  more  probable  solution  than 
this,  and  yet  it  is  not  quite  satisfactory, 
for  why  should  the  first-born  be  enu- 
merated in  the  census  of  the  several 
families  and  yet  not  counted  in  the  ag- 
gregate sum  ?    And  why  did  God  order 
all  the  males  to  be  numbered,  without 
at  the  same  time  making  express  ex- 
ception of  the  first-born  ?    Again,  it  is 
thought  scarcely  credible  that  out  of 
22,000  Levites  there  should  have  been 
no  more  than   300  first-born.     But  to 
this  it  is  suggested  that  those  only  were 
reputed  the  first-born  in  this  and  the 
other  tribes  who  were  born  subsequent 
to  the  slaughter  of  the  Egyptian  first- 
born, as  it  was  from  this  date  that  the 
Lord  claimed  them  as  his  own ;  and  on 
this  supposition  300  may  have  been  but 
a  fair  proportion.     But  after  every  ex- 
planation the  point  must  be  left  in  some 
degree  of  uncertainty.     Happily,  it  is 
not  one  of  any  great  importance, — It  is 
worthy  of  notice,  that  the  Levites  were 
the  fewest  in  number  of  any  of  the 
tribes,  being  but   22,000,  whereas  the 
least  of  the  others  had  32,600,  and  the 
greatest  74,400 ;  and  to  make  the  dis- 
parity still  more  striking,  out  of  these 
22,000  there  were  but  8,580  that  were 
fit  for  service  in  the  sanctuary  (ch.  4 : 
47,48.)     We  may  safely  admit  a  provi- 
dential ordering  in  this,  for  if  this  tribe 
had  increased  proportionally  to  the  rest, 
there  would  have  been  more  Levites  by 
far  than  the  first-born  of  all  the  tribes. 
Michaelis  and  Palfrey,  in  their  peculiar 
mode  of  commenting  on  the  Laws  of 
Moses  would  make  more  of  the  follow- 
ing suggestion  than  we  are  inclined  to 
attribute  to  it.     "  The  sacred  authority 
was  a  balance  in  the  commonwealth, 
which  must  not  be  suffered  to  become 
a  preponderating  weight.     It  furnished 
great  advantages  for  political  usurpa- 
tion, if  other  circumstances  should  fa- 


vor. Accordingly,  it  was  most  safely 
committed  to  that  division  of  the  peo- 
ple, which  was  much  the  least  for- 
midable through  its  numerical  force." 
{Palf.  Lect.,  Vol.  I.  p.  323.)  We  recog- 
nize the  leading  drift  of  all  these  insti- 
tutes as  spiritual,  and  not  political. 
We  may  here  recapitulate,  in  brief 
compass,  the  principal  items  pertaining 
to  the  Levites. 


1.  Numbers. 

Gershonites,  7500. 
Kohathites,  8600. 
Merarites,      6200. 

2.  Position  when  encamped. 

Gershonites,  behind  westward, v.  23. 
Kohathites,  southward,  v.  29. 
Merarites,  northward,  v.  85. 
Moses  and  Aaron,  in  front  east- 
ward, V.  38. 

3.  Charges. 

Gershonites;  the  tent,  coverings, 
yeil,  hanging  of  the  court,  etc. 

Kohathites;  the  ark,  table,  altar, 
and  instruments  of  the  sanctuary, 

Merarites ;  the  boards,  bars,  pillars, 
sockets,  etc. 

4.  Special  Prerogatives  of  Kohath. 

1.  Excelled  in  the  multitude  of  fam- 

ilies, or  chief  fathers,  having 
four,  whereas  each  of  his 
brethren  had  but  two. 

2.  Excelled  in   multitude  of  chil- 

dren, having  8600,  that  is,  1100 
more  than  his  elder  brother 
Gershon,  and  2400  more  than 
Merari. 

8.  Of  him  came  Moses,  "king  in 
Jeshurun,"  Aaron  the  priest, 
and  Miriam  the  prophetess. 
Thus  all  the  priests  were  of 
this  family.  Ex.  6:18,  20. 
Num.  26 :  58,  59. 

4.  His  families  had  the  chief  place 
about  the  sanctuary,  to  wit, 
tho    south    quarter,  next   to 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


49 


40  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Number^  all  the  first- 
born of  the  males  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  from  a  month  old  and 
upward,  and  take  the  number  of 
their  names. 

41  And  '  thou  shalt  take  the 
Levites  for  me  (I  am  the  Lord) 
instead  of  all  the  first-born  among 


Moses,  Aaron,  and  the  priests, 
ch.  3:29. 

5.  They  had  charge  of  the  most  holy 

things  within  the  Tabernacle, 
as  the  ark,  table,  candlesticks, 
altar  of  incense,  etc. 

6.  Whereas  the  whole  tribe  of  Levi 

had  48  cities  allotted  them 
in  Canaan,  Kohath's  posterity 
had  23  of  these ;  the  priests, 
13 ;  the  other  Kohathites,  10  : 
so  that  he  had,  as  it  were,  a 
double  portion,  as  much  as 
both  his  brethren.  Josh.  21 : 

TJce  Numbering  of  the  First-horn  of 

Israel  and  the  Substitution  of  the  Le- 

mtes. 

V.  40.  Number  all  the  first-born,  etc. 
Heb.  pekbd,  muster.  If  the  idea  is  pre- 
cisely that  of  numbering,  it  is  not  easy 
to  see  why  it  should  be  said  in  the  next 
clause,  "  Take  the  number  {mispar)  of 
their  names."  This  goes  strongly  to 
confirm  our  previous  suggestion  on  the 
subject.  The  object  of  this  enumera- 
tion was  that  their  number  and  that  of 
the  Levites  might  be  compared,  so  that 
the  proper  adjustment  might  be  made 

between  them. T[  From  a  rnonth  old 

and  upward.  This  period  is  designated, 
because  the  first-born  males  were  to  be 
a  month  old  before  their  parents  were 
bound  to  redeem  them :  if  they  died  be- 
fore, they  were  not  to  pay  any  thing  for 
them. 

V.  41,  And  thou,  shalt  take  tlie  Levites 


the  children  of  Israel;  and  the 
cattle  of  the  Levites  instead 
of  all  the  firstlings  among  the 
cattle  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael. 

42  And  Moses  numbered,  as 
the  Lord  commanded  him,  all 
the  first-born  among  the  children 
of  Israel. 

43  And    all    the    first-born 


for  me.  Heb.  ip  li,  to  or  unto  me. 
Chald.  "  Thou  shalt  bring  near  the  Le- 
vites before  me."  The  expression  in  a 
previous  passage,  v.  12,  "  I  have  taken 
the  Levites,"  denotes  rather  the  divine 
purpose  of  taking,  which  was  then 
communicated  to  Moses,  whereas  the 
language  in  this  connection  conveys  a 
command  to  Moses  to  declare  this  pur- 
pose to  the  people,  and  to  have  it  exe- 
cuted by  actually  making  the  exchange. 

^  And  the  cattle  of  the  Levites,  etc. 

This  does  not  imply  that  the  cattle  were 
actually  to  be  sacrificed,  or  taken  away 
from  the  Levites,  but  simply  that  they 
should  be  accounted  as  the  Lord's  cal- 
tle.  They  were  to  be  considered  as 
alienated,  though  still  left  on  the  hands 
of  their  former  owners.  This  is  a  very 
proper  light  in  fact  in  which  to  view  all 
our  worldly  possessions ;  as  really  be- 
longing to  the  Lord,  but  left  in  trust 
with  us. 

Y.  42.  And  Moses  numbered — all  the 
first-born,  etc.  Heb.  yiphJcod,  muster- 
ed ;  on  which  see  above.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  it  is  not  said  that  he  num- 
bered either  the  cattle,  or  the  firstlings 
of  the  cattle,  of  the  Levites,  inasmuch 
as  the  exchange  was  not  made  by  pre- 
cisely substituting  one  for  one,  but  was 
made  in  the  gross,  by  taking  all  the 
cattle  of  the  Levites  for  all  the  firstlings 
of  the  Israelites'  cattle. 

V.  43.  And  all  th^  first-born  males  by 
the  number  of  names,  etc.    The  phrase- 


50 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


males,  by  the  number  of  names, 
from  a  month  old  and  upward, 
of  those  that  were  numbered  of 
them,  were  twenty  and  two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  threescore 
and  thirteen. 

44  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

45  Take  *  the  Levites  instead 
of  all  the  first-born  among  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  the  cattle 


ologj  of  the  original  is  here  again  pecu- 
liar from  the  use  of  the  substantive  verb 
to  be  (■'IT'1  va-yeJii,  was  {were)  which,  as 
in  V.  17  implies  more  than  simply  the 
fact  of  existence,  namely,  the  mating  out 
to  be,  tJie  ascertaining,  or  determining, 
for  it  is  very  seldom  indeed  that  this 
verb  is  employed  in  the  specification  of 
numbers.  The  phrase  "  by  the  num- 
ber of  names "  we  suppose  to  refer  to 
a  list  or  census  previously  made,  and  as 
the  subsequent  term  "  numbered  "  is  in 
the  original  a  different  word  (DiT''7p&^ 
IvpTihedehem,  according  to  their  mustered 
ones),  the  distinction  between  number- 
ing and  mustering,  so  completely  lost 
sight  of  in  our  English  version,  is  still, 

we  think,  designed  to  be  kept  up. 

1  Twenty  and  two  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  threescore  and  thirteen.  It  is 
no  doubt  a  circumstance  well  calculated 
to  excite  surprise,  that  out  of  a  body 
of  upwards  of  600,000  men,  reckoning 
from  twenty  years  old  and  upward, 
there  should  not  have  been  more  than 
this  number  of  first-born  sons.  Accord- 
ingly, various  solutions  have  been  pro- 
posed to  account  for  the  fact.  Ains- 
worth  and  others  recognize  in  it  a  spe- 
cial providence,  designed  to  bring  the 
first-born  of  Israel  at  large  and  the 
first-born  of  the  Levites  more  upon  a 
par  in  point  of  numbers.  This  is  a 
pious  suggestion   which  may  be  well 


I  of  the  Levites  instead  of  their 
I  cattle  ;  and  the  Levites  shall  be 
mine  :  I  am  the  Lokd. 

46  And  for  those  that  are  to 
be  redeemed  ^  of  the  two  hun- 
dred and  threescore  and  thirteen 
of  the  first-born  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  which  are  more  '"  than 
the  Levites; 

47  Thou  shalt  even  take  five  " 


I  Ex.  13.  13.     c.  18.  15.        n»  ver.  39-43. 
27.  6.       c.  18.  16. 


founded,  although  even  in  that  case 
other  considerations  are  not  precluded ; 
as  (1.)  there  may  have  been  an  unusu- 
ally large  proportion  of  female  first- 
born, which  of  course  are  not  reckoned. 
(2.)  It  is  probable  that  those  only  come 
into  the  count  who  were  born  subsequent 
to  the  slaughter  of  the  Egyptian  first- 
born, which  occurred  a  few  months 
previously,  and  not  those  who  were 
born  before;  for  thus  reads  the  law, 
Ex.  13 :  2,  "  Whatsoever  openeth  the 
womb  (i.  e.  hereafter)  both  of  man  and 
beast  shall  be  mine." 

The  Bedemjotion  of  the  Supernu- 
m^eraries. 

V.  45.  Take  the  Levites,  etc.  That  is, 
he  was  to  take  the  two  and  twenty  thou- 
sand Levites  above  mentioned  instead 
of  so  many  first-born.  As  for  the  cattle, 
they  were  not  numbered  as  before  re- 
marked, but  exchanged  in  the  lump. 

T[  And  the  Levites  shall  be  mine. 

Chald.  "And  the  Levites  shall  minister 
before  me." 

V.  46.  And  for  those  that  are  to  be 
redeemed.  Heb.  lit.  "  And  the  redeem- 
ed." But  the  participle  in  the  Heb. 
has  often  the  force  of  the  future.  Gr. 
"  And  the  redemptions  (or  ransoms.") 
And  so  afterwards,  vs.  48,  49,  51. 

V.  47.  Tliou  shalt  even  take  five  shek- 
els apiece.    Heb.  "  Thou  shalt  take  five, 


B.  C.  1490.1 


CHAPTER  III. 


51 


shekels  apiece  by  the  poll ;  after 
the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary  shalt 
thou  take  them :  (the  shekel "  is 
twenty  gerahs  :) 

48  And  thou  shalt  give  the 
money,  wherewith  the  odd  num- 
ber of  them  is  to  be  redeemed, 
unto  Aaron  and  to  his  sons. 


Lev.  27.  25.    Ezek.  45.  12. 


five  shekels." T[  By  the  poll.    Heb. 

legulgoUth,  hy  the  head  (lit.  the  skull.) 
Gr.  kata  TcephaUn,  hy  the  head.  This 
sum  of  five  shekels  became  ever  after 
the  fixed  price  of  redemption,  as  ap- 
pears from  eh.  18  :  16.  This  amount 
had  recently  (Lev.  27  :  6)  been  appoint- 
ed as  the  valuation  of  a  man-child  from 
a  month  to  five  years  old.  As  this  was 
the  least  of  the  valuations,  it  showed 
that  the  Most  High  would  burden  his 
people  as  little  as  possible  with  the  im- 
positions he  saw  fit  to  lay  upon  them. 
The  arrangement  now  ordained  furnish- 
ed the  precedent  of  a  permanent  tax, 
intended  to  be  laid  on  the  first-born  in 
after  times,  as  one  of  the  perquisites  of 
the  priesthood.  "  In  the  first  instance 
it  could  not  have  been  onerous,  the 
number  of  supernumeraries,  on  whom 
it  was  assessed,  being  so  small,  and  the 
whole  amount  being  probably  levied  on 
all  the  first-born,  since  one  had  no  bet- 
ter right  than  another  to  consider  him- 
self redeemed  by  the  substitution  of  a 
Levite  in  his  place.  Once  established, 
the  tax  would  be  one  likely  to  be  cheer- 
fully paid,  both  on  account  of  the  inter- 
esting associations  belonging  to  its  ori- 
ginal institution,  and  the  happy  circum- 
stances under  which  a  parent  would  be 
called  on  to  pay  it  for  his  heir.  On  the 
one  hand,  it  would  furnish  a  perpetual 
revenue  to  the  priesthood,  considerable 
in  amount ;  while  on  the  other  it  would 
come  from  those  whose  domestic  ex- 
penses were  not  yet  .such  as  to  render 


49  And  Moses  took  the  re- 
demption money  of  them  that 
were  over  and  above  them  that 
were  redeemed  by  the  Levites  : 

50  Of  the  first-born  of  the 
children  of  Israel  took  he  the 
money ;  a  thousand  three  hun- 
dred   and   threescore  and   five 


it  burdensome." — Palfrey. T[    TJie 

shekel  is  twenty  gerahs.  Or,  twenty 
pence.  The  gerah  was  a  piece  of  sil- 
ver supposed  to  have  weighed  about  16 
barley -grains,  while  the  shekel  weighed 
320  grains.  Concerning  the  shekel,  see 
Note  on  Gen.  20 :  16. 

V.  48.  And  thou  shalt  give  the  money. 
Heb.  keseph,  the  silver.  This  was  but 
reasonable,  inasmuch  as  the  Levites 
being  given  to  Aaron  and  his  sons  by 
the  Lord  (vs.  6,  7),  the  money  that  was 
paid  to  make  up  what  was  lacking  in 
their  proportion  to  the  first-born  of 
right  belonged  to  them. T[  Where- 
with the  odd  numler  of  them  is  to  he 
redeemed.  Heb.  "  (The  money)  of  the 
redeemed  of  the  supernumeraries  among 
them.  Gr.  "  The  redemptions  (or  ran- 
soms) of  those  that  are  over." 

V.  49.  Of  them  that  \oere  over  and 
ahove,  etc.  Heb.  hn-odephim,  that  ex- 
ceeded. The  original  word  is  the  same 
that  occurs  in  the  preceding  verses 
where  the  overplus  of  first-born  is  men- 
tioned. In  these  different  verses  it  is 
variously  rendered  by  "more  than," 
"  odd  number,"  and  "  them  that  were 
over  and  above."  The  root  adaph,  sig- 
nifies to  le  superabundant  or  superflu- 
ous, to  exceed.  In  the  process  of  re- 
demption the  first-born  were  redeemed 
as  far  as  their  number  would  reach ; 
the  rest,  forming  the  excess  over  the 
Levites,  were  redeemed  by  money. 

V.  50.  Of  the  first-lorn.  ^Qh.lekor, 
in  the  singular,  whereas  the  Gi".  ren- 


52 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


shekels^  after  ^  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary : 

51  And  Moses  gave  ^  the  mo- 
ney of  them  that  were  redeem- 
ed, unto  Aaron  and  to  his  sons, 
according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  as*"  the  Lord  commanded 
Moses. 


p  vcr.  46,  47. 


q  ver  4S. 


ders  plurally  irapu  rwv  trpanoTOKov, 
from  the  first-lorn  (sons),  as  imply- 
ing all.  As  to  the  precise  manner  in 
which  this  affair  of  the  redemption  of 
the  first-born  was  conducted,  it  is  not 
possible  to  speak  with  certainty.  Some 
of  the  Jewish  writers  say  it  was  done 
by  lot,  so  many  scrolls  having  inscribed 
on  them  "  A  son  of  Levi,"  and  so  many, 
"  Five  shekels ;"  but  the  assertion  rests 
probably  upon  conjecture  or  tradition, 
and  cannot  have  authority  with  us  at 
the  present  day.    Still  such  way  have 

been  the  method. T[  A  thousand  three 

hundred  and  threescore  and  five  shekels. 
Two  hundred  and  seventy-three,  which 
was  the  surplus  number  to  be  redeemed, 
multiplied  by  five  gives  just  this  total. 
V.  51.  The  money  of  them  that  were 
redeemed.  Gr.  "  The  silver,  the  re- 
demptions (or  ransoms)  of  them  that 
were  superfluous  (or  over  and  above.") 
This  was  given  to  Aaron,  because  the 
Levites  were  given  to  him,  v.  9,  and 
when  the  requisite  number  of  persons 
fell  short,  the  deficiency  was  supplied 
by  this  redemption  money.  The  re- 
deeming men  in  this  manner  by  silver 
foreshadowed  a  better  redemption  by 
Christ,  the  Lord,  and  is  probably  refer- 
red to  by  the  apostle  Peter  when  he 
says  (1  Pet.  1 :  18,  10),  "Ye  know  that 
ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible 
things,  as  silver  and  gold,  etc.,  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ." TJ  Ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Heb. 
"  According  to  the  mouth  of  the  Lord." 
Cr.  "  By  the  voice  of  the  Lord." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

AND  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mo- 
ses and  unto  Aaron,  saying, 

2  Take  the  sum  of  the  sons 
of  Kohath  from  among  the  sons 
of  Levi,  after  their  families,  by 
the  house  of  their  fathers, 

3  From"  thirty  years  old  and 

a  c.  8.  24.        1  Chr.  23.  3.        24.  7. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Duties  of  the  respective  Levitical 


Families  in  Connection  with  the  Tab- 
ernacle. 

V.  2.  Tahe  the  sum,  etc.  Heb.  naso 
eth  rosh,  talce  the  head.  See  Note  on 
eh.  1  :  2.  Chald.  "  Receive  the  count 
(or  reckoning)  of  the  sons  of  Kohath  ; " 
whose  families  stand  foremost  here,  be- 
cause they  carried  the  holiest  things. 
Of  Kohath's  pre-eminence,  see  Note  on 
ch.  3  :  28.  Though  Gershon  was  the 
eldest,  yet  Kohath  has  the  precedence 
by  reason  of  the  sanctity  of  his  func- 
tion.  TT  After  their  families,  hy  the 

house  of  their  fathers.      See  Note  on 
ch.  1 : 2. 

V.  3.  From  thirty  years  old  and  vp- 
ward,  even  until  fifty  years  old.  Heb. 
"  From  the  son  of  thirty  years  to  the 
son  of  fifty  years  ; "  of  which  phrase  see 
Note  on  Gen.  5  :  32.  All  the  commenta- 
tors here  advert  to  an  apparent  dis- 
crepancy between  this  passage  and  ch. 
8  :  24,  where  five-and-twenty  is  the  age 
specified,  and  1  Chron.  23  :  24.  2  Chron. 
31 :  17.  Ezra  3  :  8,  where  twenty  is  de- 
signated as  the  age  at  which  these  ser- 
vices were  to  commence.  The  Greek, 
with  a  view  apparently  to  conciliate  this 
passage  with  ch.  8  :  24,  reads  twenty-five 
instead  of  thirty,  while  Le  Clerc  sup- 
poses ihaX  twenty -five  in  the  latter  place 
to  be  a  wrong  reading  for  thirty.  But 
the  intimation  of  error  in  the  manu- 
script is  merely  conjectural.  The  Jew^ 
ish  writers,  for  the  moat  part,  in  order 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  ly. 


53 


upward  even   until   fifty  years    old,  all  that  enter  into  the  host, 


to  reconcile  these  yarious  statements, 
maintain  that  Moses  here  speaks  of 
entering  upon  their  full  ministration, 
which  being  laborious,  involving  the 
carrying  the  burden  of  the  sanctuary, 
required  the  utmost  vigor  of  body  and 
discretion  of  mind ;  it  therefore  began 
at  thirty.  But  in  ch.  8  :  24  the  age  of 
twenty-five,  they  say,  denotes  the  time 
when  they  entered  upon  the  prelimi- 
nary work  of  learning  the  duties  which 
they  were  afterwards  to  perform.  Thus 
Maimonides  says,  "  A  son  of  Levi  com- 
eth  not  into  the  court  unto  his  service, 
until  they  have  first  taught  him  five 
years,  as  it  is  said  Num.  8  :  24,  '  from 
five  and  twenty  years  old ; '  but  where- 
as it  is  said  Num.  4:3,*  from  thirty 
years  old,'  lo,  five  are  for  him  to  learn ; 
and  he  entereth  not  upon  his  service 
till  he  hath  grown  great  (attained  his 
full  stature)  and  become  a  man ;  as  it  is 
said,  Num.  4 :  49,  '  Every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  service.' "  Chaskuni,  anoth- 
er rabbi,  says  moreover,  "At  twenty- 
five  years  old  they  entered  all  of  them 
to  do  the  lighter  works,  as  to  watch 
that  no  stranger  came  into  the  sanctu- 
ary, etc.  etc.,  and  at  thirty  years  of  age 
they  were  in  their  strength,  and  did 
bear  the  sanctuary,"  etc.  This  solution 
is  on  the  whole  satisfactory,  and  the 
arrangement  indicated  continued  till 
the  time  of  David,  who,  near  the  close 
of  his  life,  recognized  the  present  ordi- 
nance, 1  Chron.  23 : 3,  but  as  the  ser- 
vice had  then,  when  there  was  no  taber- 
nacle to  carry,  become  lighter  and  the 
demand  for  them  at  the  same  time  in- 
creased, the  period  was  fixed  at  twenty 
years  instead  of  thirty.  The  following 
are  the  words  of  the  sacred  historian 
relative  to  that  subject,  1  Chron.  23 : 
24,  27.  "  These  were  the  sons  of  Levi 
after  the  house  of  their  fathers;  even 
the  chief  of  the  fathers,  as  they  were 


counted  by  number  of  names  by  their 
polls,  that  did  the  work  for  the  service 
of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  from  the  age 
of  twenty  years  and  upward.  For  Da- 
vid said,  The  Lord  God  of  Israel  hath 
given  rest  unto  his  people,  that  they 
may  dwell  in  Jerusalem  for  ever :  And 
also  unto  the  Levites;  they  shall  no 
more  carry  the  tabernacle,  nor  any  ves- 
sels of  it  for  the  service  thereof  For 
by  the  last  words  of  David  the  Levites 
were  numbered  from  twenty  years  old 
and  above."  This  would  appear  to  have 
been  done  by  divine  direction,  1  Chron. 
28 :  13,  19,  in  order  that  by  beginning 
early  to  be  instrvicted  they  might  be 
the  more  fit  at  thirty  to  serve  the  Lord 
and  his  people.  The  age  of  thirty, 
therefore,  became  probably  from  this 
circumstance  somewhat  canonical  for 
full  induction  into  the  priestly  office,  as 
we  learn  was  the  case  with  John  the 

Baptist  and  Avith  our  Lord  himself • 

*\  Until  Jifty  years  old.  At  this  period 
of  life  the  strength  and  vigor  of  man- 
hood begins  somewhat  to  decay,  and  it 
was  therefore  ordered  that  they  should 
be  henceforth  exempted  from  the  harder 
kinds  of  service,  but  they  still  retained 
a  lighter  species  of  ministry  about  the 
tabernacle,  of  which  see  ch.  8  :  24,  27. 

^  All  that  enter  into  tlie  host.    Heb. 

kol  ho  letzo.hd,  every  one  that  cometh  to 
the  army.  "  All  that  are  meet  for  the 
war." — Cov.  "All  that  were  able  to 
war." — Mat.  "  All  that  are  able  to  go 
forth  to  the  war." — Cran.  The  term  is 
military,  but  as  it  is  spoken  of  the  Le- 
vites, the  import  is  spiritual,  denoting 
that  kind  of  ministry  or  service  which 
the  priesthood  was  expected  to  perform, 
for  which  reason  the  Greek  renders  it 
pas  eisporeuomenos  leitourgein,  every  one 
that  entereth  in  to  liturgize,  i.  e.  to  oflS- 
ciate  sacerdotally.  In  v.  23,  the  origi- 
nal phrase  embracing  this  word  is  ren- 


84 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


to  do  the  work  in  the  taberna- 
cle of  the  congregation. 

4  This  *  shall  he  the  service 
of  the  sons  of  Kohath  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
about  the  "  most  holy  things. 

5  And  when  the  camp  setteth 


dered  "  to  war  the  warfare,"  and  this 
probably  gave  rise  to  the  N.  T.  diction, 
in  which  the  work  of  the  ministry  is 
called,  1  Tim.  1 :  18,  "  warring  a  good 
warfare,"  and  where  we  find  mention 
also  of  "  fighting  a  good  fight  of  faithj" 
of  "the  weapons  of  our  warfare,"  of 
"  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ,"  etc. ; 
all  which  speak  of  the  Christian  life 

as  a  spiritual  warfare. T[  To  do  the 

worh.  Gr.  panta  ta  erga,  all  tTie  worhs. 
Chald.  "  To  serve  the  service."  Vulg. 
"To  stand  and  to  minister."  This  is 
exegetical  of  the  warfare  above  men- 
tioned as  holy  and  spiritual.  Accord- 
ingly, the  bishop's  ofiice  is  called  by 
Paul  "  a  good  work,"  1  Tim,  3  : 1,  as  it 
is  to  "  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine," 

1  Tim.  5 :  17. H  In  the  tabernacle  of 

the  congregation.  Not  precisely  in  the 
tabernacle,  but  about  it,  for  none  but 
the  priests  were  allowed  to  enter  with- 
in.  *[[  {About)  the  most  holy  things. 

Heb.  Jcodesh  hakkodoshim,  holiness  of 
holinesses.  This  stands  in  the  original  in 
apposition  with  tabernacle,  which  is 
called  "  most  holy  "  from  the  holiness 
of  the  various  utensils,  etc.  which  it 
contained.  See  the  usage  ch.  3 :  28. 
10:  21,  where  "sanctuary"  is  the  col- 
lective name  for  all  the  sacred  contents 
of  which  it  was  the  receptacle,  such  as 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  altar,  the 
table  of  shew-brcad,  the  candlestick,  etc. 
"  In  the  tabernacle  of  witness,  which  is 
most  lioly."— (7ot),  Mat.  Bp.  Patrick, 
however,  suggests,  with  considerable 
show  of  probability,  that  the  omission 


forward,  Aaron  shall  come,  and 
his  sons,  and  they  shall  take  down 
the  covering  vail  '^j  and  cover  the 
ark '  of  testimony  with  it ; 

6  And  shall  put  thereon  the 
covering  of  badgers'  skins,  and 

d  Ex.  06.  31.   Is.  25.  7.   Heb.  9.  3.     10.  20  e  Ex. 


of  the  word  "  about "  would  give  a  pre- 
ferable sense ; — "  This  shall  be  the  ser- 
vice of  the  sons  of  Kohath,  etc.  (even) 
the  most  holy  things,"  the  ark  and  its 
appurtenances.  Comp.  vs.  19,  20,  in 
the  latter  of  which  it  is  called  "  the 
holy,"  and  in  the  former  "  the  holy  of 
holies,"  as  here. 

V.  5.  And  when  the  camp  setteth  for- 
ward. Heb.  bansaa,  in  the  breaking  or 
pulling  up.  See  the  term  explained  in 
the  Note  on  ch.  2 :  17.  "  "When  the  host 
breaketh  up." — Gov.  "  When  the  host 
removeth." — Mat.  The  signal  for  set- 
ting forward  was  the  removal  of  the 

pillar  of  cloud. T[  Aaron  shall  comSy 

and  Ms  sons.  The  express  law  prohib- 
iting any  one  except  the  high-priest 
once  a  year,  entering  into  the  most  holy 
place,  which  held  good  while  the  cloud 
rested  on  the  tabernacle,  must  have  ad- 
mitted an  exception  when  it  was  about 
to  be  taken  up.  Then  the  inferior 
priests  might  enter  to  prepare  the  sa- 
cred vessels  for  removal. 1[  Shall 

take  down.    Heb.  horidu,  shall  cause  to 

descend. H  Tlie  covering  veil.    Heb. 

paroketh  hamasok,  that  is,  the  veil  that 
hung  between  the  holy  and  most  holy 
place,  as  described  Ex.  26:31,  where 
see  Note.  Gr.  "  shadowing  veil."  Heb. 
9:3,"  The  second  veil."  It  was  made 
of  blue,  purple,  scarlet,  and  fine  linen. 

V.  6.  And  shall  put  thereon  the  cov- 
ering of  badgers^  skins.  As  to  the  ma- 
terial indicated  by  the  term  "  badgers' 
skins,"  see  Note  on  Ex.  25  :  5.  Here 
the  term  does  not  mean  the  covering  of 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


55 


shall  spread  over  it  a  cloth  whol- 
ly of  blue,  and  shall  put  in  the 
staves  •'  thereof. 

7  And  upon  the  table  ^  of  ^ 
shew-bread  they  shall  spread  a 
cloth  of  blue,  and  put  thereon 
the  dishes,  and  the  spoons,  and 
the  bowls,  and  covers  to  cover 
withal :  and  the  continual  bread 
shall  be  thereon  : 

8  And  they  shall  spread  upon 

/  1  K.  8.  7,  8.        g  Ex.  25.  23-30;        h  Lev.  24.  5-8. 

badgers'  skins  made  for  the  tabernacle, 
which  was  carried  by  the  Gershonites 
(vs.  24,  25),  but  one  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  concealing  and  sheltering  the 
ark  when  it  was  carried.  The  proper 
rendering  would  therefore  be,  "And 
shaU  put  thereon  a  covering  of  badgei's' 

skins,"   as  in  v.  8. 1  Shall  spread 

over  it  a  cloth  wholly  of  blue.  This  was 
one  among  the  "clothes  of  service" 
mentioned  Ex.  31 :  10,  on  which  see 
IS^ote.  This  covering  of  blue,  it  seems, 
in  the  case  of  the  ark,  was  put  on  over 
the  coarser  skin-covering,  in  order 
doubtless  to  invest  that  symbol  with 
higher  honor  as  a  type  of  Christ,  in 
whose  heart  was  the  divine  law  (Ps. 
40 :  8),  as  the  two  tables  were  enshrined 
in  the  sacred  chest.  Rabbi  Bechai  in- 
timates that  this  hlne-co\ovQd  cloth 
spread  over  the  ark  was  an  emblem  of 
the  skies  which  are  spread  as  a  curtain 
between  us  and  the  Majesty  on  high. 
^  And  shall  put  in  the  staves  there- 
of. Heb.  tesdmu  haddauv,  and  adjust 
the  staves  thereof ;  i.  e.  dispose  them 
rightly  under  the  covering,  that  they 
might  be  laid  on  their  shoulders ;  for 
the  staves  were  never  taken  out  of  the 
rings,  to  which  they  were  no  doubt  in 
some  way  fitted  to  prevent  slipping. 

Y.  7.  And  upon  the  table  of  shew- 
hread.  Heb.  shulhan  pdnim,  tJie  table 
of  faces,  or  of  presence,  instead  of  the 


them  a  cloth  of  scarlet,  and  cov- 
er the  same  with  a  covering  of 
badgers'  skins,  and  shall  put  in 
the  staves  thereof. 

9  And  they  shall  take  a  cloth 
of  blue,  and  cover  the  candle- 
stick *  of  the  light,  and  his  lamps, 
and  his  tongs,  and  his  snuff-dish- 
es, and  all  the  oil  vessels  there- 
of, wherewith  they  minister  unto 
it: 


table  of  the  bread  of  faces,  or  presence, 
of  the,  etc.,  of  the  import  of  which  see 
Note  on  Ex.  25  :  30,  where  a  full  ex- 
planation is  given.  Instead  of  blue  the 
Sept.  here  renders  by  purple.  As  it  is 
not  said,  like  the  other,  to  have  been 
wholly  of  blue,  it  was  doubtless  some- 
thing of  a  different  color. ^  And 

covers  to  cover  withal;  or,  Heb.  "to 
pour  out  withal."  Probably  some  kind 
of  cups  or  goblets  are  intended,  into 
which  wine  was  poured.  See  on  this 
point  the  Note  on  Ex.  25 :  29.  "  Goblets 
and  pots  to  pour  with." — Bish.  "  Gob- 
lets and  cups  to  pour  the  libaments." 

— Dou.     "Libation-vessels." — G-r. 

11  TJie  contiimal  bread.  That  is,  the 
bread  which  was  to  stand  continually 
in  the  divine  presence,  the  old  being 
changed  for  new  every  sabbath.  The 
Israelites  were  doubtless  able  to  pro- 
cure com  enough  from  the  adjacent 
countries,  even  when  in  the  wilder- 
ness, to  make  the  shew-bread  and  to 
present  the  daily  meal-oflferings.  The 
land  of  Midian,  where  Moses'  father-in- 
law  dwelt,  was  not  far  distant. 

V.  8.  Shall  spread  upon  them  a  cloth 
of  scarlet.  Of  the  import  of  the  origi- 
nal for  "  scarlet,"  see  Note  on  Ex,  25 : 4. 
The  ark  only  and  the  table  of  shew- 
bread  had  three  coverings ;  the  rest  of 
the  sacred  utensils  had  but  two.  None 
but  the  table  had  a  covering  of  scarlet. 


56 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


10  And  they  shall  put  it  and 
all  the  vessels  thereof  within  a 
covering  of  badgers'  skins,  and 
shall  put  it  upon  a  bar. 

11  And  upon  the  golden  al- 
tar ^'  they  shall  spread  a  cloth  of 
blue,  and  cover  it  with  a  cover- 
ing of  badgers'  skins,  and  shall 
put  to  the  staves  thereof : 

12  And   they  shall  take  all 


Of  the  various  minor  articles  specified 
in  these  verses,  see  a  minute  explana- 
tion in  the  Notes  on  Ex.  25,  throughout. 

V.  10.  A7id  sJutll  put  it  u/pon  a  lar. 
Heb.  al  liammot,  upon  a  hm%  lever,  or 
Her.  The  original  is  a  diflerent  word 
from  that  employed  to  denote  the  staves 
inserted  in  rings,  and  implies  some 
kind  of  hand-vehicle  carried  between 
two.  It  is  the  word  used  ch.  13  :  23,  to 
denote  the  instrument  of  carriage  on 
which  the  grapes  were  borne  by  the 
spies,  though  there  translated  staff. 

V.  12.  All  the  instruments  of  minis- 
try. By  these  are  probably  to  be  un- 
derstood the  various  utensils  or  vessels 
not  elsewhere  particularly  specified, 
such  as  are  spoken  of  2  Kings  25  :  14, 
15,  among  the  different  articles  enume- 
rated as  being  carried  away  from  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem  to  Babylon. 

V.  13.  Shall  take  away  the  ashes  from 
the  altar.  That  is,  from  the  brazen 
altar,  or  altar  of  sacrifice,  which  stood 
in  the  court,  and  of  which  the  ashes 
were  to  be  often  cleansed ;  but  espe- 
cially upon  removals. T[  Spread  a 

purple  cloth  thereon.  The  brazen  altar 
only  was  covered  with  purple,  as  the 
table  only  was  with  scarlet,  v.  8.  It 
was  probably  owing  to  the  large  infu- 
sion of  red  that  these  colors  were  occa- 
sionally used  interchangeably  for  each 
other.  Thus  Mat.  27  :  28,  "  They  put 
on  him  a  scarkt  robe;"  for  which  in 


the  instruments  ^  of  ministry, 
wherewith  they  minister  in  the 
sanctuary,  and  put  them  in  a 
cloth  of  blue,  and  cover  them 
with  a  covering  of  badgers'  skins, 
and  shall  put  them  on  a  bar  : 

13  And  they  shall  take  away 
the  ashes  from  the  altar,  and 
spread   a    purple    cloth    there- 


on : 


I  Ex.  25.  9.      I  Chr 


John  19  :  2,  we  read,  "  They  put  on  him 
a  purple  robe."  So  also  Mark  16  :  17, 
"  They  clothed  him  ^N\ih purple.'"  Some 
have  supposed  that  purple  was  employ- 
ed in  this  instance  as  a  color  that  would 
naturally  be  formed  by  afire  smothered 
in  hlue,  and  infer  that  the  sacred  fire, 
which  was  to  be  kept  always  burning, 
and  of  which  nothing  is  expressly  said 
in  this  connection,  was  in  fact  carried 
on  the  depressed  or  concave  grate  of  the 
altar,  where  it  might  be  covered  over 
with  some  kind  of  lid,  and  still  leave 
the  upper  surface  of  the  altar  even. 
But  we  consider  it  after  all  as  doubtful 
whether  the  injunction  respecting  the 
continual  burning  of  the  altar-fire  (Lev. 
6  :  13)  is  to  be  so  strictly  construed  as 
to  forbid  the  supposition  that  it  might 
go  out  during  the  actual  journeyings  of 
the  people,  and  be  rekindled  again  from 
heaven,  as  at  first,  when  they  became 
stationary,  and  so  resumed  their  daily 
worship.  The  law  of  the  daily  sacrifices 
(Ex.  29  :  38)  was  equally  express  as  to 
its  being  perpetually  observed,  and  yet 
the  observance  was  no  doubt  occasion- 
ally interrupted  during  their  marches. 
Should  we  be  satisfied  that  the  holy  fire 
had  at  any  time  disappeared  or  gone 
wholly  out,  still  we  do  not  perceive  that 
this  would  any  more  have  affected  its 
legal  perpetuity,  than  would  circumci- 
sion cease  to  be  a  sacramental  or  cove- 
nant sign  because  it  was  dropped  for  a 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  ly. 


57 


14  And  they  shall  put  up- 
on it  all  the  vessels  ""  thereof, 
wherewith  they  minister  about 
it,  even  the  censers,  the  flesh- 
hooks,  and  the  shovels,  and  the 
basons,  all  the  vessels  of  the 
altar;  and  they  shall  spread 
upon  it  a  covering  of  badgers' 


course  of  years  in  the  wilderness.  They 
were  both  of  divine  appointment,  and 
both  ordained  to  be  of  lasting  perpetui- 
ty, but  both,  we  suppose,  might  tempo- 
rarily lapse  without  doing  away  the 
grounds  of  the  language  implying  such 
perpetuity.  An  occasional  exception 
does  not  destroy  a  general  rule. 

V.  14.  Censers.  This  word  is  render- 
ed by  "  fire-pans,"  Ex.  27  :  3,  on  which 
see  Note. — It  is  remarkable  that  Moses 
says  nothing  in  this  connection  respect- 
ing the  Laver,  which  was  one  of  the 
principal  of  the  sacred  vessels.  The 
omission  is  supplied  in  the  Greek  ver- 
sion, as  at  the  end  of  this  verse  it  reads, 
"  And  they  shall  take  a  purple  cloth, 
and  cover  the  Laver  and  his  base  (foot), 
and  they  shall  put  it  into  a  blue  cover 
of  skin,  and  put  it  on  bars."  Upon 
what  authority  this  addition  rests  is  not 
known.  Capellus,  Grotius,  and  Houbi- 
gant,  however,  agree  in  supposing  that 
this  clause  has  in  some  way  slipped  out 
of  the  Masoretic  copies  of  the  Hebrew 
text,  and  with  them  RosenmuUer  is  dis- 
posed to  coincide.  The  fact  is  certainly 
somewhat  singular,  when  elsewhere  the 
Laver  is  especially  enumerated  among 
the  other  articles  here  spoken  of.  In 
the  absence  of  any  satisfactory  light  on 
the  point,  we  may  perhaps  safely  give 
some  weight  to  the  pious  suggestion  of 
Ainsworth  that  the  Laver  is  not  men- 
tioned because  it  was  not  to  be  covered, 
as  were  all  the  other  sacred  things  here 

3* 


skins,   and   put    to    the    staves 
of  it. 

15  And  when  Aaron  and  his 
sons  have  made  an  end  of  cover- 
ing the  sanctuary,  and  all  the 
vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  as  the 
camp  is  to  set  forward ;  after 
that,  the  sons  of  Kohath  "  shall 


«  c.  7.  9.     10.  21.   Deut.  31.  9.   Josh.  4.  10.    2  Sam. 
6.13.     1  Chr.  15.  2,  15. 


specified.  "  It  may  be  conjectured  that 
the  Laver  is  left  uncovered  and  always 
open  to  the  eyes  of  the  people,  that  it 
might  be  a  lively  representation  of  God's 
grace  in  Christ,  continued  and  opened 
as  an  ever-springing  fountain  ;  that  by 
the  washing  of  the  new  birth,  by  re- 
pentance and  faith  in  this  blood,  we 
may  in  all  our  travels,  at  all  times, 
cleanse  our  hands  and  feet  (our  works 
and  ways),  as  the  sacrificers  did  from 
the  Laver,  Ex.  30:19,  20;  that  albeit 
the  face  of  the  church  is  sometimes  hid 
(as  the  tabernacle  wrapped  up),  and 
the  light  of  the  Word  shineth  not,  nor 
public  worship  performed,  yet  always 
God's  elect  having  faith  in  him  may 
wash  and  purge  themselves  in  Christ's 
blood  unto  forgiveness  of  sins,  sancti- 
fication  of  the  spirit,  and  salvation." 

V.  15.  Save  made  an  end  of  covering 
the  sanctuary.  Heb.  JiaModesh,  the 
sanctity  or  holiness.  Gr.  ta  hagia,  tlie 
holy  things.  See  v.  4,  also  ch.  3  :  28. 
"NYe  may  safely  recognize  a  spiritual  im- 
port in  this  veiling  from  the  public  eye 
of  Israel  the  holy  things  of  their  econ- 
omy. As  Moses'  covering  his  face  with 
a  veil  denoted  that  "the  children  of  Is- 
rael could  not  steadfastly  look  to  the  end 
(i.  e.  the  scope  or  drift)  of  that  which  is 
abolished,"  or,  in  other  words,  were  in- 
competent to  grasp  its  typical  signifi- 
cancy,  so  the  Tabernacle  in  like  manner 
and  for  a  like  reason  was  folded  up  and 
shrouded  with  veils  and  coverings  from 


58 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


come  to  bear  U  :  but  they  shall 
not  touch"  any  holy  thing,  lest 
they  die''.     These*  things  are 

o  2  Snm.  6.  6,  7.    1  Chr.  13.  9,  10.       p  Heb.  12.  29. 
q   c.  3.  31. 


the  gaze  of  the  people.  They  were  not 
in  a  state  to  penetrate  its  mysteries  to 
their  spiritual  good,  and  therefore  the 
sight  was  precluded.  But  the  end  and 
accomplishment  of  these  types  we  are 
now  enabled,  by  the  light  of  the  Gos- 
pel, to  discern,  even  "  the  revelation  of 
the  mystery,  which  was  kept  secret 
since  the  world  began,  but  now  is  made 
manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the 
prophets,  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  the  everlasting  God,  made 
known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience 
of  faith."  Accordingly  in  the  Apoca- 
lyptic vision  we  have  God's  Throne  and 
the  true  Tabernacle  set  forth  in  all  their 
unveiled  glory,  Rev.  4 :  2,  etc.  So  also 
Rev.  11 :  ]9,  "And  the  temple  of  God 
was  opened  in  heaven,  and  there  was 
seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testa- 
ment."  T[  But  they  slmll  not  touch 

any  holy  things.  Heb,  hahkodesh,  the 
sanctity.  Gr.  ta  hagia,  the  holy  things, 
implying  the  totality  of  the  sacred 
things.  It  does  not  mean  the  taberna- 
cle particularly,  having,  if  any  thing,  a 
more  especial  reference  to  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,  which  was  the  heart  and 
core  of  the  whole  typical  establishment, 
to  Avhich  it  belonged.  A  comparison 
of  the  following  passages  will  show 
conclusively  the  soundness  of  this  con- 
struction, 1  Kings  8:8,  "And  they 
drew  out  the  staves,  that  the  ends  of 
the  staves  were  seen  out  in  the  holy 
{place."")  According  to  the  Heb.  it  is 
min  hakkodesh,  from  the  holy,  i.  e.  pro- 
jecting out  from  the  holy.  The  parallel 
text,  2  Chron.  5  :  9,  has  it  thus  :— "  And 
they  drew  out  the  staves  (of  the  ark), 
that  the  ends  of  the  staves  were  seen 
from  tfie  ark  (Heb.  tmn  hmron,  from 


the  burden  of  the  sons  of  Ko- 
hath  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation. 


the  ark.")  The  prohibition  now  utter- 
ed was  of  equivalent  bearing  with  that 
respecting  Mount  Sinai,  which,  by  rea- 
son of  the  divine  presence  associated 
with  it  at  the  time,  might  not  be  touch- 
ed upon  pain  of  death,  Ex.  19  :  12.  Heb. 
12 :  18.  The  meaning  is,  that  they  were 
not  to  touch  the  things  themselves  that 
were  covered,  although  in  order  to  car- 
ry them  they  must  of  course  touch  the 
staves.  These,  we  may  suppose,  were 
sometimes,  during  the  transportation, 
held  in  their  hands,  and  sometimes 
boi-ne  on  their  shoulders,  as  they  be- 
came fatigued  with  one  or  the  other 

mode. H  Zest  they  die.      Heb.  vd- 

methu,  and  they  die.  Chald.  and  Gr. 
"  That  they  may  not  die."  The  "  not " 
in  this  kind  of  phraseology  is  some- 
times inserted,  and  sometimes  omitted. 
The  judgment  here  threatened  was  exe- 
cuted upon  Uzzah,  a  Levite,  who  for 
putting  forth  his  hand  to  steady  the 
ark  was  immediately  smitten  of  God 

and  died.   1  Chron.  18  :  10. If  These 

{tilings)  are  the  burden  of  the  sons  of 
Kohatli.  Gr.  tanta  arousin,  they  shall 
hear  these  things,  implying  upon  their 
own  shoulders,  and  not  by  means  of 
wagons  or  any  other  mode  of  convey- 
ance. This  was  clearly  the  general 
province  of  the  sons  of  Kohath,  as  a 
part  of  the  Levitical  order  contradis- 
tinguished from  the  priests.  But  judg- 
ing from  several  portions  of  the  subse- 
quent history,  it  does  not  appear  that 
this  arrangement  was  of  such  inviolable 
sanctity  as  never  to  be  infringed  upon, 
for  the  following  passages  have  only  to 
be  consulted  to  make  it  evident  that 
the  priests  did,  on  particular  occasions, 
assume  the  office  of  the  Levites  in  bear- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


59 


16  And  to  the  office  of  Elea- 
zar,  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest, 
pertaineth  the  oil '  for  the  light, 
and  the  sweet  *  incense,  and  the 
daily  meat-offering  \  and  the 
anointing  oil ",  and  the  oversight 


r  Ex.  25.  6.    Lev.  24.  2. 
29.  40.  u  Ex.  30.  23. 


ing  the  ark.  Deut.  31 :  9.  Josh.  3 : 3. 
1  Chron.  15 :  12,  15.  It  was  undoubt- 
edly fitting  in  itself  that  the  most  woi-- 
thy  things  should  be  handled  by  the 
most  worthy  persons,  provided  their 
numbers  were  such  as  would  enable 
them  to  do  it.  But  as  this  was  not  the 
case  at  the  outset  of  the  Jewish  polity, 
the  burden  was  devolved  upon  an  in- 
ferior class,  to  which  it  was  mainly, 
though  not  exclusively,  confined  in  all 
after  times.  David's  setting  the  ark 
on  a  cart  (2  Sam.  6  :  13.  1  Chron.  13  :  7) 
was  his  infirmity,  for  he  afterwards 
confesses  (1  Chron.  15 :  13)  that  '*  the 
Lord  our  God  made  a  breach  upon  us, 
for  that  we  sought  him  not  after  the 
due  order,"  But  his  error  being  cor- 
rected in  this  matter,  he  subsequently 
returned  to  the  primitive  order,  causing 
the  priests  and  the  Levites  to  "  sanctify 
themselves  to  bring  up  the  ark  of  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel"  (1  Chron.  15  :  13), 
which  it  would  seem  they  did  con- 
jointly. 

Tlie  Office  of  Eleazar. 

V.  16.  And  to  tlie  office  of  Eleazar 

{'pertaindli)  the  oil,  etc.  Lit.  "  And  the 
office  (Heb.  jjeTcuddath,  charge,  over- 
sight, visitation,,)  was  the  oil,  etc."  Gr. 
"  And  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron,  was 
overseer  (episcoj>os,  bishop)  —  his  over- 
sight {episcope,  bisho2:>ric)  was  the  oil," 
etc.  The  use  of  these  ecclesiastical 
terms  helps  us  to  apprehend  the  spirit- 
ual  import  which  runs    through    the 

whole. ^  T7ie  oil  for  the  light :  that 

is,  for  the  golden  candlestick  with  its 


of  all  the  tabernacle,  and  of 
all  that  therein  -is,  in  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  in  the  vessels  there- 
of 

17  And  the  Lord  spake  un- 
to Moses  and  unto  Aaron,  say- 

bowls,  or  lamp-sconces.  The  Jewish 
writers  say  that  the  four  following 
things  were  to  be  carried  by  Eleazar 
himself,  to  wit,  "The  oil  of  the  light 
and  the  oil  of  anointing,  the  one  in  his 
right  hand  and  the  other  in  his  left; 
and  the  incense  in  his  bosom,  and  the 

meat-ofiering    on    his     shoulder." 

^\  And  the  daily  meat-offering.  Heb, 
minchath    hattdmid,   the   meat   {meal) 

offering    of  the    continual. T[    TTie 

oversight  of  all  the  tabernacle.  Heb, 
peJcuddath,  the  same  word  which  in 
the  beginning  of  the  verse  is  trans- 
lated "office." ^  In  the  sanctvxiry. 

Heb.  bekodesh,  in  the  sanctity,  or  holi- 
ness ;  that  is,  in  regard  to  the  holiness, 
by  which  is  meant  especially  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,  the  holiest  of  the  holy 
things,  "  Sanctuary  "  here  is  evidently 
something  distinct  from  "  tabernacle," 
as  otherwise  we  have  a  mere  repetition, 

H  In  the  vessels  thereof.    That  is,  in 

regard  to  the  vessels  thereof;  by  which 
is  meant  the  vessels  pertaining  to  the 
tabernacle  and  not  to  the  sanctuary. 
The  remarks  of  Ainsworth  on  the  typi- 
cal purport  of  all  this  are  very  appro- 
priate ; — "  In  this  office  Bishop  Eleazar 
was  a  figure  of  Christ,  '  the  Bishop  of 
our  souls '  (1  Pet.  2  :  25),  unto  whom  it 
pertaineth  to  give  grace  (the  oil  of  the 
Spirit)  for  understanding  the  Scrip- 
tures (Luke  4  :  18.  24 :  45.  John  1:16); 
to  put  odors  of  sweet  incense,  to  the 
prayers  of  aU  saints  by  his  mediation 
(Rev,  8  :  3,  1  Tim.  2:5);  to  present  his 
Church  as  a  pure  meat  (meal)  offering 
and  sacrifice  unto  his  Father  (Eph.  5 ; 


60 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


18  Cut  ye  not  off  the  tribe 
of  the  families  of  the  Kohath- 
ites  from  among  the  Levites  : 

19  But  thus  do  unto  them, 
that  they  may  live,  and  not  die, 
when  they  approach  unto  the 
most "  holy  things  :  Aaron  and 


26,  27.  1  Cor.  5:7);  to  give  the  anoint- 
ing oil  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  our  sancti- 
fication  and  the  rejoicing  of  our  hearts 
(John  7  :  39.  1  John  2 :  27) ;  to  oversee 
all  churches  and  ministers,  and  all  ac- 
tions in  churches  where  he  is  present 
and  walks  among  them  till  the  world's 
end.  Matt.  28  :  10.  Rev.  1 :  13.  2:1, 
2,  etc." 

A  Special  CJiarge  to  Moses  and  Aaron. 
V.  18.  Cut  ye  not  off,  etc.  Heb.  al 
takrithu,  cause  ye  not  to  he  cut  off.  Gr. 
me  olotJireusate,  destroy  not.  That  is,  be 
careful  lest  by  your  negligence  the  peo- 
ple give  way  to  vain  curiosity,  and  thus 
expose  themselves  to  be  cut  off  by  a  di- 
vine interposition,  as  happened  in  the 
case  of  Nadab  and  Abihu.  The  practi- 
cal lesson  taught  in  these  words  is  a 
very  solemn  one,  to  wit,  that  we  our- 
selves become  chargeable  with  those 
judgments  which  befall  our  fellow-men 
through  our  procurement,  which  are 
occasioned  by  our  heedlessness  or  neg- 
lect. "Those  who  do  not  what  they 
can  to  keep  others  from  sin,  do  what 

they  can  to  cut  them  off." — Henry. 

T[  TJie  tribe  of  the  families  of  the  Ko- 
hathites.  Gr.  "  Ye  shall  not  destroy  of 
the  tribe  the  family  of  Kaath."  The 
form  of  the  expression  in  the  original  is 
peculiar,  and  would  indicate  that  the 
word  "  tribe  "  is  here  to  be  taken  in  a 
more  restricted  sense  than  usual,  as 
equivalent  to  stoch.  The  whole  of  the 
Levites  properly  constituted  a  tribe, 
and  yet  in  this  instance  we  read  of  a 


his  sons  shall  go  in,  and  appoint 
them  every  one  to  his  service 
and  to  his  burden  : 

20  But  they  shall  not  go  in 
to ""  see  when  the  holy  things 
are  covered,  lest  they  die. 

w  Ex.  19.  21.    Lev.  10.  2.     1  Sam.  6.  19. 


tribe  being  cut  off  "from  among  the 
Levites,"  showing  clearly  that  it  must 
bear  a  narrower  sense  than  it  ordinarily 
does. 

V.  19.  That  they  may  live  and  not 
die.  On  the  import  of  this  phrase  see 
Note  on  Deut.  33 :  6.  The  Targum  of 
Jonathan  thus  expounds  it : — "  That 
they  may  live  in  the  life  of  the  right- 
eous, and  not  die  with  flaming  fire,"  in 

reference  to  Lev.  10 : 2. H  Appoint 

them  every  one  to  his  service,  etc.  Heb. 
"Place  or  put  them  man,  man,  upon 
his  service  and  upon  his  burden ; "  so 
that  all  disorder  and  confusion  of  ser- 
vice might  be  avoided.  Maimonides 
says,  "  The  Levites  are  to  be  warned 
that  they  do  not  each  other's  work,  as 
that  the  singer  help  not  to  do  the  por- 
ter's work,  nor  the  porter  the  singer's ; 
as  it  is  written,  Evei^y  man  unto  his  ser- 
vice and  Ms  burden.  The  Levites  that 
do  the  priest's  service,  or  a  Levite  that 
employeth  himself  in  that  work  which 
is  not  his  own,  are  in  danger  of  death 
by  the  hand  of  God." 

V.  20.  They  shall  not  go  in  to  see. 
So  also  in  Ex.  19  :  21,  the  people  were 
charged  not  to  "break  through  unto 
the  Lord  to  gaze,"  and  the  men  of  Beth- 
shemesh,  because  they  "  looked  into  the 
ark  of  the  Lord,"  were  smitten  to  the 
number  of  vipwards  of  50,000  men, 
1  Sam.  6  :  19.  The  real  internal  ground 
of  this  prohibition  is  the  contrariety  of 
state  between  a  holy  God  and  sinful 
men.  As  their  minds  were  incapable  of 
perceiving  the  sacred  mysteries  couch- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


61 


21  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

22  Take  also  the  sum  of  the 
sons  of  Gershon,  throughout  the 

ed  under  the  symbols,  so  it  was  fitting 
that  the  symbols  themselves  should  be 

withholden  from  their  eyes. ^  WTien 

the  lioly  things  are  covered.  Heb.  J*?*;: 
Tceballa,  as  the  sivalloicing  vp  ;  a  pecu- 
liar phraseology,  of  which  the  true  im- 
port is  not  very  easy  to  be  determined. 
The  general  usage  of  the  term  may  be 
judged  of  from  the  following  instances  : 
Ch.  16:30,  "But  if  the  Lord  make  a 
new  thing,  and  the  earth  open  her 
mouth,  and  swallow  them  t//),"  etc.  Job 
20  :  15,  "  He  hath  swallowed  doion  rich- 
es." Ex.  7  :12,  "But  Aaron's  xo^ swal- 
lowed vp  their  rods."  Ps.  106  :  17, 
"  And  the  earth  opened  and  sivallotced 
vp  Dathan."  Job  7  :  19,  "  How  long 
wilt  thou  not  depart  from  me,  nor  let 
me  alone  till  I  sivalloio  down  my  spit- 
tle ?  "  In  other  cases  it  is  rendered  by 
devour,  destroy,  and  spend.  Its  general 
purport  is  that  of  atsoriing,  and  thence 
abolishing,  making  ivay  with,  and  caus- 
ing suddenly  to  disappear.  It  is  no- 
where else  rendered  by  cover  except  in 
the  present  passage,  though  that  sense 
is  somewhat  countenanced  by  the  ver- 
sion of  Onkelos,  "  While  they  cover  the 
sacred  vessels,"  and  by  the  Syriac  and 
the  Arabic,  "  "When  the  holy  is  cover- 
ed." Yet  for  reasons  soon  to  be  given 
we  doubt  if  this  is  the  true  sense,  and 
Michaelis  in  his  "  Supplement  to  the 
Hebrew  Lexicons"  (sub  voce  y^'z)  says 
this  sense  is  unknown  to  all  orient- 
al tongues.  Gesenius  intimates  that 
the  expression  may  perhaps  be  eluci- 
dated from  the  phraseology  in  Job, 
"  till  I  have  swallowed  my  spittle,"  i.  e. 
for  a  moment's  time,  a  proverbial  mode 
of  speech  in  vogue  among  the  Arabs. 
According  to  this  the  sense  would  be, 


houses  of  their  fathers,  by  their 
families ; 

23    From  thirty^  years   old 


"  They  shall  not  see,  for  one  moment, 
the  holy  things."  But  the  true  render- 
ing we  take  to  be  this  : — "  They  shall 
not  go  in  to  see,  as  it  were,  to  swallow, 
the  holy  things  ;"  i.  e.  they  shall  not  pre- 
sume to  gratify  themselves  with  a  hasty 
view,  with  a  quick  and  furtive  glance, 
as  if  they  would  swallow  the  objects 
with  their  eyes.  The  two  ideas  of  steal- 
lowing  and  of  suddenness  are  obviously 
included  in  the  expression,  and  this  is 
corroborated  by  the  Greek,  "  They  shall 
by  no  means  go  in  to  look  suddenly 
upon  the  holy  things,  and  die."  The 
concealment  thus  enjoined  plainly  point- 
ed to  the  darkness  of  that  dispensation. 
"  That  which  is  now  brought  to  light 
by  the  gospel,  and  revealed  to  babes, 
was  then  hid  from  the  wise  and  pru- 
dent. They  saw  only  the  coverings, 
not  the  holy  things  themselves;  but 
now  Christ  has  *  destroyed  the  face  of 
the  covering.'  " — Henry. 

The  Mustering  and  the  Charge  of  the 
Gershonites. 

Y.  22.  Take  also  the  sum  of  the  sons 
of  Gershon.  The  literal  rendering  of 
the  Heb.  is  here  preferable : — "  Take 
the  sum  of  the  sons  of  Gershon,  of  them 
also  ;"  implying  that  although  the  Ko- 
hathites  (the  sons  of  the  second  bro- 
ther) were  first  numbered,  because  they 
were  to  carry  the  holiest  things,  yet  the 
Lord  would  not  overlook  the  other  fam- 
ilies nor  permit  their  ministry  to  be 
discharged  any  more  irregularly.  They 
also  were  to  be  carefully  enumerated 
and  assigned  their  particular  charges. 

V.  23.  Shalt  thou  number  them.  Heb. 
tiphJcod,  shalt  thou  muster.  Gr.  epishep- 
aai,  survey. 1[  All  that  enter  in  to 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


and  upward  until  fifty  years  old, 
sbalt  thou  number  them ;  all 
that  enter  in  to  perform  the  ser- 
vice, to  do  the  work  in  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation. 

24  This  is  the  service  of  the 
families  of  the  Gershonites,  to 
serve,  and  for  burdens. 

25  And  ■"  they  shall  bear  the 
curtains  of  the  tabernacle,  and 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, his  coveriog,  and  the  cov- 
ering of  the  badgers'  skins  '  that 

y  c.  3.  25,  26.  z  Ex.  26.  14. 


peiform  the  service.  Heb.  litzbo  tzaba, 
to  war  tlie  warfare.  Gr.  leitourgein,  to 
liturgize,  i.  e.  to  minister  sacerdotally. 
Vulg.  Qui  ingrediuntur  et  ministrant  in 
tabernaculo  foederis,  all  who  go  in  and 
minister  in  the  tabernacle  of  covenant. 
"  All  that  are  meet  for  the  war  to  have 
an  office  in  the  tabernacle  of  witness."— 
Gov.  "  All  that  are  able  to  go  forth  in 
war,  for  to  do  service  in  the  tabernacle." 

—Mat.    See  Note  on  v.  3. T[  To  do 

the  work.  "  To  serve  the  service." — 
AiJis.  This  is  doubtless  exegetical  or 
explanatory  of  the  "  warfare  "  just  be- 
fore mentioned.  A  succeeding  phrase 
in  this  manner  is  often  inserted  with 
the  express  design  of  elucidating  a  pre- 
ceding one. 

V.  24.  This  is  the  service,  etc.  Gr. 
leitourgia,  liturgy,  i.  e.  sacred  ministry. 

T[   To  serve,  and  for  burdens.    A 

definite  distinction  is  undoubtedly  to 
be  understood  here  between  service  and 
burden,  the  former  referring  to  their 
ministry  in  the  Tabernacle  while  it 
stood,  in  which  they  assisted  the  priests, 
and  also  took  down  and  set  up  the  sa- 
cred structure  (ch.  10:21);  and  the 
latter  denoting  their  carrying  the  edi- 
fice and  its  furniture,  when  it  was  to  be 
removed. 

V,  25.  Shall  bear  the  curtains  of  the 


is  above  upon  it,  and  the  hang- 
ing for  the  door  of  the  taberna- 
cle of  the  congregation. 

26  And  the  hangings  "  of  the 
court,  and  the  hanging  for  the 
door  of  the  gate  of  the  court, 
which  is  by  the  tabernacle,  and 
by  the  altar  round  about,  and 
their  cords  *,  and  all  the  instru- 
ments of  their  service,  and  all 
that  is  made  for  them  :  so  shall 
they  serve. 

27  At   the   appointment   of 


tabernacle.  That  is,  the  ten  fine  cur- 
tains that  formed  the  inward  hangings 
of  the  Tabernacle  (Ex.  26  : 1,  2,  etc.). 
As  nothing  is  said  of  Aaron  or  his  sons 
being  employed  to  take  them  down  and 
make  them  ready  for  carriage,  it  may 
be  presumed  that  all  this  was  done  by 
the  Gershonites.  The  foregoing  prohi- 
bition did  not  include  the  curtains  of 
the  Tabernacle. TT  ^'nd  the  taberna- 
cle. Not  the  boards,  the  framework,  of 
the  Tabernacle,  which  fell  to  the  charge 
of  the  Merarites  (v.  31),  but  the  eleven 
curtains  of  goats'  hair  which  covered 
the  boards,  and  which  are  here  called 
collectively  the  Tabernacle  (Ex.  26  : 7, 
8,  etc.).     See  Notes  on  ch.  3  :  25,  26. 

V.  26.  And  all  the  instruments  of 
their  service,  and  all  that  is  made  for 
them.  Or  perhaps  more  correctly,  "  All 
that  is  to  be  done  by  them."  Gr.  "  All 
the  vessels  of  service  that  they  minister 
with  they  shall  attend  to."  "All  the 
instruments  that  serve  for  them,  and  all 
that  belongeth  to  their  occupying." — 
Gov.  "  All  the  instruments  that  serve 
unto  them,  and  all  that  is  made  for 
them." — Mat.  It  is  not  easy  to  fix  the 
precise  shade  of  meaning  intended. 

V.  27.  At  the  appointment  of  Aaron, 
etc.  Heb.  al  pi,  at  the  mouth.  Chald. 
"  At  the  word." T[  In  all  their  bur- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


63 


Aaron  and  his  sons  shall  be  all 
the  service  of  the  sons  of  the 
Gershonites,  in  all  their  bur- 
dens, and  in  all  their  service  : 
and  ye  shall  appoint  unto  them 
in  charge  all  their  burdens. 

28  This  is  the  service  of  the 
families  of  the  sons  of  Grershon 
in  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation ;  and  their  charge  shall 
he  under  the  hand  of  Ithamar ', 
the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest. 

29  As  for  the  sons  of  Merari, 
thou  shalt  number  them  after 
their  families,  by  the  house  of 
their  fathers ; 

30  From   thirty'^  years  old 


dem,  and  in  all  their  service.  Rather, 
"as  to  all  their  burdens,  and  as  to  all 
their  service."  Gr.  According  to  all 
their  ministrations,  and  according  to 

all  their  works." T[  Afid  ye  shall 

appoint  unto  them  in  charge  all  their 
hurdens.  Heb.  peJcadtem,  the  same 
word  which  is  elsewhere  rendered  num- 
ber, and  which  we  have  for  the  most 
part  rendered  viuster,  denoting  not  so 
strictly  enumeratiojh  as  arrangement, 
niarshalling,  etc.  See  Note  on  ch.  1 :  3. 
Gr.  "  Thou  shalt  take  account  of  them 
(Gr.  epis}:epse)  by  name  in  all  their 
works,"  as  in  v.  32.  The  original  ren- 
dered "  in  charge  "  {hemishmereth)  de- 
notes literally  in  or  with  ohservation, 
and  may  be  understood  of  the  care,  dil- 
igence, and  exactitude  with  which  the 
appointments  of  Aaron  and  his  sons 
were  to  be  carried  out  relative  to  the 
Gershonites  and  their  functions. 
V.  28.  TJiis  is  the  service.   Gr.  leitour- 

gia,  liturgy. ^  And  their  charge.  Or, 

their   observation,  their   custody. 

T[  Under  the  hand.  That  is,  under  the 
government  and  direction.    So  in  v.  33. 


and  upward  even  unto  fifty  years 
old  shalt  thou  number  them, 
every  one  that  entereth  into  the 
service,  to  do  the  work  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation. 

81  And  this '  is  the  charge 
of  their  burden,  according  to  all 
their  service  in  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation  :  the-^  boards 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  bars 
thereof,  and  the  pillars  thereof, 
and  sockets  thereof, 

32  And  the  pillars  of  the 
court  round  about,  and  their 
sockets,  and  their  pins,  and  their 
cords,  with  all  their  instru- 
ments^, and  with  all  their  ser- 

e  c.  3.  36,  37.       /  Ex.  26. 15.        ^  Ex.  25.  9. 


The  Mustering  and  the  Charge  of  the 
Merarites. 

V.  29.  Thou  shalt  number.  Reh.tiph- 
Tcod,  thou  shalt  muster.  "  Thou  shalt  ap- 
point."— Gov.  Mat.    See  Note  on  V.  37. 

V.  30.  From  thirty  years  old  and  vp- 
ward.     Gr.  "  Twenty-five  years ; "  on 

which  see  Note  on  v.  3. T[  Every  one 

that  entereth  into  the  service.  Heb. 
"Every  one  that  entereth  into  the  war- 
fare." See  Notes  on  vs.  3,  23.  The 
original  here  is  precisely  the  same  with 
that  in  v.  3,  and  which  is  there  rendered 
"  all  that  enter  into  the  host,"  in  which 
appears  a  striking  instance  of  that  want 
of  uniformity  which  is  so  consijicuous 
throughout  our  common  version. 

Y.  31.  Hie  boards  of  the  tabernacle, 
etc.  Of  the  various  articles  mentioned 
here  and  in  v.  32,  see  a  particular  ac- 
count in  Ex.  26,  throughout.  The 
charge  of  this  family  was  evidently  the 
most  cumbersome  of  any,  and  therefore 
they  were  accommodated  with  wagons 
for  the  purpose,  ch.  7  :  8. 

V.  32.  And  by  name  ye  sJiall  reckon 


64 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


vice :  and  by  name  ye  shall 
reckon  the  instruments  of  the 
charge  of  their  burden. 

33  This  is  the  service  of  the 
families  of  the  sons  of  Merari, 
according  to  all  their  service  in 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, under  the  hand  ^  of  Itha- 
mar,  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest. 

34  And  Moses  and  Aaron, 
and  the  chief  of  the  congrega- 
tion, numbered  the  sons  of  the 
Kohathites,  after  their  families, 

A  ver,  28.    Josh.  3.  6. 


the  instruments.  Heb.  heshemoth,  ly 
names.  Chald.  "By  their  names." 
**  By  name  j^e  shall  reckon  the  things 
that  they  must  wait  upon  to  bear. — 
Mat.  "  All  the  vessels  and  implements 
they  shall  receive  by  account,  and  so 
shall  carry  them." — Vulg.  As  the 
sockets,  pillars,  pins,  cords,  etc.  per- 
taining to  the  Tabernacle  were  very 
numerous,  and  many  of  them  small, 
they  were  liable  to  get  misplaced,  neg- 
lected, or  lost,  and  therefore  it  was 
commanded  that  an  iwventory  should 
be  made  out  of  all  these  particulars,  as 
a  security  against  the  risks  to  which 

they  would  naturally  be  subject. 

Tf  Shall  reckon.  Heb.  tiphJcedu,  shall 
muster.  It  is  important  to  keep  before 
the  eye  of  the  reader  the  peculiar  use 
of  this  word. 

The  Number  of  the  Kohathites. 

V.  33.  This  is  the  service  of  the  fam- 
ilies of  the  sons  of  Merari.  That  is,  in 
taking  down  and  carrying  the  taberna- 
cle, which  was  done  under  the  super- 
intendence of  Ithamar,  who  had  the 
oversight  both  of  the  Gershonites  and 
Mcrarites,  as  Elcazar  had  of  the  Ko- 
hathites, vs.  16,  28. 

V.  34.  And  Moses  and  Aaron  

numbered.     Heb.  yijphkod,  mustered; 


and   after   the   house   of  their 
fathers, 

35  From  thirty  *  years  old 
and  upward  even  unto  fifty 
years  old,  every  one  that  enter- 
eth  into  the  service,  for  the 
work  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation : 

36  And  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  by  their  families, 
were  two  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty. 

37  These  were  they  that  were 


to  which  tht  act  of  numbering  was  sub- 
ordinate.   See  previous  Notes. 

V.  35.  Every  one  that  entereth  into 
the  service.  Heb.  Ni^^  NiM  ^5  kol 
habbd  letzdbd,  every  one  that  entereth 
this  warfare.  Gr.  leitourgein,  to  litur- 
gize.    See  Note  on  vs.  3,  30. 

V.  36.  And  those  that  were  numbered 

of  them were,  etc.     Heb.  va-yihyu 

pekud'ehem,  and  these  were  of  the  mus- 
tered ones  of  them,  that  is,  these  were 
made  to  be,  or  found  to  be,  according 
to  the  explanation  given  in  the  Note  on 
ch.  3 :  43.  The  process  denoted  by  the 
term  pahad,  which  we  have  rendered 
by  muster,  seems  first  to  have  been  ac- 
complished, and  then  their  number 
subsequently  ascertained.  It  does  not 
appear  that  the  above  word  in  itself  de- 
notes both  processes. H  Two  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  fifty.  By  com- 
paring this  with  ch.  3 :  28,  it  appears 
that  out  of  8600,  the  total  number  of  the 
Kohathites,  there  were  only  about  a 
fourth  part  fit  and  able  for  service. 

V.  37.  TItese  {were)  they  that  were 
numbered,  etc.  It  will  be  observed  that 
while  the  verb  "  were "  is  inserted  in 
the  preceding  verse  it  is  omitted  here, 
which  goes  to  confirm  our  suggestion, 
that  its  import  in  certain  connections  is 
not  simply  to  he,  but  to  he  made,  or  to 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTEfl  IV. 


65 


numbered  of  the  families  of  the 
Kohathites,  all  that  might  do 
service  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,  which  Moses  and 
Aaron  did  number,  according  to 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord 
by  the  hand  of  Moses. 

38  And  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  the  sons  of  Gershon, 
throughout  their  families,  and 
by  the  house  of  their  fathers, 

39  From  thirty  years  old  and 
upward  even  unto  fifty  years  old, 
every  one  that  entereth  into  the 
service,  for  the  work  in  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation, 

40  Even  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  throughout  their 
families,  by  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  were  two  thousand  and 
six  hundred  and  thirty. 

41  These  ^  are  they  that  were 
numbered  of  the  families  of  the 
sons  of  Gershon,  of  all  that  might 
do  service  in  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation,  whom  Moses 


be  made  out  to  he,  as  the  result  of  some 
previous  process.  The  act  indicated 
by  the  term  j3t/^'a(>?  seems  to  be,  to  ascer- 
tain by  itisjjectioih  or  ■visitation  wTiat  in- 
dividuals were  Jit  afid  competent  to  per- 
form certain  offices.  This  is  the  idea 
we  attach  to  the  word  muster.  The 
actual  enumeration  of  these  individu- 
als, though  accompanying  the  muster, 
was  not  identical  with  it.  A  similar 
phraseology  occurs  in  vs.  38-40. 

The  Number  of  tJie  GersJionites. 
Y.  40.  Two  tJiousand  six  Tiundred  and 
thirty.  From  ch.  3  :  22,  it  appears  that 
the  total  of  the  Gershonites  was  7500. 
Of  these  a  little  more  than  one  third 
were  fit  to  serve  in  the  Tabernacle. 


and  Aaron  did  number,  accord- 
ing to  the  commandmeut  of  the 
Lord. 

42  And  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  the  families  of  the  sons 
of  Merari,  throughout  their  fam- 
ilies, by  the  house  of  their  fathers, 

43  From  thirty  years  old  and 
upward  even  unto  fifty  years  old, 
every  one  that  entereth  into  the 
service,  for  the  work  in  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation, 

44  Even  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  after  their  fami- 
lies, were  three  thousand  and 
two  hundred. 

45  These  he  those  that  were 
numbered  of  the  families  of  the 
sons  of  Merari,  whom  Moses  and 
Aaron  numbered,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord  ^  by  the 
hand  of  Moses. 

46  All  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  the  Levites,  from  Mo- 
ses and  Aaron  and  the  chief  of 
Israel  numbered,  after  their  fam- 

/  ver.  29. 

The  Number  of  the  Merarites. 
V.  44.  Three  thousand  and  two  hun- 
dred. Here  also  out  of  6200  Merarites 
(ch.  3 :  34)  only  somewhat  more  than 
half  were  found  fit  for  service  in  their 
appropriate  sphere.  In  a  tabellated 
form  the  numbers  stand  thus : — ■ 

^  (  Able  men,  2,750 

Kohathites,  .. .  -^  ^t    x^         «  cra 

'         (  Unable,       5,850 

Total, 8,600 

(  Able  men,  2,630 
Geeshonite8,...|^^^^j^^      4^ 

Total, 7,500 

(  Able  men,  3,200 

Meeaeites, J  „     , ,         „^„^ 

{  Lnable,       3,000 

Total, 6,200. 

Grand  total, 22,300 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


ilies,  and  after  the  house  of  their 
fathers, 

47  From'"  thirty  years  old 
and  upward  even  unto  tifty  years 
old,  every  "  one  that  came  to  do 
the  service  of  the  ministry,  and 
the  service  of  the  burden  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 

48  Even  those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them,  were  eight  thou- 


:r.  3.  23,  30.    1  Chr.  23. 
Cor.  1-i.  4-31. 


Thus,  out  of  the  whole  number  of  the 
Levitcs,  amounting  to  22,300,  only  8,580 
were  fit  for  service,  leaving  13,720  un- 
fit, either  from  being  too  old  or  too 
young,  or  otherwise  disqualified.  "  Of 
the  many  that  add  to  the  numbers  of 
the  church,  there  are  comparatively  but 
few  that  contribute  to  the  service  of  it. 
So  it  has  been,  and  so  it  is ;  many  have 
a  place  in  the  tabernacle  that  do  but 
little  of  the  work  of  the  tabernacle," — 
Henry.  The  family  of  Merari,  though 
numerically  smaller  than  either  of  the 
other  families  of  Levi,  had  yet  a  great- 
er number  of  able  men  than  either  of 
them ;  for  out  of  6200  males  of  a  month 
old  and  upwards,  we  find  3200  who 
were  neither  too  young  nor  too  old  for 
the  service  of  the  sanctuary ;  which  was 
more  than  one  half  the  whole  number. 
In  this  the  divine  wisdom  conspicuous- 
ly appears;  for  the  Merarites  were 
charged  with  the  heaviest  part  of  the 
burdens,  such  as  the  boards,  bars,  sock- 
ets, etc. ;  and  though  wagons  were  af- 
terwards provided  for  them,  yet  their 
duties  in  loading  and  unloading  would 
be  peculiarly  onerous.  It  was  requi- 
site, therefore,  that  those  charged  with 
this  responsibility  should  be  adapted  to 
it  both  in  numbers  and  strength.  In 
most  cases,  in  any  given  number  of  fam- 
ilies, the  young  and  the  aged  exceed 
•those  in  middle  life  ;  but  here  it  is  oth- 
erwise, as  more  than  half  the  Merarites 


sand  and  five  hundred  and  four- 
score. 

49  According  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord  they  were 
numbered  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
every  one  according  to  his  ser- 
vice ",  and  according  to  his  bur- 
den :  thus  were  they  numbered 
of  him,  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Moses. 


were  strong  men,  between  the  ages  of 
thirty  and  fifty.  This  we  may  regard 
as  the  result  of  a  special  ordering  of  the 
divine  Providence. 

Y.  47.  Every  one  that  came  to  do  the 
service  of  the  ministry,  and  the  service 
of  the  burden.  Heb.  laabod  alodath 
abodah,  to  serve  the  service  of  the  service, 
i.  e.  the  most  laborious  service,  even 
that  of  the  burden.  The  service  is  here 
probably  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
burdens  according  to  the  explanation 
given  in  the  Note  on  v.  19.  Gr.  "  Every 
one  that  goes  in  to  the  service  {ergon, 
worh)  of  the  works,  and  the  charge  of 
the  things  that  are  carried  in  the  taber- 
nacle of  witness." 

V.  49.  According  to  the  command- 
ment.   Heb.  alpi,  at  or  upon  the  mouth. 

Gr.   "By  the  voice." T[  TJiey  were 

numbered  by  the  hand  of  Moses,  etc. 
Heb.  "He  mustered  them  by  the  hand 
of  Moses,  every  one  according  to  his 
service  and  according  to  his  burden." 
"  He  mustered  "  (i.  e.  one  mustered)  is 
an  impersonal  form  of  expression  equiv- 
alent to  "they  were  mustered,"  as  ren- 
dered in  our  version  ;  but  it  is  always  de- 
sirable to  exhibit  the  exact  literal  sense 
of  a  passage.  From  the  tenor  of  the 
verse  it  is  still  farther  apparent  that  the 
import  of  "  muster"  in  this  connection, 
is  not  precisely  to  "  number,"  but  to  ar- 
range, order,  and  marshal,  in  reference 
to  the  discharge  of  certain  functions. 


B.C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


67 


CHAPTER  V. 

ND  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mo- 
ses, saying, 
2  Command  the  children  of 
Israel,  that  they  put  out  of  the 


A 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Bemoval  of  the  Unclean  from 
the  Camp. 

V.  2.  Command  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, etc.  The  camp  of  Israel  having 
been  now  arranged  according  to  the  di- 
viae  program,  with  the  sanctuary  in 
the  centre,  as  the  palace  of  "the  Great 
King,"  orders  are  given  with  a  view  to 
preserve  its  sanctity  inviolate.  Accord- 
ing to  laws  enacted  on  these  subjects 
at  different  times,  lepers  and  persons 
otherwise  unclean  were  to  be  excluded 
from  the  camp.  For  this  exclusion 
the  following  reasons  may  be  cited. 
(1.)  Physical;  the  diseases  were  con- 
tagious, and  therefore  there  was  a  ne- 
cessity for  putting  those  afflicted  with 
them  apart,  that  the  infection  might  not 
be  communicated.  (2.)  Sjnritual ;  the 
camp  was  the  habitation  of  God,  a  being 
of  infinite  purity,  and  therefore  in  honor 
of  him  who  had  thus  condescended  to 
dwell  with  them,  nothing  impure  should 
be  permitted  to  remain.  (3.)  Typical; 
the  camp  was  the  emblem  of  the 
church,  where  nothing  that  is  defiled 
should  enter,  and  in  which  nothing  that 
is  unholy  should  be  tolerated.  Comp. 
ch.  12  :  14.  Lev.  13  :  46.  Deut.  24  :  8,  9. 
2  Kings  7  : 3.  That  Moses  was  to  com- 
mand the  children  of  Israel  to  do  this 
shows  the  weightiness  of  the  matter  in 
the  divine  estimation ;  and  it  is  very 
natural  to  infer  that  so  stringent  a  law 
in  regard  to  external  or  natural  purity 
would  tend  to  produce  a  more  careful 
study  of  internal  or  moral  purity,  the 
one  being  emblematical  of  the  other, 
and  therefore  by  association  of  ideas  in- 


camp  every  leper",  and  every 
one  that  hath  an  issue*,  and 
whosoever  is  defiled  by  the 
dead. " 

a  Lev.  13.  3,  46.   c.  12.  14.  Deut.  24.  8, 9.        b  Lpv. 
15.  2.         c  Lev.  21.  1.     c.  9.  6,  10.    19.  11-13    31.  19. 


timately  connected  with  it. T[  £very 

leper.  For  a  full  account  of  the  leprosy 
and  the  laws  pertaining  to  it,  see  Note 

on  Lev.  13,  throughout. T[  Evei^  one 

that  hath  an  issue.    See  Note  on  Lev. 

15  :  2. T[  Whosoever  is  defiled  hy  the 

dead.  Heb.  tame  Idnejohesh,  defiled  hy 
a  soul.  The  usage  is  very  peculiar,  but 
a  reference  to  the  following  passages 
will  show  beyond  dispute  that  the  usual 
Heb.  word  for  soul  does  in  several  in- 
stances denote  a  deadlody,  Lev.  21 :  11. 
22:4.  Num.  6:6.  Hag.  2:13.  An  at- 
tempted solution  of  the  grounds  of  this 
visage  will  be  found  in  my  work  enti- 
tled, "The  Soul;  or,  an  Inquiry  into 
Scriptural  Psychology,"  p.  62.  It  is 
obvious  that  these  legal  pollutions  rep- 
resented our  pollution  by  sin  of  whatev- 
er kind,  and  the  exclusion  of  persons 
affected  by  these  different  species  of  de- 
filements from  the  camp  pointed  to  a 
similar  allotment  in  regard  to  those  who 
are  spiritually  defiled,  and  thus  liable 
to  be  cast  out  of  the  Church,  into  which 
it  is  said  that  "  any  thing  that  defileth 
may  in  no  wise  enter,"  Rev.  22 :  27. 
"  Henceforth  there  shall  no  more  come 
into  thee  the  uncircumcised  and  the  un- 
clean," Is.  52  : 1.  As  in  the  preceding 
chapters  the  chosen  people  are  exhibit- 
ed as  a  great,  numerous,  and  highly  fa- 
vored people,  so  we  are  taught  in  this 
and  several  following  chapters  that  they 
were  to  be  a  holy  people ;  that  is,  that 
they  were  to  be  externally  and  ceremo- 
nially holy ;  they  were  to  be  strict  in 
the  observance  of  all  the  divine  rites 
and  institutions,  as  the  condition  of  en- 
joying the  tokens  of  the  Lord's  pres- 
ence  among  them,  and  the  outward 


68 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


3  Both  male  and  female  shall 
ye  put  out,  without  "^  the  camp 
shall  ye  put  them,  that  they  de- 
file not  their  camps,  in  the  midst 
whereof  I '  dwell. 

4  And  the  children  of  Israel 
did  so,  and  put  them  out  with- 


blessings  of  his  Providence  which  were 
promised  to  their  obedience.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  historical  fact  it  does  not  appear 
that  the  nation  of  Israel,  as  a  nation, 
were  at  all  distinguished  by  a  corre- 
sponding internal  sanctity  and  purity. 
Their  religious  character  has  probably 
always  been  substantially  what  it  now 
is.  But  their  representative  function 
could  still  be  discharged  independent 
of  their  personal  qualities.  Hence  it  is 
that  we  meet  with  such  an  ordinance 
as  the  present.  The  purity  of  the  Jew- 
ish camp  pointed  typically  to  the  purity 
of  the  Christian  church. 

V.  3.  Both  wMe  and  female  shall  ye 
put  out.  Heb.  mizzakar  ad  nelceldh 
teshallehu,from  male  to  female  shall  ye 
send  out.  The  command  here  given 
took  effect  upon  Miriam  as  related  ch. 

12 :  15. T[  Without  the  camp  shall  ye 

put  them.  Heb.  el  mihootz,  to  without, 
that  is,  to  a  place  without  the  precincts 

of  the  camp. T[  That  they  defile  not 

their  camps.  Heb.  "  And  let  them  not 
defile  (or,  make  unclean)  their  camps." 
That  is,  as  we  suppose,  at  whatever 
place  they  might  encamp  during  their 
journeyings,  they  were  always  to  be 
careful  and  observe  the  same  exemplary 
purity  by  excluding  the  causes  and  oc- 
casions of  pollution.  Yet  the  fact  is  not 
to  be  overlooked  that  many  distinguish- 
ed expositors,  both  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian, give  another  reason  for  the  use  of 
the  plural  in  this  connection.  They  say 
that  there  were  three  camps  :  (1.)  The 


out  the  camp :  as  the  Lord 
spake  unto  Moses,  so  did  the 
children  of  Israel. 

5  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

6  Speak  unto  the  children  of 
Israel ;  When-^^  a  man  or  woman 
shall  commit  any  sin  that  men 

/  Lev.  6.  2. 

camp  of  the  Shekinab,  or  of  the  Lord's 
divine  presence,  viz.,  the  Sanctuary 
with  its  courts.  (2.)  The  camp  of  Levi, 
who,  with  his  sons,  camped  round  about 
the  sanctuary.  (3.)  The  camp  of  Is- 
rael, which  encompassed  them  all.  A 
threefold  division  somewhat  analogous 
was  recognized  in  reference  to  the  Tem- 
ple and  its  precincts  in  aftertimes. 
Lepers  were  accounted  so  unclean,  that 
they  were  not  admitted  into  any  of 
these  three  camps,  but  shut  out  of  them 
all,  Lev.  13  :  46.  But  he  that  had  an 
issue,  or  seminal  flux.  Lev.  15  : 2,  was 
only  shut  out  of  the  first  two,  the  camp 
of  the  Lord  and  the  camp  of  the  Levites ; 
while  he  might  remain  in  the  camp  of 
Israel.  He  that  was  "  defiled  by  the 
dead,"  Lev.  21 : 1,  was  only  excluded 
from  the  first,  but  not  from  the  other 

two. If  In  the  midst  whereof  I  dwell. 

That  is,  by  the  visible  symbol  of  the  di- 
vine presence.  Chald.  "  My  Shekinah 
dwelleth  among  you."  As  the  divine 
presence  consecrates  whatever  comes 
in  contact  with  it,  it  behoves  all  un- 
cleanness  and  iniquity  to  hide  its  head 
before  him. 

Restitution  to  he  made  in  the  case  of 


V.  6.  When  a  man  or  woman  shall 
commit  any  sin  that  men  commit.  Heb. 
"  A  man  or  a  woman,  when  they  shall 
do  (any)  of  all  the  sins  of  man."  That 
is,  any  of  the  sins  which  men,  as  frail 
and  fallen  beings,  are  prone  to  commit. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTEPw  Y. 


69 


commit,  to  do  a  trespass  against 
the  Lord,  and  that  person  be 
guilty ; 

7  Then   they   shall    confess^ 

^Lev.  5.  5.     2S.  40.     Josh.  7.  19.     Job  33.  27.    Pb. 
32.  5.     Prov.  28.  13.    1  John  1.  9. 

Gr.  "  Of  all  human  sins;  "  sins  incident 
to  humanity.  Pool  and  others  give  the 
expression  a  little  different  shade  of  im- 
port, and  understand  by  "  sins  of  man" 
sins  against  men,  sins  whereby  other 
men  are  wronged  and  injured.  It  is 
therefore  an  example  of  what  is  termed 
a  genitive  of  the  object,  being  classed 
with  the  following,  *'  Blasphemy  of  the 
Spirit,"  i.  e.  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Comp.  Mat.  12 :  31,  and 
Mark  3 :  29.  Luke  10 :  12.  "  Power  of 
all  flesh,"  John  17  : 2,  i.  e.  power  over 
all  flesh,  "  Power  of  spirits,"  Mat.  10 : 
1,  i.  e.  power  over  or  against  spirits, 
Luke  9:1.  "  Prayer  of  God,"  Luke  6  : 
12,  i.  e.  prayer  directed  to  God.  **  Spoil 
of  the  poor,"  Is.  3  :  14,  i.  e.  spoil  taken 
from  the  poor,  "  Violence  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Judah,"  Joel  3  :  19,  i.  e.  violence 
against  them,  as  it  is  also  translated. 
This  construction  is  favored  by  vs.  7,  8  ; 
but  it  is  not  very  material  which  is 

adopted. 1[  To  do  a  trespass  against 

the  Lord.  Heb.  "  To  transgress  a  trans- 
gression ; "  that  is,  to  commit  (or,  by 
committing)  a  transgression,  as  in  Lev, 
6  :  2,  where  see  Note,  Chald.  "  To  fal- 
sify a  falsehood,"  that  is,  to  speak  or 
deal  falsely.  On  the  force  of  the  Heb. 
term  see  Note  on  Lev,  5 :  15.  Gr,  "  De- 
spising shall  despise,"  as  also  in  Lev, 

6  :  2. \  Against  tlie  Lord.     See  this 

phrase  explained  in  the  Note  on  Lev, 
6:2.  It  implies  that  wrongs  done  to 
the  neighbor  are  in  fact  sins  against 
God.  The  Chaldee  understands  this  of 
frauds  and  deceptions  practised  upon 
others  by  means  of  a  false  oath,  which 
would  seem  to  be  countenanced  by  Lev, 
6  :  2,  where  the  same  command  is  given. 


their  sin  which  they  have  done  : 
and  he  shall  recompense  ^  his 
trespass  with  the  principal  there- 
of, and  add  unto  it  the  fifth  ipart 


K  Lev.  6.  5-7.    7.  7. 


The  prevarication  and  falsehood  sup- 
posed in  such  a  case,  the  denial  of  hav- 
ing received  a  deposit  in  trust,  would 
be  an  aggravated  offence  against  the 
Lord,  who  requires  universal  equity  and 

honesty. *[f  And  that  fer son  he  guilty. 

Heb.  nephesh  hahiv,  and  that  soul.  That 
is,  according  to  Pool,  shall  be  sensible 
of  his  guilt,  or  be  convicted  of  his  con- 
science. Otherwise  it  would  amount 
simply  to  a  tautology,  for  the  being 
really  guilty  is  implied  in  the  previous 
expression,  "when  one  shall  commit 
any  sin,"  Rosenmuller,  however,  in- 
terprets it,  "And  shall  in  this  manner 
have  contracted  guilt."  Compared  with 
the  following  verse  this  appears  to  be 
the  most  probable  constrnction. 

V.  7.  Then  they  shall  confess  their  sin, 
etc.  Heb.  hithvaddu,  shall  make  tliem- 
selves  to  confess,  implying  somewhat  of 
self-compulsion.  Although  here  made 
a  condition  in  a  particular  case,  yet  con- 
fession is  the  invariable  requisite  to  re- 
mission in  all  cases.  "  "Whoso  that  con- 
fesseth  and  forsaketh  (sins)  shall  have 
mercy,"  Prov,  28 :  13.  It  is  evident 
that  the  design  of  the  divine  Lawgiver 
was  to  encourage  confession  in  regard 
to  such  offences  as  could  not  be  discov- 
ered by  the  testimony  of  witnesses. 
This  was  merciful  and  wise.  It  tended 
to  relieve  the  mind  of  a  sense  of  guilt, 
and  to  promote  an  ingenuous  disposi- 
tion. In  order  still  farther  to  effect  this 
object,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  fine 
in  case  of  theft  is  much  less  than  it 
would  have  been  had  not  the  crime  been 
acknowledged,  but  had  been  proved 
in  a  court  of  justice, T[  Shall  re- 
compense his  trespass    Heb.  hashil  eth 


70 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


thereof,  and  give  it  unto  him 
against   whom    he    hath    tres- 


8  But  if  the  man  have  no  kins- 
man to  recompense  the  trespass 
unto,  let  the  trespass  be  recom- 


ashomo,  shall  restore  Ms  trespass  (or, 
his  guiltiness),  meaning  the  thing  for 
which  he  is  guilty.  On  the  whole  sub- 
ject of  ashams,  trespasses,  and  trespass- 
offerings,  see  the  introductory  observa- 
tions to  Lev.  5,  where  the  nature  of 
these  offences  and  the  prescribed  offer- 
ings is  fully  discussed.  See  also  Note 
on  Lev.  6  : 4.  Maimonides  says,  "  The 
ashain  (guiltiness)  here  spoken  of  is  the 
thing  taken  by  rapine  or  the  price 
thereof" T[  WitJi  thejorincipal  there- 
of. Heb.  herosho,  in  his  head,  i.  e.  with 
the  sum  total  in  all  its  items,  every 
whit.  See  Note  on  ch.  1:2,  on  the 
peculiar  use  of  "  head  "  in  the  sense  of 

sum. *[[  And  add  imto  it  the  fifth 

fart  thereof.  See  the  Notes  on  Lev.  6  : 
4,  5.  This  penalty  was  enjoined  both 
as  a  compensation  to  the  injured  party 
for  being  deprived  of  the  use  of  his 
property  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time, 
and  as  a  proper  though  mild  punish- 
ment to  the  offender,  with  a  view  to  pre- 
vent the  recurrence  of  similar  wrongs. 
It  is  enacted  in  Ex.  22 : 1,  that  "  If  a 
man  shall  steal  an  ox,  or  a  sheep,  and 
kill  it,  or  sell  it ;  he  shall  restore  five 
oxen  for  an  ox,  and  four  sheep  for  a 
sheep."  But  in  this  instance  the  law 
evidently  contemplates  the  case  of  a 
high-handed  and  wilful  act  of  theft, 
where  the  perpetrator  is  convicted  by 
legal  process,  and  not  by  his  own  con- 
fession, of  the  crime ;  whereas,  in  the 
passage  before  us,  the  fraudulent  act  is 
regarded  as  of  milder  form,  and  is  ex- 
tenuated by  the  voluntary  confession  of 
the  guilty  party. 
V.  8.  But  if  the  man  have  no  Icins- 


pensed  unto  the  Lord,  even  to 
the  priest;  beside  the  ram  of 
the  atonement,  whereby  an 
atonement  shall  be  made  for 
him. 

9  And  every  oftering  of  all 


man.  Heb.  goel,  redeemer.  On  the  im- 
port of  this  term,  see  Note  on  Gen.  9  :  5. 
It  denotes  the  person  who,  according  to 
oriental  custom,  assumes  the  office  of 
redeemer,  avenger,  and  general  agent 
in  behalf  of  one  who  is  deceased.  On 
this  ground  the  Hebrews  apply  this 
law  mainly  to  the  stranger,  supposing 
there  would  not  be  apt  to  be  any  one  in 
Israel  without  kinsmen  of  some  kind, 
either  parent,  brother,  child,  or  other 
relative;  ''but  this,"  says  Jarchi  and 
Maimonides,  *'  is  meant  of  the  stranger 

that  dieth  and  leaveth  no  heirs." 

H  Let  the  trespass  he  recompensed  unto 
the  Lord,  even  unto  the  priest.  The 
Lord  and  the  priest  are  here,  as  it  were, 
identified,  from  the  fact  that  the  priest 
was  the  Lord's  representative  or  depu- 
ty, acting  on  his  behalf  and  in  his  name. 
The  case  contemplated  is  where  the 
man  to  whom  an  injury  had  been  done 
was  dead,  and  he  who  had  committed  it 
was  required  to  make  satisfaction  to  his 
heir,  if  he  had  one,  by  restoring  the 
principal  and  adding  a  fifth  part  to  it. 
In  case  he  had  no  heir  and  no  kinsman 
to  act  the  part  of  a  Goel,  the  restoration 
was  to  be  made  to  the  Lord,  in  the  per- 
son of  his  representative  the  priest, 
though  Jewish  writers  say,  with  much 
plausibility,  that  it  was  afterwards 
equally  distributed  among  all  the  priests 
who  were  then  serving  in  their  course. 

*[[   Beside  the  ram  of  atonement. 

Comp.  Lev.  6  :  6,  7.  The  guilty  party  had 
offended  both  God  and  man  by  his  tres- 
pass. By  restitution  he  was  to  satisfy 
the  latter,  and  by  atonement  the  former. 
V.  9.  Every  offering.    Heb.  terumah. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


71 


the  holy  things  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  which  they  bring  unto 
the  priest,  shall '  be  his. 

10  And  every  man's  hallowed 
things  shall  be  his  :  whatsoever 


t  Ex.  29.  28.  Lev.  6.  17, 18. 
Deut.  18.  3,  4.  Ezek.  44.  29,  3( 
9.  13. 


heave-offering,  taken  here  in  a  large 
sense  so  as  to  include  the  wave-offering, 
both  which,  according  to  Ex.  29  :  26-28, 
fell  to  the  portion  of  Aaron.  Chald. 
"  Separation,  or  separated  thing."  Gr. 
"  And  every  first-fruit  according  to  all 

the  hallowed  things." 1[  WJiich  they 

bring  unto  the  priest.  Heb.  yahrihu, 
bring  near,  cause  to  approach,  i.  e.  by 
way  of  religious  offering.  As  before 
remarked,  it  was  offered  to  the  Lord  in 
the  person  of  the  priest.  Comp.  ch.  18. 
Gr.  "Whatsoever  they  shall  offer  to 
the  Lord,  to  the  priest  to  him  shall  it 

be." 1  Shall  be  his.     That  is,  his 

who  officiates  as  offerer  at  the  time. 
Compare  with  this  what  is  said  about 
the  provision  for  the  priests,  Ezek.  44  : 
28-30,  "  I  am  their  inheritance  :  and  ye 
shall  give  them  no  possession  in  Israel : 
I  am  their  possession.  They  shall  eat 
the  meat-offering,  and  the  sin-offering, 
and  the  trespass-offering;  and  every 
dedicated  thing  in  Israel  shall  be  theirs. 
And  the  first  of  all  the  first-fruits  of  all 
things,  and  every  oblation  of  all,  of 
every  sort  of  your  oblations,  shall  be 
the  priest's  :  ye  shall  also  give  unto  the 
priest  the  first  of  your  dough,  that  he 
may  cause  the  blessing  to  rest  in  thine 
house."  These  verses  appear  to  have 
no  specially  intimate  connection  with 
the  foregoing,  but  having  spoken  of  a 
recompense  to  be  made  under  certain 
circumstances  to  the  priest,  he  takes 
occasion  to  deliver  some  other  laws  in 
which  the  priests  were  concerned. 
V.  10.   Every  man's  hallowed  things 


any  man  giveth  the  priest,    it 
shall  be  his. 

11  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

12  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them,  If 
any  man's  wife  go  aside,  and 
commit  a  trespass  against  him. 


shall  be  his.  That  is,  every  man's  hal- 
lowed things  are  to  be  considered,  in 
the  first  instance,  as  being  his  own,  and 
subject  to  his  own  voluntary  disposal ; 
but  when  he  has  determined  to  make  a 
present  of  any  of  them  to  the  Lord,  then 
they  fall  to  the  share  of  that  priest  into 
whose  hand  it  is  delivered,  who  is  to 
consider  it  his.  The  former  verse  speaks 
of  the  holy  things  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael in  general,  this  of  what  any  partic- 
ular person  bestowed  upon  a  priest. 

The  Trial  of  Jealousy. 
V.  12.  If  any  man's  wife  go  aside. 
Heb.  ish,  ish,  a  m,an,  a  mxin,  that  is,  as 
rightly  rendered,  the  wife  of  any  man — 
a  not  unusual  Hebrew  idiom.  Adultery 
was  a  crime  expressly  forbidden  by  the 
seventh  commandment,  and  the  punish- 
ment assigned  by  the  law  to  both  the 
adulterer  and  the  adulteress  was  death 
by  stoning,  when  the  commission  of  the 
crime  was  discovered.  But  sometimes 
the  crime  might  be  suspected,  and  a 
spirit  of  jealousy,  with  or  without  just 
cause,  might  come  over  the  mind  of  the 
husband.  In  such  a  case  express  pro- 
vision was  made,  by  this  law,  for  de- 
termining the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the 
wife ;  and  although  God  might  have 
declared  her  innocence  or  guilt  at  once, 
yet  he  chose  that  it  should  assume  the 
form  of  a  public  trial,  that  the  attention 
of  the  people  might  be  the  more  called, 
both  to  the  crime  of  adultery,  as  also  to 
his  own  presence  and  active  agency  in 
the  administration  of  the  law  he  had 


72 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490 


given  them.  The  connection  of  this 
enactment  with  the  preceding  is  not 
very  obvious,  but  it  may  be  that  inas- 
much as  the  preceding  verses  allude  to 
various  kinds  of  frauds,  this  may  be  in- 
troduced here  as  the  most  aggravated 
form  of  that  iniquity  which  a  man  could 
have  practised  upon  him.  The  law  in 
itself  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
all  the  Mosaic  institutes.  It  goes  on 
the  assumption  that  as  the  Lord  is  the 
author  of  marriage,  so  he  will  show  him- 
self the  revenger  of  the  breach  of  it ;  and 
it  would  naturally  carry  with  it,  so  far 
as  the  predicted  results  ensued,  indu- 
bitable evidence  of  miraculous  agency, 
and  consequently  afford  full  proof  of  the 
divinity  of  its  origin  ;  and  if  this  par- 
ticular law  were  divine,  it  could  not 
well  fail  to  make  out  the  same  character 
for  the  whole  system.  Here  is  a  crime 
threatened  with  a  punishment  which 
could  only  fall  upon  it  through  a  special 
divine  interposition,  and  such  a  fact 
would  establish  a  permanent  supernat- 
ural administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Jewish  nation.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest 
specimens  on  record  of  what  is  termed 
the  trial  by  ordeal.  Ordeal  (Lat.  orda- 
lium)  is  plausibly  supposed  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  Saxon  ordal  or  ordel, 
compounded  of  or,  great,  and  deel,  judg- 
ment, implying  the  greated,  most  sol- 
emn, and  decisive  mode  of  judgment. 
It  always  implied  an  appeal  to  the  im- 
i.tediate  interposition  of  God,  and  was 
therefore  resorted  to  only  in  momen- 
tous cases,  where  there  was  no  sufficient 
evidence  whereby  accused  parties  could 
be  convicted  of  guilt.  Such  were  the 
cases  of  jealousy  described  in  this  chap- 
ter. "  Cases  would  frequently  occur," 
says  Mr.  Kitto,  "  where  the  husband 
might  suspect  adultery  without  being 
able  to  prove  it,  and  in  that  case,  the 
man  and  wife  could  not  fail  to  live  mis- 
erably together,  or  else  the  man  would 
feel  inclined  to  act  on  his  own  impres- 


sions, and  take  the  law  into  his  own 
hands.  To  meet  such  a  case,  a  trial 
was  instituted,  by  which  the  innocence 
or  guilt  of  a  suspected  wife  might  be 
established  beyond  question.  The  trial 
of  a  case  of  only  suspected  guilt,  and 
incapable  of  proof,  could  not  be  other 
than  an  ordeal ;  and  no  one  who  pays 
attention  to  this  awful  process  can  doubt 
that  it  must  have  had  a  powerful  effect 
for  the  intended  purpose,  or  believe 
that  any  really  guilty  woman  could  go 
through  it  and  brave  its  results.  It 
must  have  been  an  awful  thing  even  to 
the  innocent,  who  knew  that  the  result 
would  clear  their  character  from  suspi- 
cion ;  and  this  was  perhaps  intended 
in  order  that  their  conduct  might  not 
only  be  free  from  actual  guilt,  but  that 
they  might  avoid  all  conduct  calculated 
to  give  cause  for  suspicion.  We  read 
no  instance  in  which  the  trial  took 
place  ;  and  if  the  administration  of  the 
ordeal  were  really  infrequent,  we  may 
regard  that  as  an  evidence  of  its  prac- 
tical utility.  For  it  would  seem  that 
the  trial  and  its  result  were  so  dreadful, 
that  the  guilty  rather  confessed  their 
crime,  as  they  were  earnestly  exhorted 
to  do,  than  go  through  it.  The  inno- 
cent only  would  then  drink  the  bitter 
water ;  and  as  it  produced  no  marked 
effect  upon  tliem,  this  may  have  led  to 
the  gradual  disuse  of  the  trial,  under 
the  impression  that  it  had  ceased  to  be 
operative.  The  Jews,  however,  say 
that  this  form  of  trial  continued  in  use 
till  towards  the  latter  end  of  the  second 
temple  ;  for  they  were  of  opinion  that 
the  bitter  water  would  have  no  effect 
if  the  husband  himself  were  guilty  of  a 
similar  crime;  and  they  add  that  the 
adulteries  of  men  became  so  common, 
that  the  ordeal  ceased  to  distinguish 
the  guilty  woman  from  the  innocent." — • 
Plct.  Bible.  Although  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe,  with  Spencer,  that 
the  ordeal,  as  a  purgation  of  crime,  ex- 


B.  C.  1490.1 


CHAPTER  y. 


73 


13  And  a  man  *  lie  with  her 
carnally,  and  it  be  hid  from  the 
eyes  of  her  husband,  and  be  kept 


isted  in  the  customs  of  heathen  nations 
prior  to  its  enactment  among  the  Jews, 
yet  it  is  probable  that  this  appointment 
embodied  in  a  divine  code  has  served 
as  an  authority,  or  rather  as  a  prece- 
dent, for  various  similar  usages  which 
have  prevailed  in  later  times  for  the  de- 
tection of  crimes,  such  as  witchcraft, 
for  instance,  of  which  it  was  impossible 
to  produce  satisfactory  proof.  We  have 
grounds  for  abundant  gratitude,  that 
under  the  milder  dispensation  in  which 
our  lot  is  cast,  no  such  direct  appeals 
to  a  divine  decision  find  a  warrant. 

V.  13.  And  a  man  lie  icith  lier  carnal- 
ly.    Heb.  "  A  man  lie  with  her  (with) 

the  lying  of  seed." T[  And  be  kept 

close.  Heb.  n~jriD3  nisterah,  she  JiatJi 
been  hidden,  or,  acted  mysteriously,  has 
mystified.  Concealment,  mystery,  is  the 
leading  idea,  and  in  fact  the  very  word 
mystery  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from 
the  root  of  the  original  Hebrew  sdthar, 
to  hide,  to  conceal.  It  has  evidently  a 
close  relation  with  mistor,  a  hiding- 
flace,  formed  directly  from  the  above 

root    by  prefixing   ?2  =  m. \  And 

there  be  no  xvitness  against  her.  For  if 
there  were,  she  must  have  been  punish- 
ed by  being  put  to  death.  See  the  law 
Lev.  18  :  20  and  20  :  10.  The  remark  may 
here  be  made,  that  the  case  described 
in  this  verse  is  not  to  be  considered  as 
actual,  but  hypothetical,  that  is,  the 
husband  has  some  reason  to  suspect  that 
his  wife  has  gone  aside ;  she  has  gone 
aside  in  his  opinion  ;  for  it  is  clear  from 
the  context  that  he  had  no  proof  of  it, 
nor  indeed  does  the  law  seem  intended 
for  unequivocal  cases,  as  in  all  such 
cases  the  punishment  was  death,  as  just 
observed  ;  and  it  is  a  saying  of  the  He- 
Irew  doctors  that  "  the  bitter  waters  are 

4 


close,  and  she  be  defiled,  and 
there  he  no  witness  against  her, 
neither  she  be  taken  iviih  the 
manner  ; 


never  used  except  in  doubtful  cases." 
The  ensuing  verse  makes  it  evident  that 
the  man  is  harboring  a  suspicion  which 
may  or  not  be  well  founded.  In  this 
state  of  suspense  he  is  directed  what 

to  do. ^  Xeither  she  be  taken  (with 

the  manner.)  The  concluding  phrase 
"  with  the  manner"  conveys  no  intelli- 
gible sense  as  the  words  are  now  un- 
derstood. They  might  be  omitted  with- 
out any  apparent  detriment  to  the  sense. 
It  is  in  fact  a  peculiar  idiomatic  phrase 
occurring  in  the  older  English  writers, 
and  now  almost  wholly  obsolete,  except 
in  law  documents,  to  which  it  originally 
and  properly  belongs.  It  is  equivalent 
to  being  taken  in  the  act.  Johnson,  in 
his  Dictionary,  under  the  word  "  man- 
ner," gives  a  definition  almost  identical 
with  that  of  Blackstone,  who  says  of 
certain  methods  of  prosecution,  that 
"  one  was  when  a  thief  was  taken  with 
the  mainour,  that  is,  with  the  thing 
stolen  upon  him  in  manu,  in  his  hand." 
"Mainour,"  it  seems,  was  the  ancient 
spelling,  which  Blackstone  says  comes 
from  the  French  mainxuvre,  a  manu, 
and  this  gradually  became  changed  into 
manier,  and  then  into  manner.  Whi- 
shaw's  "Law  Dictionary"  has  the  fol- 
lowing : — "  Maxxee  (from  the  Fr.  ma- 
nier or  mainer,  i.  e.  manu  tractare.) 
To  be  taken  with  the  manier,  is  where 
a  thief,  having  stolen  any  thing,  is  taken 
with  the  same  about  him,  as  it  were  in 
his  hands;  which  is  called  flagrante 
delicto."  So  in  "Nares'  Glossary," 
which  contains  the  fullest  exhibition  of 
the  usage  of  the  phrase,  it  is  said,  "  To 
be  taken  with  or  in  the  manner,  is  to  be 
caught  in  a  criminal  fact ;  originally 
in  a  theft  with  the  thing  stolen  in  hand." 
To  the  above,  we  may  add  the  follow- 


74 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


14  And  the  spirit  of  jealousy ' 
come  upon  liim,  and  he  be  jeal- 
ous of  his  wife,  and  she  be  de- 

l  Prov.  6.  34,  35.    Cant.  8.  6.     Zeph.  3.  8. 

ing  from  "Junius'  Letters"  (Let.  68), 
which  goes  to  confirm  all  that  is  said 
above.  "  It  is  worth  the  reader's  atten- 
tion to  observe  how  nearly,  in  the  ideas 
of  our  ancestors,  the  circumstance  of 
'being  taken  with  the  maner"  ap- 
proached to  the  conviction  of  the  felon. 
It  fixed  the  authoritative  stamp  of  veri- 
similitude upon  the  accusation  ;  and  by 
the  common  law,  when  a  thief  was  taken 
with  the  rnaner  (that  is,  with  the  things 
stolen  upon  him  in  manu)  he  might,  so 
detected  flagrante  delicto,  be  brought 
into  court,  arraigned  and  tried  without 
indictment ;  as  by  the  Danish  law,  he 
might  be  taken  and  hanged  upon  the 
spot,  without  accusation  or  trial." 

V.  14.  Andthespiritof  jealousy  come 
upon  him.  Heb.  njOpTlTl  r^'p'P  "I^S'I 
ve-dbar  dlauv  ruach  kinah,  and  the  spir- 
it of  jealousy  pass  upon  him.  Gr. 
"And  the  spirit  of  jealousy  (rather, 
zealousy — ^t)X(c(ns)  come  upon  him." 
By  the  "  spirit  of  jealousy  "  is  implied 
a  jealous  or  zealous  affection  of  mind, 
one  by  which  the  subject  of  it  is  power- 
fully impelled.  In  like  manner  the 
Scriptures  elsewhere  speak  of"  the  spir- 
it of  wisdom,  the  spirit  of  counsel,  the 
spirit  of  knowledge,"  Is.  11 :  2.  Eph.  1 : 
17 ;  "  the  spirit  of  fornications,"  Hos. 
4:12;  "  the  spirit  of  fear,"  2  Tim.  1:7; 
"the  spirit  of  meekness,"  Gal.  6:1; 
"  the  spirit  of  slumber,"  Rom.  11:8; 
and  in  1  Cor.  14  :  12,  "spirits"  are  put 
for  the  gifts  and  movings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Jealousy  is  a  zealous  affection 
taken  sometimes  in  a  good  and  some- 
times in  an  evil  sense,  as  zeal  is  some- 
times spoken  of  as  good  and  sometimes 
as  evil,  John  2 :  17.  2  Cor.  7  :  11.  Gal. 
5  :  20,  and  is  called  hitter  zeal,  James  3  : 
14.     The  Hebrew  has  one  term  {kinah) 


filed  :  or  if  the  spirit  of  jealousy 
come  upon  him,  and  he  be  jeal- 
ous of  his  wife,  and  she  be  not 


defiled ; 


by  which  to  express  zeal,  jealousy,  envy, 
and  emulation.  Thus  Phineas  was 
^^  zealous  for  his  God,"  ch.  25  :  11 ;  Elias 
was  "very  zealous^^  for  him,  1  Kings 
19:10;  Joshua  was  envious  for  Moses' 
sake.  Num.  11  :  29  ;  and  jealousy  is  an 
affection  termed  "  hard  (or  cruel)  as  the 
grave,  the  coals  whereof  are  coals  of 
fire,"  Song  8  :  6.  Jealousy  is  said  also 
to  be  "the  rage  of  a  man  ;  therefore 
he  will  not  spare  in  the  day  of  ven- 
geance," P.-ov.  6  :  34.  The  same  affec- 
tion is  ascribed,  by  the  figure  termed 
anthropopathy,  to  the  Lox'd  himself, 
who  is  termed  "a  jealous  God,"  Ex. 
20 :  5.  In  all  these  cases  the  original 
word  is  the  same  with  that  in  the  pres- 
ent passage.  The  phrase  "spirit  of 
jealousy  "  belongs  to  a  mode  of  speech 
which  is  usual  when  any  strong,  vehe- 
ment, or  violent  affection,  passion,  or 
prompting  takes  possession  of  a  man, 
as  though  his  whole  soul  was  carried 
away  by  it,  and  he  had  scarcely  the 
power  of  resistance.  At  the  same  time, 
we  are  doubtless  at  liberty  to  recognize 
an  allusion  to  the  power  and  influence 
of  evil  spirits  who  are  present  and  ac- 
tive in  instigating  all  such  promptings 
of  our  fallen  nature,  exciting  them  when 
there  is  no  ground,  and  aggravating 
them  when  there  is.  If  we  are  author- 
ised to  recognize  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  all  such  aff'ections  as  are 
termed  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  meek- 
ness, the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  un- 
derstanding, the  spirit  of  grace  and 
supplication,  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  of 
faith,  and  of  a  sound  mind,  so  on  the 
other  we  may  properly  refer  the  oppo- 
site affections  to  an  opposite  source, 
and  see  an  evil  demon  in  an  evil  dispo- 
sition,  If  And  he  he  jealous  of  hi? 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


75 


15  Then  shall  the  man  bring 
his  wife  unto  the  priest,  and  he 
shall  bring  her  offering "'  for 
her,  the  tenth  part  of  an  ephah 
of  barley  meal :    he  shall  pour 


wife,  and  she  he  defiled.  Two  distinct 
cases  are  evidently  supposed,  one  in 
which  the  woman  has  committed  adul- 
tery, giving  thereby  occasion  for  a  just 
and  well-founded  jealousy ;  the  other  in 
which  she  has  not  been  guilty  of  the 
crime,  and  consequently  given  no  legiti- 
mate cause  for  distrust.  Both  these 
suppositions  are  involved  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  present  verse.  But  what- 
ever were  Wxq  facts  in  the  case,  the  pre- 
scribed course  was  the  same. T[  And 

she  be  defiled.     That  is,  whether  she  be 

defiled. T[  And  she  he  not  defiled.   Or 

whether  it  be  only  his  suspicion.  The 
language  is  all  along  to  be  understood 
of  the  impressions  of  the  husband,  and 
not  of  the  actual  fact. 

Y.  15.  Then  shall  the  man  hring  his 
wife  unto  the  priest.  Together  with  the 
witnesses,  if  any,  who  were  prepared  to 
testif)'  to  the  act.  According  to  the 
Jewish  writers,  the  priest  first  endeav- 
ored to  persuade  her  to  confess  the 
truth,  suggesting  hypothetically  vari- 
ous apologies  and  extenuations  for  her, 
and  if  she  confessed,  saying,  "  I  am  de- 
filed," she  was  not  put  to  death,  but 
simply  divorced,  with  the  loss  of  her 
dowry;  if  she  said,  "I  am  pure,"  they 

then  proceeded. T[  TJce  tenth  part  of 

an  ephah  of  barley  vieal.  A  coarse 
offering  of  barley-meal,  without  oil  or 
frankincense,  is  here  prescribed  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  nature  of  the  trans- 
action and  the  state  of  the  parties.  As 
all  the  circumstances  were  disagreeable, 
so  the  offering  was  not  of  the  usual  pal- 
atable material.  It  was  unaccompanied 
by  the  other  usual  requisites,  because  it 


no  oil  upon  it,  nor  put  frankin- 
cense thereon ;  for  it  is  an  offer- 
ing of  jealousy,  an  offering  of 
memorial,  bringing "  inic^uity  to 
remembrance. 

n   1  K.  n.  18.     Ezek.  29.  16.     Heb.  10.  3. 

was  no  grateful  offering  of  thanksgiv- 
ing, but  an  expression  of  humiliation, 
grief,  and  shame.  The  Hebrew  wri- 
ters say,  "meal,  not  flour;  barley,  not 
wheat :  she  hath  done  the  act  of  a  beast, 
and  her  oblation  is  the  meal  of  a  beast." 
It  may  here  be  asked,  Why  the  jealous 
wife  was  not  equally  privileged  to  ar- 
raign her  husband  and  put  him  to  an 
oath  of  purgation  similar  to  that  here 
prescribed  for  the  woman.  To  this  it 
may  be  replied  (1),  that  women  gener- 
ally speaking  are  more  prone  to  suspi- 
cion and  jealousy  than  men,  and  there- 
fore more  liable  to  make  an  improper  use 
of  such  a  liberty.  (2.)  Because,  among 
the  Jews  the  marital  pre-eminence  and 
authority  was  so  marked,  that  the  great- 
est violence  would  have  been  done  to 
the  husband's  prerogative  by  such  a 
concession  to  the  wife.  (3.)  Because, 
an  injury  to  the  conjugal  relation  on  the 
part  of  the  wife  was  a  more  heinous 
offence  than  one  on  the  part  of  the  hus- 
band, inasmuch  as  he  was  thereby  made 
liable  to  father  another  man's  issue,  and 
to  leave  his  inheritance  and  estate  to 
children  that  were  not  his.  (4.)  Be- 
cause, wives  under  the  instigation  of 
jealousy,  had  not  so  much  power  to  op- 
press and  wrong  their  husbands,  as  the 
husbands  had  to  wrong  their  wives. 
The  law  was  piompted  by  a  prevailing 
kindly  regard  to  the  welfare  of  woman. 

Tl  A7i  offering  of  memorial  bHng- 

ing  iniquity  to  remerabrance.  The  char- 
acter and  design  of  the  offering  deter- 
mined its  quality.  It  was  an  offering 
composed  of  the  lowest  and  meanest 
kind  of  grain,  such  as  was  used  by  the 


76 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


16  And  the  priest  shall  bring 
her  near,  and  set  her  before  the 
Lord  : 

poorest  of  the  people,  and  therefore 
adapted  to  remind  the  woman  of  the 
humiliating  circumstances  into  which, 
for  the  time  being,  she  was  brought. 
It  was  to  have  no  oil,  because  oil  was  a 
symbol  of  love  or  charity,  and  its  ac- 
companying joy  and  gladness,  in  which 
her  reputed  conduct  showed  her  lack- 
ing ;  while  frankincense  denoted  that 
sweet  spiritual  savor  which  renders  all 
offerings  acceptable  to  the  Lord,  and 
this  also  was  supposed  to  be  wanting 
so  long  as  her  innocence  was  in  ques- 
tion. It  was  an  offering  that  brought 
iniquity  to  remembrance,  not  only  in 
the  conscience  of  the  guilty  party,  but 
also  in  the  minds  of  others,  who  would 
be  impressed  by  its  heinousness.  Again, 
it  was  a  memorial  offering  in  that  it 
was  a  solemn  appeal  to  the  Most  High, 
reminding  him  that  he  had  engaged  to 
judge,  and  expecting  from  him  a  dis- 
covery of  the  woman's  sin,  if  sin  had 
been  committed,  or  of  her  justification 
if  she  were  innocent.  See  Notes  on 
Lev.  5 :  11  and  2  :  2. 

V.  16.  And  the  priest  shall  bring  Tier 
■near,  and  set  her  before  the  Lord.  Heb. 
"  Cause  her  to  stand."  Most  commen- 
tators understand  the  original  pronoun 
otha,  his  or  it,  of  the  offering  and  not 
of  the  woman  ;  consequently  they  ren- 
der "bring  it"  and  " set  it  before  the 
Lord,"  instead  of  "  her,"  as  she  is  com- 
manded to  be  set  before  the  Lord  in  v. 
18.  The  Hebrew  will  admit  of  either 
interpretation,  and  it  is  not  possible  to 
pronounce  absolutely  which  is  the  true 
one.  He  was  to  place  her  by  the.  sanc- 
tuary, the  Lord's  dwelling-place,  that 
she  might  consider  herself  as  in  his  im- 
mediate presence,  and  that  she  and  all 
the  spectators  might  solemnly  await  his 
decision.     "  Before  the  Lord,"  signifies 


17  And  the  priest  shall  take 
holy  water  in  an  earthen  vessel ; 
and  of  the  dust  that  is  in  the 


at  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings  standing 
before  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle.  She 
was  thus  to  consider  herself  as  stand- 
ing and  about  to  hold  up  her  hand  at 
the  bar  of  God's  judgment-seat,  where 
no  prevarication  was  to  be  allowed. 

V.  17.  And  the  priest  shall  take  holy 
water.  Heb.  mayim  Jcedoshim,,  holy 
waters,  plur.  Chald.  "Waters  of  the 
laver."  Gr.  "Clean  living  water," 
which  would  seem  to  imply  that  the 
translators  understood  it  of  the  "water 
of  separation"  mentioned  ch.  19:9, 
which  was  sprinkled  with  the  ashes  of 
the  red  heifer  and  applied  to  those  who 
were  separated  from  the  congregation 
for  uncleanness,  that  after  being  wash- 
ed and  cleansed  with  it  they  might  be 
again  received.  But  it  is  with  more 
probability  called  "  holy  "  as  being  ta- 
ken from  the  laver,  and  thence  sepa- 
rated from  common  to  sacred  uses.  It 
was  from  thus  being  appropriated  that 
it  acquired  the  epithet  "  holy."  Intrin- 
sically it  had  no  more  holiness  than  any 
other  water.  This  water  was  to  be  put 
in  an  earthen  vessel,  inasmuch  as  what 
was  coarse  and  plain  was  most  suitable 
to  the  occasion.  The  baseness  of  the 
vessel  tended  to  set  forth  the  degrada- 
tion of  the  party  on  supposition  of  her 
guilt,  and  being  of  a  fragile  material  it 
could  be  easily  broken  after  being  thus 
employed,  so  that  no  monument  of  the 
crime  should  remain.     Comp.  Lev.  6  : 

28.   11  :  33.   15  :  12. T[   Of  the  dust 

that  is  in  the  floor  of  the  tahernacle. 
The  design  of  putting  dust  into  the 
water  was  to  signify  the  reproach  and 
shame  she  lay  under.  Ainsworth  re- 
marks, that  as  dust  was  the  serpent's 
food,  so  it  was  implied  that  if  she  had 
hearkened  to  the  serpent's  temptation, 
she  might  expect  to  partake  of  the  ser- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  y. 


77 


floor  of  the  tabernacle  tlie  priest 
shall  take,  and  put  it  into  the 
water  : 

18  And  the  priest  shall  set 
the  woman  before   the  Lord*, 


Heb.  13.  4.    Rev,  2.  19-23. 


pent's  curse.  Yet  it  was  to  be  dust 
taken  from  "  the  floor  of  the  tabertia- 
cle,"  whence  it  acquired  a  certain  de- 
gree of  sanctity,  and  thus  an  honor  was 
put  upon  every  thing  pertaining  to  the 
place  which  God  had  chosen  to  put  his 
name  there,  and  an  awe  inspired  of  the 
divine  judgments.  "  Nothing  could  be 
more  unexceptionable  than  taking  dust 
from  the  floor,  and  this  in  presence 
of  the  woman  and  her  friends.  This 
was  very  unlike  the  case  of  the  ordeals 
among  the  heathen,  when  the  persons 
accused  were  required  to  drink  things 
naturally  pernicious  ;  to  handle  hot 
iron  ;  or  to  dip  their  hands  into  boiling 
water,  hot  oil,  etc.,  when  nothing  but  a 
miracle,  or  some  artifice,  would  save 
the  innocent ;  whereas  here,  nothing 
but  a  miracle  could  hurt  the  guilty.  It 
was  therefore  an  excellent  method  to 
set  the  mind  of  the  husband  at  ease,  in 
a  case  which  is  frequently  the  occasion 

of  much  distress." — Priestly. %  Put 

it  into  tJie  water.  Heb.  el  haramayim,, 
to  the  water ;  as  the  Rabbinists  say, 
"  He  put  it  upon  the  top  of  the  water, 
that  it  might  be  seen  upon  the  upper 
part  of  the  water."  And  again,  "If  he 
put  in  the  dust  before  the  water,  it  was 
unlawful." 

V.  18.  And  the  priest  shall  set  the 
woman  hefore  the  Lord.  Heb.  "Shall 
cause  to  stand."  She  was  to  be  placed 
before  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  with 
her  face  towards  the  ark,  where  was  the 
symbol  of  the  divine  presence.  This 
was  a  place  of  constant  resort,  and  the 
publicity  of  the  exposure  would  not  only 
tend  to  affect  duly  her  own  feelings,  but 


and  uncover  the  woman's  head, 
and  put  the  offering  of  memo- 
rial in  her  hands,  which  is  the 
jealousy-offering:  and  the  priest 
shall  have  in  his  hand  the  bitter 
water  that  causeth  the  curse. 


operate  also  as  a  warning  to  others  not 

"  to  do  after  her  lewdness." ^  And 

uncover  the  woman's  head.  A  covering 
upon  the  head  of  a  woman  was  regard- 
ed as  a  sign  of  subjection  to  her  hus- 
band and  of  corresponding  protection 
upon  his  part  towards  her.  It  intima- 
ted a  tender  relation  which  was  sup- 
posed to  be  broken  for  the  time  being, 
and  a  certain  degree  of  exposure  to  judg- 
ment coupled  with  deep  degradation, 
indicated  by  the  act  of  denuding  the 
head.  The  act  would  also  naturally 
carry  with  it  the  implication,  that  if 
guilty  it  would  be  in  vain  any  lunger  to 
attempt  to  hide  her  sin,  as  the  divine 
Detector  would  now  disclose  the  facts, 
and  discover  to  the  eyes  of  all  Israel 
whether  she  were  unjustly  accused  or 
not.  In  addition  to  this,  the  Jewish 
writers  say  that  her  hair  was  loosed, 
her  garments  torn  open  to  the  breast, 
and  whatever  ornaments  of  gold  or  jew- 
els she  wore  were  taken  from  her,  ali 
with  a  view  to  render  her  external  con- 
dition   accordant  with    her    supposed 

moral  state. T[  And  put  the  offering 

of  memorial  in  her  hand.  This  offering 
having  been  brought  by  her  husband 
for  her,  v.  15,  she  was  now  to  take  and 
offer,  emblematical  of  hSr  offering  her- 
self to  the  Lord's  trial,  as  the  oblation 
was  to  be  presented  to  him. — — ^  And 
the  priest  shall  have  in  his  hand.  "  All 
the  while  that  her  head  is  bare,  and  the 
meal-off'ering  in  her  hands,  the  water  is 
to  be  in  a  vessel  in  the  priest's  hand, 
that  she  may  see  the  water." — Maimon- 

ides. ^[  The  Utter  water  that  causeth 

the  curse.    Heb.  me,  hamm^rim.  waters 


78 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


19  And  the  priest  shall  charge 
her  by  an  oath^,  and  say  unto 
the  woman,  If  no  man  have  lain 
with  thee,  and  if  thou  hast  not 
gone  aside  to  uncleanness  wiih 
another   instead    of    thy    hus- 

p  Mat.  26.  63. 

of  bitternesses.  Gr.  to  udor  tou  elegmou, 
water  of  conviction,  so  called  from  its 
convincing  of  guilt.  Some  of  the  He- 
brew writers  intimate  that  the  water 
was  made  bitter  by  the  infusion  of 
wormwood  or  something  else  of  similar 
quality,  but  the  far  preferable  opinion 
is,  that  it  was  so  called  from  its  effects, 
for  if  she  were  guilty,  the  drinking  of 
the  water  would  prove  fatal,  and  death 
is  said  to  be  hUte7\  1  Sam.  15  :  32,  "  And 
Agag  said,  Surely  the  litterness  of  death 
is  past."  Eccl.  7  :  26,  "And  I  findwiore 
litter  tlian  death  the  woman,"  etc.  The 
same  is  said  of  afflictions.  Is.  38  :  15, 
17,  "  I  shall  go  softly  all  my  years  in 
the  litterness  of  my  soul."  *'  Behold, 
for  peace  I  had  great  litterness."  Solo- 
mon, speaking  of  an  harlot,  says,  Prov. 
5:4,  " Her  end  is  litter  as  wormwood" 
that  is,  both  to  herself  and  to  her  vic- 
tims. We  may  reasonably  conclude, 
therefore,  that  "  waters  of  bitternesses," 
an  intensitive  form  of  expression,  de- 
note waters  which  produced  the  most 
bitter  and  baneful  effects,  as  a  just  pen- 
alty for  the  offence,     Comp.  vs.  24,  27. 

1[    That  causeth   the  curse.    Heb. 

Jiamorerim,  rendered  by  Ainsworth, 
litter  curse-lringing.  Syr.  "Explor- 
ing." Sam.  "Declaring;"  both  point- 
ing to  the  effect  of  the  water  as  deter- 
mining or  revealing  the  guilt  of  the 
delinquent.  This,  however,  is  to  be 
attributed  to  no  inherent  virtue  of  that 
kind  in  the  water  itself;  it  was  due 
only  to  the  divine  power  operating  in 
and  with  it  that  it  produced  such  bale- 
ful results. 
V.  19.  And  t1ie  priest  slmll  charge  her 


band,  be  thou  free  from  this 
bitter  water  that  causeth  the 
curse : 

20  But  if  thou  hast  gone 
aside  io  another  instead  of  thy 
husband,  and  if  thou  be  defiled, 


ly  an  oath.  Heb.  hishlia,  shall  adjure, 
shall  cause  to  swear.  Gr.  "  Shall  adjure 
her  in  or  by  the  curses  of  this  oath." 
The  priest  was  thus,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  to  adjure  the  woman  to  tell  the 
truth,  and  to  denounce  the  curse  of  God 
against  her  if  she  were  guilty,  at  the 
same  time  declaring  to  her  what  would 
be  the  effect  of  her  drinking  the  water. 
Maimonides  says  that  in  after  times, 
when  the  Jews  had,  in  their  dispersion, 
lost  their  own  language,  this  adjuration 
was  to  be  uttered  in  a  language  that  she 
understood,  in  order  that  she  might  in- 
telligently say  Amen. T[  If  no  man. 

That  is,  no  other  man  than  thy  hus- 
band. Thus  Gen.  36  :  6,  "  went  into  the 
country  from  the  face,"  etc.      Chald. 

"  into    another    country," •[[    With 

another  instead  of  thy  husland.  Heb. 
tahath  ishehd,  under  thy  husland;  that 
is,  by  the  substitution  of  another  for  thy 
husband.  The  usage  is  illustrated  by 
the  following  passages ;  Gen.  4  :  25, 
"  God  hath  appointed  me  another  seed 
instead  of  Abel ; "  Heb.  "  under  Abel." 
Ez.  23  :  5,  "  And  Aholah  played  the  har- 
lot when  she  was  mine ;"  Heb.  "  under 
me."  Hos.  4 :  12,  "  They  have  gone  a 
■whovmg  from  under  their  God;"  that 
is,  by  adopting  some  other  one  in  his 
place. TJ  JBe  thou  free  from  this  hit- 
ter water.  Heb.  "Be  thou  innocent," 
that  is,  free,  guiltless,  clear ;  this  water 
shall  be  innocuous  to  thee ;  thou  shalt 
receive  no  harm  from  it.  The  impera- 
tive for  the  future. 

V.  20.  Instead  of  thy  husband.  Heb. 
"under  thy  husband,"  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse. T[  Some  man  have  lain 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


79 


the  Lord  doth  make  thj  thigh 
to  rot,  and  thy  belly  to  swell : 

22  And  this  water  that  caus- 
eth  the  curse  shall  go  into  thy 


and   some  man  have  lain  with  j  Lord  make  thee  a  curse  *"  and 
thee  beside  thine  husband  :  an  oath  among  th,y  people,  when 

21     Then    the    priest   shall     '     '  '    "         " 

charge  *  the  woman  with  an 
oath  of  cursing,  and  the  priest 
shall  say  unto  the  woman,  The 

q  Josh.  6.  V6.    1  Sam.  14.  J4.   Neh.  10.  29. 

with  thee.  Heb.  "  Some  man  have  given 
with  thee  his  lying."  See  Note  on  v. 
13  ;  also  on  Lev.  15  :  18. 

V.  21.  Then  the  priest  shall  charge 
the  icoman,  etc.  This  is  not  to  be  un- 
derstood as  an  additional  adjuration, 
but  merely  the  continuation  of  that  be- 
gun V.  19:  Purver  renders  the  verse 
more  accurately  thus  :  "  Thus  shall  the 
priest  go  on,  causing  her  to  swear  with 
an  oath  of  cursing  ;  the  Lord  make  thee 
a  curse  and  an  oath  among  thy  people, 
by  his  making  thy  thigh  fall  and  thy 

belly  swell." H  Tli^  Lord  make  thee 

a  curse  and  an  oath.  The  context  here 
contains  a  species  or  formula  of  adjura- 
tion which  the  priest  administered  to 
the  accused  party.  It  was  equivalent 
to  saying,  "  The  Lord  make  thee  such 
an  object  of  cursing,  that  men  may 
make  thee  a  model  of  imprecation,  say- 
ing, if  I  swear  falsely,  let  God  punish 
me,  as  he  did  such  a  woman."  So  Is. 
65  :  15,  "  Ye  shall  leave  3^our  name  for 
a  curse  (or  an  oath)  to  my  chosen ;  "  i.  e. 

for  an  oath  of  execration. %  Make  thy 

thigh  to  rot  and  thy  helly  to  swell.  The 
precise  nature  of  the  punishment  here 
threatened  is  not  perhaps  fully  convey- 
ed by  the  words  employed  in  our  com- 
mon version.  The  "  rotting  "  of  the 
thigh  is  in  the  Hebrew  the  "falling"  of 
the  thigh,  and  if  we  understand  "  thigh" 
in  the  euphemistic  sense  in  which  it  is 
used  Gen.  46  :  26,  "  the  souls  which 
came  out  of  Jacob's  thigh^^''  we  may  in- 
fer Wi-di  prolapsus  vteri,  ot  falling  of  the 
wo?rib,  was  the  real  effect  implied  in  the 
language  of  this   clause  and  ovarian 


dropsy  signified  by  the  other.  So  it  is 
understood  by  Horsley  and  others.  We 
find  the  sense  of  "rot"  given  to  this 
word  no  where  else  but  in  the  present 
connection,  though  it  is  often  used  as 
equivalent  to  "die."  If  it  be  under- 
stood of  the  thigh,  properly  speaking, 
it  denotes  doubtless  the  icithering  or 
shrinJcing  aicay  of  the  muscles  and  fat, 
but  in  that  case  it  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive why  the  effect  should  be  confined 
to  one  thigh,  instead  of  embracing  both, 
although  the  original  word  is  singular. 
The  evidence,  therefore,  on  the  whole, 
preponderates  in  favor  of  the  first  con- 
struction. The  term  "rot"  implies  an 
ulcerating  process,  for  which  we  find  no 
authority  in  the  general  usage  of  the 
original.  It  seems,  also,  somewhat  ac- 
cordant with  the  laws  of  the  divine 
Providence,  that  the  penalty  of  trans- 
gression should  be  visited  upon  the 
offending  part,  if  it  be  localized  at  all. 
In  the  Greek,  the  epithet  applied  to  the 
belly  is  "  burst"  instead  of  "  swollen," 
and  this  is  supposed  by  the  Rabbinical 
writers  to  have  been  the  actual  effect, 
of  which,  however,  there  is  no  special 
proof.  It  is  also  a  tradition  of  the  same 
writers,  that  the  water  which  Moses 
made  the  Israelites  to  drink  with  the 
powder  of  the  golden  calf,  Ex.  32 :  20, 
produced  a  similar  effect. 

V.  22.  Shall  go  into  thy  lowels.  To 
this  there  appears  to  be  an  obvious  al- 
lusion in  Ps.  109  :  18,  "  As  he  clothed 
himself  with  cursing  like  as  with  a  gar- 
ment, so  let  it  come  into  his  bowels  like 
water." T[  And  the  woman  shall  say. 


80 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


"bowels*,  to  make  ihy  belly  to 
swell,  and  ihy  thigh  to  rot. 
And  the  '  woman  shall  say, 
Amen,  amen. 

s  Ps.  109.  IS.  t   Deut.  27.  lo. 

Amen,  amen,  Grr.  yevoiro,  y^vono,  so 
ie  it,  so  he  it.  The  response  is  proba- 
bly doubled  to  express  her  full  consent 
and  concurrence  with  the  import  of  the 
malediction.  Some  have  supposed  an 
allusion  to  both  parts  of  the  adjuration, 
viz.  that  which  freed  her  if  innocent, 
and  that  which  condemned  her  if 
guilty,  but  this  is  unnecessary ;  such 
reduplications  are  common.  "  This  is 
an  instance  of  what  we  have  already 
mentioned,  that  an  oath  was  not  pro- 
nounced at  length  by  the  persons  who 
took  it,  but  it  was  read  or  pronounced 
to  them  by  a  proper  officer.  When  he 
had  finished,  the  party  swearing  appro- 
priated its  terms  as  his  own  by  saying. 
Amen,  Amen  ! — "  So  let  it  be" — or  some 
equivalent  expression.  Although,  how- 
ever, this  was  the  formulary  of  assent 
to  an  oath,  it  did  not,  in  all  cases,  bear 
that  force,  being  sometimes  merely  a 
protestation.  The  word  Amen,  like 
the  words  Hallelujah  and  Ilosanna,  has 
been  retained  in  the  religious  services 
of  the  Western  Christian  church,  and 
is  understood  as  an  expression  of  assent 
on  the  part  of  the  people  to  that  which 
the  minister  has  said  in  their  name ; 
thus  formally  adopting  his  expressions. 
It  was  probably  thought  that  the  word, 
as  well  as  the  others  we  have  mention- 
ed, possessed  in  the  original  a  peculiar 
emphasis  and  force,  for  which  it  would 
be  difficult  to  find  a  precise  equivalent 
in  any  European  tongue." — Plot.  Bible. 
It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  a  woman 
could  respond  Amen  in  such  circum- 
stances, if  she  were  really  guilty,  unless 
she  had  become  so  hardened  in  sin  as 
to  be  utterly  reckless  what  she  uttered. 
But  if  she  confessed  that  she  had  been 


23  And  the  priest  shall  write 
these  curses  in  a  book,  and  he 
shall  blot  ihem  out  with  the 
bitter  water : 


defiled,  or,  which  was  equivalent,  if  she 
declined  drinking,  then,  according  to 
the  Hebrew  tradition,  she  was  perma- 
nently separated  from  her  husband,  but 
without  dowry. 

V.  23.  And  the  priest  shall  write  these 
curses  in  a  hook.  Heb.  hassepher,  in  a 
scroll  or  tablet.  The  Hebrew  denomi- 
nates all  writings  by  the  term  we 
translate  "  book,"  whether  long  or 
brief,  whether  bills,  bonds,  letters,  etc. 
Comp.  Deut.  24 :  1.  2  Sam.  11 :  14.  Is. 
39  : 1,  in  all  which  the  original  is  sephcr, 
hooh.  "The  whole  context,"  says  Mr. 
Kitto,  "  is  quite  averse  to  rendering  the 
Hebrew  word  by  "  book"  in  this  place. 
The  word  is  generally  applicable  to 
every  roll,  scroll,  or  tablet  in  which  any 
thing  was  written ;  and  the  context 
must  in  all  cases  determine  the  proba- 
bility as  to  what  is  intended.  The 
Kabbinical  writers  think  that  the  curse 
in  this  awful  ceremony  was  written  on 
a  scroll  of  vellum  or  parchment.  This 
we  may  very  well  doubt;  but  without 
at  present  inquiring  whether  the  art  of 
preparing  vellum  was  known  at  this 
time,  it  seems  more  probable  that,  for 
such  a  temporary  purpose  as  the  pres- 
ent, the  writing  was  made  on  a  tablet 
of  wood,  properly  prepared.  Such  tab- 
lets were  very  anciently  used,  and  still 
are  so,  in  some  countries,  not  only  for 
writing  intended  to  be  soon  obliterated, 
but  for  that  which  is  designed  to  be 
permanent.  Whatever  was  used  in  the 
present  instance,  it  was  certainly  noth- 
ing at  all  resembling  in  its  form  the 
idea  which  the  word  "  book  "  suggests 

to  our  minds." T[  Shall  hlot  {them) 

out  with  the  hitter  toater.  Heb.  mahah 
el  me  liammdrim,  shall  wipe  them  out  to 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


81 


24    And  he   shall  cause  the 
woman  to  drink  the  bitter  water 

(or  into)  the  litter  water.  The  process  of 
obliteration  was  such  that  the  characters 
written  were  to  be  wiped  or  scraped  off 
into  the  bitter  water,  and  this  water  was 
then  to  be  drank  by  the  woman.  She 
would  in  consequence  drink  the  very 
words  of  the  execration.  "  It  would  seem 
from  this  that  the  ink  made  no  perma- 
nent marks  on  the  skin,  linen,  wood,  or 
whatever  other  substance  the  words 
were  written  on.  It  is  precisely  the 
same  with  the  ink  now  in  use  in  the 
East.  In  its  composition  no  calx  of 
iron,  or  other  material  that  could  make 
a  permanent  dye,  is  emploj^ed,  and  al- 
though the  writing  made  with  it  has  an 
intense  and  brilliant  black  color,  which 
will  remain  unchanged  for  ages,  the 
characters  may  at  any  time  be  sponged 
or  washed  out  with  water.  We  have, 
while  writing  this  note,  tried  this ;  and 
find  it  quite  easy  to  obliterate,  by  the 
slightest  action  of  the  moistened  finger, 
words  which  were  written  several  years 
since,  at  different  times,  with  inks  pro- 
cured in  different  countries  of  Western 
Asia.  It  is  unnecessary,  therefore,  to 
suppose,  with  some  who  judge  only 
from  our  own  ink,  that  the  ink  employ- 
ed on  the  present  occasion  was  prepared 
in  a  peculiar  manner,  and  used  only  on 
this  occasion." — Plct.  Bible.  The  im- 
port of  this  part  of  the  ceremony  is  well 
interpreted  by  Henry,  to  wit,  that  it 
was  the  curse  which  impregnated  the 
water  and  gave  it  its  strength  to  effect 
what  was  intended ;  signifying  at  the 
same  time,  that  if  she  was  innocent  the 
curse  should  be  blotted  out,  and  never 
appear  against  her,  as  it  is  written,  "  I 
am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgres- 
sions for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not 
remember  thy  sins ; "  while  on  the  other 
hand,  if  she  were  guilty,  the  curse  as  it 
was  written  being  infused  into  the  wa- 

A* 


that  causeth  the  curse  :  and  the 
water   that    causeth    the    curse 


ter,  it  would  enter  with  it  into  her  bow- 
els, even  "  like  oil  into  her  bones,"  Ps. 
109  :  18,  as  we  read  of  a  curse  entering 
into  a  house,  Zech.  5:4.  These  re- 
marks will  afford  a  sufficient  answer  to 
the  question,  why  the  curse  should  be 
written  and  afterwards  blotted  out.  If  it 
were  to  be  blotted  out,  why  should  it  be 
written  ?  If  it  were  to  be  written,  why 
should  it  be  blotted  out?  It  appears 
that  the  act  had  a  double  significaucy, 
the  writing  implying  one  thing,  and  the 
obliteration  another. 

V.  24.  Shall  cause  the  woman  to  drink 
the  hitter  water.  Previous  to  which, 
however,  it  appears  that  the  jealousy- 
offering  mentioned  v.  26  was  to  be 
presented.  The  following  note  by  Mr. 
Kitto  will  be  read  with  interest  in  this 
connection :  "  There  is  still  a  strong  im- 
pression entertained  among  the  inhab- 
itants of  Africa,  and  some  Asiatic  coun- 
tries, that  the  full  force  of  a  charm,  or 
of  a  prayer  or  a  curse,  is  obtained  by 
having  it  written,  and  by  washing  the 
writing  off"  in  water,  and  drinking  the 
draught.  The  idea  on  which  this  is 
founded  is  sufficiently  intelligible  when 
the  virtue  of  a  written  charm  is  be- 
lieved— and  such  belief  is  by  no  means 
rare  in  countries  nearer  home  than  those 
of  Africa  or  Asia.  It  is  then  an  obvious 
act  of  the  mind,  or  rather  of  supersti- 
tion, to  conclude  that  the  virtue  inher- 
ing in  the  written  charm  may  be  best 
imbibed  by  its  words  being  swallowed, 
which  they  cannot  well  be  by  any  pro- 
cess more  convenient  than  washing 
them  off  in  water.  Travellers,  partic- 
ularly African  travellers,  abound  in  in- 
stances of  their  being  applied  to  for 
written  charms,  by  drinking  the  words 
of  which  the  applicants  believed  the}"^ 
would  obta  n  some  desired  good,  some 
I  security  from  evil,  or  a  remedy  against 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


shall  enter  into  her,  and  become 
bitter. 

25  Then  the  priest  shall  take 
the  jealousy-offering  out  of  the 
woman's  hand,  and  shall  wave " 
the  offering  before  the  Lord, 
and  offer  it  upon  the  altar  : 

26  And  the  priest  shall  take 
an  handful  of  the  offering,  even 


disease.  One  instance  from  Mungo 
Park  will  illustrate  this  subject :  '  At 
Koolkorro  my  landlord  brought  me  his 
writing-board  that  I  might  write  him 
a  sajjhie  to  protect  him  from  wicked 
men.  I  wrote  the  board  full,  from  top 
to  bottom,  on  both  sides ;  and  my  land- 
lord, to  be  certain  of  having  the  full 
force  of  the  charm,  washed  the  writing 
from  the  board  into  a  calabash,  with  a 
little  water,  and  having  said  a  few  pray- 
ers over  it,  drank  this  powerful  draught; 
after  which,  lest  a  single  word  should 
escape,  he  licked  the  board  until  it  was 
quite  dry.'"    (Travels,  p.  256.)— Fid. 

Bible. T[  Shall  enter  into  Tier,  {and 

hecome)  hitter.  Heb.  "Shall  enter  into 
her  to  bitterness."  Chald.  "  Shall  en- 
ter into  her  to  cursing ; "  that  is,  they 
shall  work  in  her  the  evil  and  bitter 
effects  of  a  curse. 

V.  25.  Shall  wave  the  offering  before 
the  Lord.  Shall  move  it  to  and  fro  in 
token  of  presentation  or  dedication  to 
the  Lord.  "  The  priest  took  the  minis- 
tering vessel  wherein  the  meat-offering 
was,  and  put  it  upon  her  hands,  and  the 
priest  put  his  hands  under  hers,  and 
waved  it." — Maimonides. 

V.  26.  Shall  take  an  handful.  This 
handful  was  to  be  the  memorial  imme- 
diately after  spoken  of.  See  Note,  Lev. 
2  :  2,  where  the  nature  of  the  "  memo- 
rial "  is  explained.  The  portion  of  the 
offering  that  i-emained  after  the  memo- 
rial-handful was  taken  out  was  eaten 


the "  memorial  thereof,  and  burn 
ii  upon  the  altar,  and  afterward 
shall  cause  the  woman  to  drink 
the  water. 

27  And  when  he  hath  made 
her  to  drink  the  water,  then  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  ihat^  if  she 
be  defiled,  and  have  done  tres- 
pass against  her  husband,  that 

V  Lev.  5.  2,  9. 


by  the  priest,  imless  the  husband  was 
a  priest,  when  it  was  scattered  among 
the  ashes.  This  offering,  in  the  midst 
of  the  transaction,  was  a  solemn  ac- 
knowledgment that  the  whole  affair  was 
to  be  conducted  under  the  Lord's  aus- 
pices, and  that  he  was  appealed  to  as  a 
God  "  from  whom  no  secret  is  hid." 

V.  27.  Then  it  shall  come  to  pass,  etc. 
All  things  being  thus  performed  accord- 
ing to  the  tenor  of  the  divine  directions, 
the  issue  was  to  be  awaited.  If  the 
woman  charged  with  the  crime  was 
really  guilty,  the  water  she  drank  w^ould 
prove  in  effect  a  deadly  poison  to  her, 
operating  in  the  manner  above  de- 
scribed, in  addition  to  which  the  Jew- 
ish writers  say  that  her  face  would  turn 
pale  and  yellowish,  her  eyes  were  ready 
to  start  from  her  head,  and  the  cry  was 
raised,  "  Carry  her  forth,  carry  her 
forth,  lest  she  defile  the  court  of  the 
temple,"  i.  e.  by  dying  within  its  pre- 
cincts. Such  signal  effects  could  not 
of  course  be  attributed  to  the  water 
viewed  in  itself,  but  only  to  the  efficacy 
of  the  divine  operation  working  in  and 
with  the  external  agent.  The  mingled 
water  and  dust  had  in  themselves  no 
more  power  to  produce  the  effects  de- 
scribed than  had  the  clay  and  spittle, 
employed  by  our  Saviour,  to  open  the 
eyes  of  the  blind.  The  effect  in  either 
case  was  equally  supernatural.  It  is  a 
tradition  of  the  Jews  that  the  adulterer 
also  died  the  same  day  and  hour  that 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


83 


the  water  that  causeth  the  curse 
shall  enter  into  her,  and  become 
bitter,  and  her  belly  shall  swell, 
and  her  thigh  shall  rot :  and  the 
woman  shall  be  a  curse  '"  among 
her  people. 

28  And  if  the  woman  be  not 
defiled,  but  be  clean ;  then  she 
shall  be  free,  and  shall  con- 
ceive ^  seed. 

29  This  is  the  law  of  jeal- 
ousies, when  a  wife  goeth  aside  ^ 

10  Dent.  28.  :;7.  Is.  65.  15.  Jcr.  v4.  9.  29.  18,  22. 
ii.  is.     Zech.  8.  13.  x  I'e.  113.  9.  y  ver.  19. 

Is.  57.  8. 

the  adulteress  did,  and  in  a  similar 
manner ;  which  may  or  may  not  have 
been  the  fact.  The  Jewish  doctors  add 
also,  that  the  waters  had  this  effect  upon 
the  adulteress  only  in  case  the  husband  j 
had  not  offended  in  the  same  way.  j 

V.  28.  Tlten  she  shall  he  free.  That 
is,  shall  receive  no  harm  from  the 
draught;   as  in  v.  19.      Dou.,  "Shall 

not  be  hurt." \  Shall  conceive  seed. 

Heb.  nizreah  zera,  shall  he  sown  with 
seed.  Chald.  "  Shall  prove  with  child." 
The  Jewish  writers  speak  in  high  terms 
of  the  effects  of  this  water  upon  the  in- 
nocent woman,  as  may  be  seen  from 
the  words  of  Maimonides : — "  If  she  be 
undefiled,  when  she  hath  drunk  she  will 
wax  strong,  and  her  face  wax  clear ; 
and  if  she  have  any  sickness,  it  will 
leave  her ;  and  she  shall  conceive  and 
bear  a  man-child ;  and  if  she  were  wont 
to  have  hard  travail,  she  shall  have 
speedy  travail ;  and  if  she  were  wont 
to  bring  forth  females,  she  shall  bring 
forth  males." 

V.  29.  When  a  woman  goeth  aside  to 
another  instead  of  her  hushand.  Heb. 
"  Goeth  aside  under  her  husband."  Our 
version  gives  the  correct  idea,  but  some- 
what paraphrastically.  See  Note  on 
v.  19. 

V.  30.  Shall  set  the  woman  hefore  tlie 


io  another  instead  of  her  hus- 
band, and  is  defiled  ; 

30  Or  when  the  spirit  of  jeal- 
ousy Cometh  upon  him,  and  he 
be  jealous  over  his  wife,  and 
shall  set  the  woman  before  the 
Lord,  and  the  priest  shall  exe- 
cute upon  her  all  this  law. 

31  Then  shall  the  man  be 
guiltless  from  iniquity,  and  this 
woman  shall  bear  '  her  ini- 
quity. 


Lord.  Heb.  "Shall  cause  to  stand;" 
i.  e.  in  the  manner  and  for  the  end  be- 
fore described. T[  Shall  execute  npon 

her  all  this  laio.  Heb.  "Shall  do  unto 
her  all  this  law." 

V.  31.  Then  shall  the  man  he  guilt- 
less. That  is,  he  shall  be  blameless  in 
this  matter,  inasmuch  as  he  has  done 
what  in  him  lay  towards  detecting  and 
removing  the  evil  which  he  suspected 
in  his  wife. 

The  law  which  we  have  now  consid- 
ered is  fertile  of  suggestion.  (1.)  It  in- 
volved a  striking  proof  of  that  special 
providence  which  governed  the  affairs 
of  the  Jews.  The  inquest  was  not  re- 
ferred to  the  scrutiny  or  ingenuity  of 
human  judges,  but  was  carried  to  the 
tribunal  of  God  himself  for  his  express 
decision.  There  was  clearly  nothing  in 
the  water  itself  when  thus  mixed  that 
could  have  the  effect  described,  or  in- 
deed, any  injurious  effect  at  all.  The 
effect  was  wholly  supernatural.  The 
offender  might  brave  the  trial,  though 
conscious  of  her  sin,  in  unbelief  of  the 
declared  providential  results,  but  she 
would  nevertheless  assuredly  find  there 
was  a  God  in  Israel  who  would  verify 
and  vindicate  his  own  ordinance.  It  is 
supposed  that  the  crime  committed  had 
been  so  secre*  that  no  human  being,  ex- 


84 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


cept  the  guilty  persons,  were  cognizant 
of  it.  It  is  supposed,  also,  that  no  clew 
to  the  discovery  of  it  could  possibly 
be  found.  But  the  issue  of  the  ordeal 
brings  the  truth  into  the  light  of  noon- 
day. Could  any  doubt  remain  whether 
the  Lord's  hand  was  in  the  detection  of 
the  crime  ?  Every  such  instance  would 
tend  to  work  the  powerful  conviction  in 
the  minds  of  all  the  Israelites  that  the 
Most  High  ruled  indeed  among  them, 
and  that  his  providence  would  fulfil  all 
his  threateuings,  as  well  as  all  his  prom- 
ises. (2.)  Such  a  direct  appeal  to  the 
Lord  himself  would  serve  to  mark,  in 
the  strongest  manner,  the  guilt  of  adul' 
tery.  Not  only  was  that  sin  punished 
with  death  when  discovered,  but  here 
was  a  particular  mode  appointed  for  its 
detection  when  suspected,  in  which  God 
thought  it  not  below  him  to  act  imme- 
diately as  judge,  and  to  inflict  a  fear- 
ful punishment  upon  the  transgressor. 
What  could  serve  more  effectually  to 
stamp  the  impress  of  a  peculiar  enor- 
mity upon  this  above  most  other  forms 
of  evil  in  the  sight  of  heaven  ?  (3.)  It 
would  operate  as  a  powerful  preserva- 
tive of  public  morals.  It  is  the  hope 
of  concealment  that  gives  an  edge  to 
temptation.  A  thief  will  not  steal,  if 
he  knows  that  he  must  infallibly  be  de- 
tected ;  nor  will  the  adulterer  or  sedu- 
cer lay  their  plans  for  compassing  the 
ruin  of  their  victims,  if  they  know  that 
they  cannot  possibly  conceal  their  guilt. 
In  view  of  such  a  law  as  this,  all  parties 
would  be  put  upon  their  guard.  Every 
man  of  common  feeling  would  shrink 
from  being  the  occasion  of  exposing  a 
woman  to  so  unerring  a  test  and  so  cer- 
tain and  dreadful  a  punishment.  He 
could  not  but  feel  for  the  danger  into 
which  he  would  bring  his  partner  in 
guilt,  and  fear  the  sting  of  a  perpetual- 
ly accusing  conscience  in  case  he  should 
be  the  cause  of  her  condemnation  and 
death.    And  then  its  influence  upon  fe-  I 


males  would  be  exceedingly  great.  It 
would  tend  to  preserve  them  not  only 
from  the  actual  commission  of  the  sin, 
but  from  the  slightest  approximation 
towards  it.  How  careful  and  circum- 
spect must  every  wife  have  been  ren- 
dered by  knowing  that  she  might  at 
any  time  be  subjected  to  such  an  ordeal 
even  upon  suspicion,  and  what  shame 
and  punishment,  and  what  a  misei'able 
death  was  before  her,  if  she  became 
guilty.  Add  to  this,  that  whenever  an 
instance  of  the  execution  of  this  law  oc- 
curred, all  who  saw  it,  both  male  and 
female,  would  be  deeply  affected  by  it ; 
the  innocent  would  feel  themselves  yet 
more  afraid  of  the  sin  and  be  more  fully 
resolved  to  abstain  from  it.  All  Israel 
would  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no  more  so 
wickedly.  (4.)  It  would  be  a  guardian 
of  domestic  peace,  and  a  great  comfort 
to  the  oppressed.  The  "  spirit  of  jeal- 
ousy "  is  a  formidable  enemy  to  family 
quiet.  It  corrodes  and  eats  out  all  do- 
mestic happiness,  and  among  a  people 
so  hard-hearted  as  the  Jews,  and  so 
ready  to  put  away  their  wives  on  the 
slightest  occasions,  would  naturally 
lead  to  the  most  cruel  treatment.  But 
when  a  woman  of  blameless  character 
was  made  the  victim  of  her  husband's 
jealousy,  with  what  holy  confidence 
would  she  drink  the  appointed  cup,  and 
make  her  appeal  to  Him  who  searches 
the  heart !  With  what  triumph  would 
she  depart  from  the  tabernacle  when 
God  himself  had  borne  a  public  testi- 
mony to  her  innocence ! The  Jewish 

"  law  of  jealousy  "  has  now  ceased,  but  J 
let  us  not  suppose  that  the  Lord  is  any  A 
less  observant  of  sin,  any  less  opposed 
to  it,  or  any  less  intent  upon  its  punish- 
ment. His  providential  interpositions 
may  not  be  so  immediate  or  so  visible 
in  this  world  as  they  were  among  the 
Jews ;  but  in  the  world  to  come,  if  not 
before,  every  transgressor  will  learn, 
that  "  his  sins  shall  find  him  out."    Not 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


85 


more  plainly  did  the  Most  High  make 
manifest  the  guilt  of  the  adulteress  un- 
der this  law  than  he  will  bring  out  the 
wickedness,  however  secret,  of  adulter- 
ers and  adulteresses,  and  all  other 
transgressors  of  every  kind,  in  the  fear- 
ful revelations  of  the  future.  So  like- 
wise they  who  labor  under  false  accu- 
sations; they  may  securely  commit 
their  cause  to  God.  Any  person  may 
be  unjustly  accused,  and  not  always 
having  at  hand  the  means  of  clearing 
himself,  he  may  lie  long  under  the 
Aveight  of  injurious  suspicions,  but  the 
truth  will  eventually  come  to  light,  and 
every  wrong  be  abundantly  redressed. 


CHAPTER  YI. 
The  Law  of  the  Nazarite. 
Among  the  religious  practices  of  the 
Jews,  that  of  malcmg  voivs,  from  a  vol- 
untary prompting,  was  one  of  the  most 
remarkable.  It  does  not  appear,  in- 
deed, that  vows  originated  with  that 
nation ;  they  seem  rather  to  have  been 
one  form  in  which  the  religious  senti- 
ment of  all  nations  and  ages  was  prone 
to  express  itself.  But,  though  not  a 
product  of  the  Mosaic  system,  yet  it 
was  adopted  into  it  and  laws  made  for 
its  conduct.  These  vows  consisted  of 
some  solemn  engagement  voluntarily 
assumed  by  those  who  made  them,  or 
of  the  consecration  of  some  person  or 
thing  to  some  particular  use  or  service, 
such  as  might  redound  to  the  honor  of 
God.  The  vow  of  the  Nazarite,  de- 
scribed in  the  present  chapter,  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  of  these,  espe- 
cially when  viewed  in  its  typical  rela- 
tions. The  vow  of  the  Nazarite  in- 
volved the  dedication  of  a  person  to 
God,  either  temporarily  or  permanently, 
and  implied  in  its  own  nature  a  peculiar 
aspiration  towards  a  closer  conjunction 
with  heaven  in  the  acts  of  piety  and 


devotion  than  was  ordinarily  enjoyed 
by  those  who  were  occupied  simply  with 
the  common  routine  of  life  and  its  du- 
ties. It  was  for  the  time  being  a  sepa- 
ration from  and  a  renunciation  of  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  and  of  all  flesh- 
ly gratifications  and  indulgences.  The 
Nazarite  was  one  who  had  purposed, 
for  the  good  of  his  soul,  to  lead  an  asce- 
tic life  and  to  "  mortify  his  members 
which  were  on  the  earth,"  living  in  all 
purity  and  holiness,  and  manifesting  to 
the  utmost  that  character  and  conduct 
which  under  the  Gospel  consists  in  "  de- 
nying ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
and  living  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly  in  this  present  world."  The  va- 
rious abstinences  involved  in  the  Naza- 
rite vow  will  be  considered  in  detail  as 
we  proceed,  but  we  here  remark  on  the 
institution  in  general,  that  it  was  de- 
signed to  prefigure  the  Lord  the  Sa- 
viour, who,  though  not  observant  of  the 
laws  relating  to  that  order  of  men,  was 
nevertheless  consecrated  by  divine  de- 
signation and  by  voluntary  engagement 
to  the  service  of  God  in  the  work  of 
human  redemption,  to  which  he  was 
devoted  without  intermission,  and  from 
which  he  desisted  not  till  he  could  say, 
"  It  is  finished."  In  pointing  typically 
to  him,  it  points  also  to  his  people. 
The  formal  vow  and  its  ceremonies  have 
now  indeed  ceased;  but  the  genei-al 
duty  of  devoting  ourselves  to  the  Lord, 
in  all  the  branches  of  a  holy  life,  still 
subsists  in  all  its  binding  force,  being 
founded  on  the  most  powerful  obliga- 
tions and  motives.  "  Ye  are  bought 
with  a  price,"  says  the  Gospel,  "there- 
fore glorify  God  in  your  body  and  your 
spirit  which  are  his."  It  inculcates  an 
entire  separation  from  the  world  in  its 
corrupt  principles,  its  erroneous  les- 
sons, its  vain  pleasures,  its  ambitious 
projects,  its  sinful  works.  Its  language 
is,  "  Come  out  from  among  them,  and 
be  ye  separate,   saith  the  Lord,   and 


86 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AND  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mo- 
ses, saying, 

touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  and  I  will 
receive  you,  and  will  be  a  father  unto 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, saith  the  Lord  almighty."  The 
spirit  of  this  injunction  is  plainly  Naza- 
ritic,  containing  an  express  allusion  to 
the  separation  and  the  danger  of  un- 
cleanness  which  were  incident  to  that 
class  of  men.  Although  we  cannot  fair- 
ly draw  from  this  chapter  an  absolute 
prohibition  of  the  use  of  wine,  or  of 
other  worldly  enjoyments  of  a  harmless 
kind,  yet  we  are  taught  from  it  to  study 
a  holy  superiority  to  all  the  'pleasures 
of  sense  as  tending  to  subject  the  soul  to 
the  body,  and  thus  retard  our  ascent  to 
heaven.  Though  not  required  to  aban- 
don the  world  and  its  secular  cares,  yet 
we  are  required  to  "  use  the  world  as 
not  abusing  it,"  and  to  repose  our  bur- 
dens on  the  Lord.  Though  not  called  to 
that  singularity  of  dress  which  marked 
the  Nazarite  to  public  view,  yet  neither 
are  we  called  to  be  conformed  to  every 
idle  fashion,  or  to  run  into  all  the  ab- 
surdities which  characterize  the  world. 
Though  we  are  not  to  shrink  from  vari- 
ous contacts  forbidden  to  the  Jewish 
votary,  yet  we  are  to  keep  at  the  remo- 
test distance  from  all  moral  pollution, 
in  the  profound  dread  of  walking  un- 
worthy of  our  holy  profession,  and 
bringing  dishonor  upon  the  Lord's  ven- 
erable name.  Thus  let  us  walk,  and  as 
the  Nazarite,  after  his  term  of  separa- 
tion was  fulfilled,  '*  might  drink  wine," 
so  after  the  short  period  of  mortification 
and  self-denial  here  we  shall  "  enter 
into  the  joy  of  our  Lord,"  even  into 
"his  presence,  where  there  is  fulness 
of  joy  and  pleasures  for  evermore." 

V.  2.     When  either  man  or  woman 
sltall  separate.    Heb.  yaphli,  sliall  sig- 


2  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them, 
When    either    man   or   woman 


nally  separate.  See  Notes  on  Ex.  8  :  22. 
Lev.  27  :  2,  where  the  import  of  the  ori- 
ginal term  is  largely  unfolded.  The 
root  from  which  yaphli  comes  (paid), 
signifies  the  doing  of  something  ex- 
traordinary and  marvellous,  and  is  th6 
word  that  occurs  Lev.  27  :  2,  concerning 
the  making  of  a  singular  vow,  and  con- 
veys doubtless  the  idea  of  one's  acting 
from  an  extraordinary  zeal  for  God  and 
religion.  To  separate,  in  this  connec- 
tion, is  to  exempt  in  a  special  and  mar- 
vellous manner.  Gr.  "  Whosoever  shall 
greatly  vow  a  vow."  A  vow  is  a  reli- 
gious promise  made  to  God,  and  it  is 
here  supposed  that  it  might  be  made 
by  either  a  man  or  a  woman  ;  but  it  is 
presumed  in  this  case  that  the  parties 
are  free,  each  in  their  own  power  or  at 
their  own  disposal ;  as  otherwise  a  su- 
perior might  annul  the  vow  of  an  infe- 
rior by  the  law  recorded  Num.  30  : 4,  etc. 
So  in  respect  to  this  particular  kind  of 
vow  the  Hebrew  canons  say,  "The 
father  (of  a  child)  or  the  husband  (of  a 
wife)  may  disannul  the  Nazariteship  of 
his  child  or  his  wife,  if  he  will,  as  in 
other  ways."  Philo,  in  his  treatise 
"  On  Animals  fit  for  Sacrifice,"  after  de- 
scribing the  voluntary  or  votive  obla- 
tions which  were  occasionally  made  by 
the  people,  goes  on  to  say,  "  And  when 
they  have  no  longer  any  materials  left 
in  which  they  can  display  their  piety, 
they  then  consecrate  and  offer  up  them- 
selves, displaying  an  unspeakable  holi- 
ness, and  a  most  superabundant  excess 
of  a  God-loving  disposition,  on  which 
account  such  a  dedication  is  fitly  called 
the  great  vow ;  for  every  man  is  his 
own  greatest  and  most  valuable  posses- 
sion, and  this  even  he  now  gives  up  and 
abandons."      The  more  particular  na 


B.  C.  1490.]  CHAPTER  VI.                                      87 

shall   separate  themselves     to  '  separate   themselves    unto    the 

vow  a  vow  of  a  Nazarite ",  to    Lord  ; 

a  Judg.  13.  5.  Acts  21.  23,  24. 


ture  of  the  Nazarite  vow  will  be  consid- 
ered in  what  follows. ^  Of  a  Naza- 
rite. Heb.  nazir,  from  the  root  ndzar, 
to  separate,  denoting  one  who  was  espe- 
cially separated  and  set  apart,  either  by 
the  act  of  his  parents  or  his  own,  to  the 
worship  and  service  of  God,  and  that 
either  for  life  or  for  a  temporary  season. 
Such  vows  are  recognized  in  the  Mosaic 
laws,  although  there  is  good  reason  to 
believe  that  they  were  of  far  more  an- 
cient origin.  That  the  present,  at  any 
rate,  was  not  the  first  occasion  of  the  ! 
institution  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  | 
the  ordinance  here  mentioned  was  given  j 
in  the  second  year  after  the  departure  i 
from  Egypt ;  but  in  an  earlier  law  con- 
cerning the  Sabbatical  year,  which  was 
made  in  the  first  year,  a  figurative  ex- 
pression drawn  from  Nazaritism  occurs, 
in  calling  the  vines  which  in  that  year 
were  not  to  be  pruned,  vines  or  grapes 
of  separation  or  XazaritesJi  ip.  (See  Xote 
on  Lev.  25  : 5.)  This  implies  that  the 
thing  itself  must  have  been  already  in 
vogue,  and  that  too,  probably,  for  a  long 
time.  Spencer  also  shows,  in  his  great 
work  on  the  "  Hebrew  Laws,"  that  the 
custom  of  special  consecration  prevail- 
ed from  the  earliest  ages  among  the 
Gentile  nations,  so  that  under  the  Mo- 
saic dispensation  the  object  was  to  reg- 
ulate a  pre-existing  custom,  that  it 
should  not  minister  to  superstition  or 
idolatry,  and  to  establish  a  usage  which 
carried  with  it  a  rich  typical  signifi- 
cancy.  On  this  head  Mi-.  Kitto  remarks, 
that  the  practice  was  probably  allowed 
to  the  chosen  people,  "  with  a  reference 
to  the  true  God,  in  order  to  take  away 
occasion  for  its  being  preserved  in  hon- 
or of  idols.  A  rooted  custom,  in  itself 
harmless,  but  applied  to  purposes  of 
evil,  may  with  less  diflaculty  have  its 


object  altered  than  be  wholly  eradicated. 
In  viewing  the  laws  of  Closes,  it  is  al- 
ways useful,  so  far  as  may  be  possible, 
to  distinguish  those  which  originate 
usages,  from  those  which  only  correct, 
modify  and  alter  usages  already  exist- 
ing."— Pict.  Bible.  It  does  not  appear 
that  the  assumption  of  the  Nazarite 
vow  is  anywhere  positively  enjoined 
or  recommended,  yet  neither  is  it  dis- 
couraged where  one's  spirit  moved  him, 
from  devout  impulses,  to  undertake  it. 
From  the  following  allusions  we  may 
infer  that  the  institution  was  in  itself 
capable  of  being  made  subservient  to  a 
good  and  acceptable  use.  Lam.  4 : 7, 
"  Her  Kazarites  were  purer  than  snow, 
they  were  whiter  than  milk,  they  were 
more  ruddy  in  body  than  rubies,  their 
polishing  was  of  sapphire."  Am.  2: 
11,  "And  I  raised  up  of  your  sons  for 
prophets,  and  of  your  young  men  for 
j^azarites.'"  Of  the  Nazarites  who  were 
such  by  reason  of  a  vow  made  by  their 
parents,  Samson,  Jeremiah,  John  the 
Baptist,  and  probably  Samuel,  are  con- 
spicuous instances  :  of  examples  of  vol- 
untary Nazaritism  we  meet  with  scarce- 
ly any  in  the  sacred  history,  though  the 
case  of  Paul,  Acts  18  :  18,  approach- 
es it,  as  it  is  said  of  him  that  he  had 
shorn  his  head  in  Cenchrea  in  conse- 
quence of  having  made  a  vow.  But  it 
is  certain  that  there  is  nothing  of  this 
nature  that  is  now  obligatory  on  Chris- 
tians, although  vionastic  institutions 
would  seem  to  have  had  their  origin  in 
promptings  very  similar  to  those  which 
operated  with  the  Jewish  Nazarite.  To 
the  due  accomplishment  of  this  kind  of 
vow,  we  learn  that  the  following  requi- 
sites were  indispensable. 

1.    Total  abstinence  from  wine   and 
every  thing  that  could  intoxicate.   This 


88 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


interdiction  was  so  severe,  that  they 
were  not  only  obliged  to  avoid  the  use 
of  any  strong  liquor,  and  were  to  taste 
no  vinegar  made  of  wine,  nor  wine 
made  by  macerating  grapes  in  water, 
after  the  juice  had  been  pressed  out,  but 
they  were  not  even  permitted  to  eat 
moist  or  dried  grapes,  nor  paste  or 
sauce  that  had  any  of  the  juice  of  grapes 
in  it,  nor  pulp  or  stone,  or  even  so  much 
as  the  bark  of  the  vine. 

2.  Letting  the  hair  grow  without  cut- 
ting. No  razor,  or  scissors,  or  any  other 
instrument  was  to  come  upon  the  head 
till  the  expiration  of  the  vow,  which 
was  seldom  less  than  thirty  days. 

3.  Avoiding  the  touch  of  a  dead  body, 
whereby  pollution  might  be  contracted. 
He  was  not  at  liberty  to  enter  a  house 
where  a  corpse  lay,  nor  to  follow  it  to 
the  grave,  nor,  if  we  may  believe  the 
Hebrew  writers,  was  he  so  much  as  to 
wear  mourning  even  at  the  decease  of 
his  nearest  relatives  or  friends. 

The  reasons  of  these  prohibitions,  as 
well  as  the  ceremonies  observed  during 
the  continuance  and  at  the  close  of  the 
vow,  will  be  considered  in  the  sequel. 

Writers  of  the  school  of  Michaelis  and 
Palfrey,  who  have  a  very  dim  percep- 
tion of  the  spiritual  drift  of  the  Mosaic 
institutes,  are  prone  to  recognize  in  this 
a  civil  and  prudential  use  in  addition  to 
the  religious ;  and  we  may  safely  admit 
that  the  sobriety  and  temperance  which 
the  Nazarites  were  obliged  to  observe 
were  very  conducive  to  health.  But 
whether  they  were  intended  to  be  cele- 
brated by  the  prophet  for  their  fair 
and  ruddy  complexion,  when  it  is  said 
(Lam.  4 : 7)  that  they  were  "  whiter 
than  milk  and  more  ruddy  than  ru- 
bies," inasmuch  as  these  are  sure  signs 
of  a  sound  and  healthy  constitution, 
may  well  be  questioned.  We  are 
prompted  ourselves  to  recognize  a  far 
deeper  import  in  these  expressions, 
while  at  the  same  time,  we  would  not 


undervalue  any  of  the  secondary  or  in- 
cidental results  that  may  have  accrued 
from  the  usage. 

But  in  our  view  the  principal  impor- 
tance of  this  institution  arose  from  its 
typical  or  representative  significancy. 
The  Jews  as  a  nation  were  but  little 
addicted  to  ascetic  devotion,  and  it  was 
probably  only  now  and  then  that  an 
individual  was  found  disposed  thus  to 
sequester  himself  from  the  routine  of 
ordinary  life  and  give  himself  up  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  time  to  the  rigid  exer- 
cise of  a  purely  religious  course.  Nev- 
ertheless, as  the  Nazarite  institute  had 
obtained  in  the  world,  the  divine  wis- 
dom saw  that  important  ends  could  be 
answered  by  incorporating  it  into  the 
Levitical  system  as  a  foreshadowing 
mainly  of  that  pre-eminent  consecra- 
tion which  was  to  distinguish  Him  who 
was  ''holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and 
separate  from  sinners."  One  of  the  ap- 
pellations by  which  he  was  to  be  known 
was  that  of  "  Nazarene,"  and  although 
we  are  well  aware  that  other  grounds 
may  be  assigned  for  this  title,  yet  we 
see  no  sufficient  reason  for  excluding 
this  from  among  those  grounds.  The 
original  term  ndzar,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, signifies  to  separate,  to  set  apart 
or  dedicate  to  a  lioly  use.  It  is  clear 
from  the  prophetical  writings  that  the 
Messiah  was  to  be  a  person  of  eminent 
sanctity.  He  is  called  by  the  Psalmist 
"the  Holy  One,"  and  the  actual  record 
of  his  life  shows  that  Jioliness  was  his 
grand  distinguishing  trait.  How  rea- 
sonable, then,  to  suppose,  that  an  epi- 
thet derived  from  the  word  nazar  may 
be  applied  to  him  by  the  pen  of  inspi- 
ration in  calling  him  a  "  Nazarene."  It 
is  admitted  that  our  Lord's  external  life 
was  not  conformed  to  the  rules  of  the 
order,  for  he  ate  and  drank  like  other 
men,  and  mingled  indiscriminately  with 
all  classes,  though  still  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  it  could  ever  be  said  of  him 


B.  0.  1490. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


89 


3  He  shall  separate  himself 
from*  wine,   and  strong  drink, 

b  Jer.  35.  6-8.    Amos  2.  12.    Luke  1.  15. 

that  he  was  ''undefiled  and  separate 
from  sinners."  Still  we  may  recognize 
the  substance  of  the  Nazaritical  character 
in  his  ineflFably  pure  and  spotless  life, 
wherein  we  recognize  the  esseritial  ver- 
ity of  all  that  was  typically  reflected  in 
the  qualities  and  actions  of  such  men  as 
Joseph,  Sampson,  Samuel,  Jeremiah, 
and  John  thg  Baptist,  who  are  regard- 
ed as  personal  prefigurations  of  the 
Lord  himself  It  is  perhaps  for  the 
reason  that  the  Nazariteship  of  Christ 
is  to  be  seen  in  his  general  character 
and  deportment  instead  of  a  specific 
conformity  to  the  laws  of  the  institu- 
tion, that  commentators  have  been  un- 
able to  point  to  any  express  prediction 
in  the  prophets  which  could  be  said  to 
have  been  fulfilled  by  his  being  called 
a  Nazarene.  It  may  have  been  solely 
upon  the  ground  of  the  general  tenor 
of  the  ancient  oracles  respecting  him. 
Add  to  this,  that  when  it  is  said,  "he 
shall  be  dalled  a  Xazarene,"  it  is  equiv- 
alent to  its  being  declared  that  he  shall 
actually  he  such,  as  verbs  oi  naming  are 
in  multitudes  of  cases  used  for  verbs 
of  being.  Comp.  Is,  56  : 7  with  Luke 
19  :  40.  From  all  this  the  reader  will 
perceive  the  light  in  which  we  regard 
the  Nazarite  law  as  mainly  important. 
Y.  2.  Unto  the  Lord.  Chald.  "  Before 
the  Lord."  Targ.  Jon.  "  To  the  name  of 
the  Lord."  This  indicates  the  motive 
and  end  proposed  in  a  Nazaritic  vow, 
which  was  a  nearer  approach  to  the 
Lord  with  a  view  to  his  honor  and  glo- 
ry, to  the  expression  of  gratitude  for 
mercies  received,  and  for  the  strength- 
ening of  faith  and  love,  and  all  the 
graces  and  virtues  of  the  servant  of 
God.  On  this  subject  the  Hebrew  wri- 
ters teach,  "He  that  saith,  Lo,  I  will 


and  shall  drink  no  vinegar  of 
wine,  or  vinegar  of  strong  drink, 
neither  shall  he  drink  any  liquor 


be  a  Nazarite  if  I  do  so,  or  if  I  do  it 
not,  and  the  like,  he  is  a  wicked  man, 
and  such  Nazariteship  is  like  wicked 
men's.  But  he  that  voweth  to  the  Lord 
by  way  of  holiness  is  honest  and  com- 
mendable ;  and  of  him  it  is  said,  the 
crown  of  his  God  is  upon  his  head 
(Num.  6  : 7),  and  the  Scripture  com- 
pareth  him  with  a  prophet.  Am.  2  :  11." 
It  appears  from  1  Mace.  3  :  49,  that  in 
public  calamities  this  vow  was  more 
severely  kept. 

V.  3.  He  shall  separate  {himself )  from 
wine  and  strong  drink.  Heb.  "Shall 
be  a  Nazarite  from  wine,"  etc.  Gr. 
"  Shall  be  sanctified  from  wine."  Tulg. 
"Shall  abstain  from  wine  and  from 
every  thing  that  will  make  a  man 
drunk."  On  the  original  term  shekar, 
here  rendered  strong  drink,  see  the 
Note  on  Lev.  10:9.  In  strict  propriety 
the  term  shekar  denotes  strong  drink 
made  from  any  kind  of  fruits,  such  as 
dates,  etc.,  but  the  Hebrews  restrict  it 
in  this  connection  to  such  only  as  is 
made  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine.  "  Three 
species  of  things  are  forbidden  to  the 
Nazarite,  viz.,  pollution,  shaving,  and 
the  fruit  of  the  vine ;  but  strong  drink 
made  of  dates,  or  such  like,  is  lawful 
for  the  Nazarite  ;  and  the  strong  drink 
forbidden  him  by  the  law  is  strong 
drink  made  with  mixture  of  wine." — 
Maimonides.  The  same  writer  observes, 
that  by  the  sobriety  and  sanctity  thus 
enjoined,  and  especially  by  their  avoid- 
ance of  dead  bodies,  the  Nazarites  were 
raised,  as  it  were,  to  the  dignity  of  the 
high  priest,  who  was  laid  under  similar 
restrictions.  The  special  design  of  the 
prohibition  is  supposed  to  have  been 
that  they  might  reduce  to  subjection 
the  sensual  man,  retain  their  faculties 


90 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


of  grapes,  nor  eat  moist  grapes, 
or  dried. 

clear  and  unclouded,  and  thus  be  better 
qualified  for  that  devout  study  of  the 
law  to  which  they  would  naturally  ad- 
dict themselves  during  the  period  of 
their  separation.  "By  this  prohibi- 
tion," says  Ainsworth,  "  God  taught 
the  Nazarites  sanctification  in  mortify- 
ing the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  for  the  drink- 
ing these  beverages  endangereth  men 
to  "  forget  the  law  "  of  God,  Prov.  31 : 
45,  to  mock  and  to  rage  (as  "wine  is 
a  mocker  and  strong  drink  raging"), 
Prov.  20 : 1,  they  "  take  away  the  heart," 
Hos.  4 :  13  ;  and  the  priest  and  the  pro- 
phet through  them  "  err  in  vision  and 
stumble  in  judgment,"  Is.  28 :  7.  There- 
fore Daniel  in  his  mourning  drank  no 
wine,  Dan.  10  :  3 ;  John  Baptist,  the 
Nazarite,  drank  no  wine,  and  was  there- 
fore counted  a  mourner,  Luke  7  :  32,  33, 
and  the  Nazarites,  by  this  abstinence, 
were  taught,  instead  of  wine,  "  to  be 
filled  with  the  Spirit,"  Eph.  5 :  18,  and 
with  the  love  of  the  Lord,  which  is 

"  better    than   M'ine,"   Cant.    1 :  2. 

H  Vinegar  of  wine.    Heb.  Y"?2n,  Jiometz, 

which  implies   acid  fermentation. 

II  Vinegar  of  strong  drinh.  Both  these 
drinks  were  forbidden  because  they  had 
virtually  the  same  intoxicating  effect 
with  the  principal  liquors  themselves. 
If  Liquor  of  grapes.  Or,  Heb.  "prepa- 
ration of  grapes."  Gr.  "  Whatsoever  is 
made  of  grapes."  Vulg.  "Anything 
that  is  pressed  out  of  the  grape."  The 
import  of  the  original  is  that  of  some- 
thing macerated  or  steeped  in  water  al- 
most to  solution.  Grape-skins  steeped 
in  water  after  the  juice  is  pressed  out, 

form  the    drink  here  alluded  to. ■ 

T[  Nor  eat  moist  grapes  nor  dried.  This 
was  doubtless  forbidden  on  the  ground 
that  the  grapes  either  in  a  moist  or 
dried  state  (as  raisins)  might  tend  to 
stir  up  the  appetite  for  the  juice,  or 


4  All  the  days  of  bis  separa- 
tion shall  he  eat  nothing  that  is 


wine,  and  it  conveys  the  important  les- 
son, that  we  are  not  only  to  avoid  sin 
with  the  utmost  care  and  caution,  but  J 
every  thing  that  borders  upon  it  and  ^ 
leads  to  it,  every  thing  that  would  serve 
as  an  occasion,  or  operate  as  a  tempta- 
tion, to  it.  "  Abstain  from  every  ap- 
pearance of  evil."  The  Hebrew  doctors 
teach  that  "it  is  unlawful  for  a  Naza 
rite  to  stand  in  the  company  of  them 
that  drink  wine,  but  he  is  to  keep 
away,  for  there  is  a  stumbling-block 
before  him.  Our  wise  men  have  said 
(moreover)  that  he  should  not  come 
near  a  vineyard." — Maimonides. 

V.  4.  All  the  days  of  Ids  separation. 
Heb.   1~1D  nizrOy   of  Ids  Nazaritesldp. 

Gr.  "  Of  his  vow." \  Eat  nothing 

that  is  made  of  the  vine  tree.  That  is, 
nothing  which  is  yielded  ot  produced  by 
the  vine,  for  a  tree  is  said  to  mahe fruit 
when  it  yields  or  brings  it  forth.  See 
Note  on  Gen.  1 :  11.  Instead  of  vine 
tree  the  literal  rendering  is  vine  of  the 
wine,  to  which,  however,  vine  tree  is 
equivalent.  The  only  other  passage  in 
which  this  phrase  occurs  is,  Judg.  13  : 
14,  "  She  may  not  eat  of  any  thing  that 
cometh  of  the  vine  (Heb.  "  that  cometh 
of  the  vine  of  the  wine"),  implying  in 
both  cases  not  so  much  artificial  ^^repa- 
rations of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  as  its 
native  growth  or  product.  From  the 
above  passage  in  Judges  it  appears  that 
the  mothers  also  of  such  as  were  sanc- 
tified to  be  Nazarites  from  the  womb 
were  required,  during  their  pregnancy, 
to  abstain  from  the  things  which  were 
forbidden  to  the  Nazarites  themselves, 
inasmuch  as  the  unborn  child  was  sus- 
tained by  the  mother's  food  and  drink. 
It  is  easy  to  infer,  that  its  S3^mboHcal 
import  was  that  of  a  full  and  complete 
renunciation  of  worldly  pleasures  from 
the  commencement  of  the  new  birth 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  yi. 


91 


made  of  the  vine  tree,  from  the 
kernels  even  to  the  husk. 

5  All  the  days  of  the  vow  of 
his  separation  there  shall  no  ra- 
zor '  come  upon  his  head  :  until 

c  Judg.  Ifi.  n,  19.     1  Sam.  1.  11. 


through  the  whole  period  of  sanctifi- 

cation. T[  From  tJie  Tcernels  even  to 

the  hmh.  Or,  from  the  stones  to  the 
outer  skin,  "From  the  grape-stones 
to  the  rind." — G-id.  Booth.  This  is  but 
a  repetition  of  the  charge  given  in  the 
preceding  verse  relative  to  abstaining 
from  whatever  might  serve  as  an  occa- 
sion or  provocation  to  sin.  So  we  are 
commanded  not  only  to  avoid  pollution, 
but  to  "  hate  even  the  garment  polluted 
by  the  flesh,"  1  Thes.  5  :  22.  Thus  too 
are  idols  not  only  to  be  renounced,  but 
"  je  shall  defile  also  the  covering  of  thy 
graven  images  of  silver,  and  the  orna- 
ments of  thy  molten  images  of  gold." 
As  occasionally  gleams  of  light  are  re- 
flected upon  these  laws  from  the  com- 
ments of  the  Rabbins,  we  furnish  the 
reader  with  suitable  specimens.  "  All 
things  forbidden  of  the  vine  are  equal 
one  with  another;  so  that  if  he  put 
green  grapes  with  dry,  or  with  unripe 
grapes,  and  with  kernels  and  husks, 
and  eat  of  this  mixture  but  so  much  as 
an  olive,  he  is  to  be  beaten.  Also  if  he 
drink  a  quarter  of  a  log  of  the  mixture 
of  wine  with  vinegar,  he  is  beaten.  If 
he  eat  the  like  quantity  but  of  the  husks, 
which  are  the  outward  skins,  or  of  the 
kernels,  which  are  the  seeds  within,  he 
IS  beaten." — Maimonides.  It  appears 
also  from  Judg.  13 : 4,  14,  that  as  the 
Nazarite  was  not  to  taste  of  wine,  so 
neither  was  he  to  eat  any  unclean  thing, 
which  was  an  additional  sign  of  the 
sanctification  implied  in  the  observ- 
ance. 

V.  5.  All  tJie  days  of  the  xow  of  h,is 
separation.  Heb.  neder  nizro,  'vow  of 
his  Xazariteship.    Gr.  "  Of  his  sanctity, 


the  days  be  fulfilled,  in  the  which 
he  separateth  himself  unto  the 
Lord,  he  shall  be  holy,  and 
shall  let  the  locks  of  the  hair  of 
his  head  grow. 


or  purity." T[  Shall  no  razor  come 

vpon  his  head.  Heb.  "  Pass  upon  his 
head."  On  this  the  Rabbins  say :  "  The 
Nazarite  that  shaveth  his  head  is  to  be 
beaten,  whether  it  be  with  razor  or  with 
scissors ;  likewise  if  he  pluck  off  his 
hair  with  his  hand,  he  is  to  be  beaten." 

1[  Until  the  days  he  fvlJiUed.   There 

is  nothing  explicit  in  Scripture  as  to  the 
length  of  time  which  the  Xazarite's  vow 
might  embrace.  The  shortest  term 
fixed  by  the  Jewish  writers  is  thirty 
days,  but  from  the  example  of  Paul  it 
would  appear  that  it  might  be  for  a 
week  only.  Acts  22  :  26,  27.  The  peri- 
od, however,  was  in  fact  left  optional 
with  the  votary,  though  we  are  natu- 
rally led  to  suppose  it  was  of  sufficient 
duration,  in  ordinary  cases,  to  allow  of 
the  growth  of  the  hair  to  a  considerable 
length,  so  that  there  should  be  enough 
to  be  burnt  at  the  conclusion  of  the  term, 

V.  18. 1i  Shall  let  the  locls  of  the  hair 

of  his  head  grow.  Heb.  "  Letting  his 
locks  grow,  the  hair  of  his  head."  The 
reasons  assignable  for  this  appointment 
are  various.  (1.)  It  served  as  a  sign 
of  mortification  to  worldly  delights,  as 
the  cutting  off"  or  pulling  out  of  the 
hair  was  a  usual  accompaniment  of 
deep  sorrow  and  afHiction,  of  humilia- 
tion and  self-abasement.  It  is,  more- 
over, a  fact  unquestionable,  that  all 
forms  of  ascetic  and  monastic  life  tend 
to  the  cultivation  of  the  hair  and  the 
beard,  although  the  tonsure  is  charac- 
teristic of  certain  orders  of  religious 
devotees.  Particular  causes  may  ope- 
rate in  these  cases,  but  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  tendency  is  what  we  have 
stated.    (2.)  It  was  a  testimony  to  the 


92 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


6  All  the  days  that  he  sepa- 
rateth  himself  unto  the  Lord 
he  shall  come  at  no  dead  body  ^. 

7  He  shall  not  make  himself 


c.  9.  6.     19.  11,  16. 


purity  which  the  Nazarite  professed, 
for  when  the  Nazarite  (v.  9),  or  the  lep- 
er (Lev.  14 :  8,  9)  was  cleansed  from 
impurity,  the  hair  was  shaven  off; 
wherefore  the  keeping  it  from  heing 
shaven  implied  that  the  parties  had 
kept  themselves  from  uncleanness.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  the  Lord  would  denote 
the  rejection  of  Israel,  as  being  unclean 
before  him,  he  did  it  by  this  sign  of  cut- 
ting off  the  hair  with  a  razor,  Is.  7  :  20. 
Ez.  5  : 1-10.  (3.)  It  was  to  be  kept  un- 
shorn as  a  symbol  or  badge  of  the  pecu- 
liar strength  and  virtue  which  should 
mark  a  prevailing  holiness  of  spirit  and 
life.  The  case  of  Samson  illustrates 
this  idea  of  the  import  of  the  long  hair 
of  the  Nazarite,  although  it  is  carefully 
to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  strength 
was  not  intrinsically  in  the  hair,  any 
more  than  the  healing  virtue  by  which 
Naaman  was  cured  of  his  leprosy  was 
in  the  Jordan,  but  in  the  divine  potency 
which  cooperated  with  the  outward 
sign.  (4.)  As  the  long  hair  of  woman 
is  regarded  in  the  Scriptures  as  a  sign 
of  her  husband's  power  over  her,  and 
her  subjection  to  him  (1  Cor.  11 :  5-10), 
80  the  Nazarite's  hair  might  properly 
be  regarded  in  the  same  light,  as  a  to- 
ken of  his  special  subjection  to  the  Lord, 
to  whose  power  and  auspices  he  had 
committed  himself  by  his  vow. 

V.  6.  Shall  come  at  no  dead  hody. 
Hcb.  al  nephesJb  metTi,  at  the  soul  of  a 
dead  person.  Another  instance  of  the  pe- 
culiar usage  by  which  the  original  word 
for  "soul"  is  applied  to  &  dead  hody. 
On  this  usage  see  Note  on  Lev.  21 : 1. 
Num.  5  :  2.  Targ.  Jon.  "  Shall  not  come 
at  the  son  of  man  that  is  dead."  All 
death  refers  the  mind  naturally  to  sin, 


unclean  for  his  father,  or  for  his 
mother,  for  his  brother,  or  for 
his  sister,  when  they  die ;  be- 
cause the  consecration  of  his 
God  is  upon  his  head. 


and  that  which  is  pure  and  holy  cannot 
come  in  contact  with  that  which  is  sin- 
ful without  pollution.  Others  might 
touch  dead  bodies  without  contracting 
any  thing  more  than  a  temporary  cere- 
monial pollution  ;  indeed,  some  must 
do  this,  or  the  dead  would  remain  un- 
buried ;  but  it  was  forbidden  to  the 
Nazarite  on  the  pain  of  forfeiting  all  the 
honor  and  advantage  of  his  vow.  The 
tendency  was  to  remind  them  of  the 
necessity  of  keeping  their  consciences 
pure  from  dead  works,  and  of  not  touch- 
ing the  unclean  thing. 

V.  7.  Shall  not  make  himself  unclean, 
etc.  That  is,  by  touching,  mourning 
for,  or  burying  them.  This  rule  would 
teach- them  to  moderate  their  affections 
and  griefs,  on  account  of  earthly  rela- 
tives, and  to  consider  themselves  more 
entirely  consecrated  to  their  Father  in 
heaven.  In  this  respect  they  stood  up- 
on a  par  with  the  high  priest  himself. 
Lev.  21 :  11. T[  Because  the  consecra- 
tion of  his  God  is  upon  his  head.  Heb. 
nezer,  the  Nazariteship,  or  separation. 
Gr.  "  The  vow."  Chald.  "  The  crown 
of  his  God  ;  "  as  the  original,  nczcr,  is 
also  rendered.  Lev.  21  :  12.  The  allu- 
sion is  to  the  unshorn  locks  of  hair  upon 
his  head,  constituting  the  principal  ex- 
ternal badge  of  the  Nazarite.  The  high 
priest  was  in  like  manner  distinguished 
by  what  is  "  the  crown  {nezer)  of  the 
anointing  oil  of  his  God,"  and  both  the 
one  and  the  other  in  their  consecration 
were  types  of  Christ,  on  whose  head  it 
is  said,  Ps.  132  :  18,  "  the  crown  {nezer) 
shall  flourish."  So  also  Christians, 
"made  kings  and  priests  unto  God," 
have  "on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold," 
Rev.  1:6.  4:4. 


B.  0. 1490.] 


CHAPTER  yi. 


93 


8  All  the  days  of  his  separa- 
tion '  he  is  holy  unto  the  Lord. 

9  And  if  any  man  die  very 


Y.  8.  Boll/  unto  tie  Lord,  The  lead- 
ing idea  conveyed  by  the  term  "holy" 
in  this  connection  is  undoubtedly  that 
of  external  ceremonial  holiness,  evinced 
in  scrupulously  abstaining  from  what 
was  forbidden,  while  at  the  same  time, 
if  an  inward  and  spiritual  sanctity 
could  be  superadded  to  this  it  would 
redound  so  much  the  more  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  votary.  But  the  Jews, 
as  a  general  fact,  were  a  people  very 
little  receptive  of  the  deeper  internal 
workings  of  spiritual  life.  Their  func- 
tion was  rather  representative  or  typi- 
cal, and  this  function  could  be  dis- 
charged independent  of  the  interior 
state  of  the  subjects. 

Y.  9.  If  any  man  die  very  suddenly 
ly  him.  Heb.  "If  the  dead  dieth  by 
him  suddenly  unawares."  That  is,  by 
apoplexy,  violence,  or  in  any  other  way. 
A  provision  is  here  made  for  the  cleans- 
ing of  a  Nazarite  in  case  he  happened 
unavoidably  to  contract  a  ceremonial 
pollution  by  the  touch  of  a  dead  body. 
Should  such  a  thing  occur  at  any  time 
after  the  commencement  of  his  separa- 
tion, the  uncleanness  would  nullify  the 
proceedings  up  to  that  point,  and  he 
would  have  to  begin  anew.  The  cere- 
monies for  such  an  occasion  are  here 

prescribed. T[  HatJi  defiled  tTie  head 

of  his  consecration.  Heb.  rosh  nizro, 
thehead  of  hisNazariteship.  Gr.  "Im- 
mediately shall  the  head  of  his  vow  be 
defiled."  It  was  requisite  that  he 
should  be  strictly  exempt  from  pollu- 
tion by  the  dead  during  all  the  days  of 
his  Nazariteship.  In  the  case  supposed 
there  was  evidently  no  blame  to  be  at- 
tached to  the  person  who  happened  to 
be  providentially  present  at  the  death 
of  a  fellow-being ;  still  defilement  was 


suddenly  by  him,  and  he  hath 
defiled  the  head  of  his  consecra- 
tion; then  he  shall  shave-'  his 

/  Acts  18.  18. 


imputed  and  purification  enjoined.  It 
is  a  legitimate,  practical  inference  from 
this,  that  even  sins  of  infirmity,  or 
faults  in  which  we  are  overtaken  by 
surprise,  and  to  which  we  are  moved 
by  no  ill-intention,  are  a  proper  ground 

of    repentance    and    humiliation, 

H  Shall  shave  his  head  in  the  day  of  his 
cleansing,  etc.  The  sense  of  the  origi- 
nal is  not  perfectly  clear,  but  the  proba- 
ble import  is,  that  the  shaving  of  the 
head  was  not  to  take  place  immediately 
upon  the  occurrence  of  the  defilement, 
but  on  the  seventh  day  afterwards,  at 
the  close  of  the  season  for  which  he  was 
to  consider  himself  unclean.  Accord- 
ing to  this  the  final  clause  of  the  verse, 
"  on  the  seventh  day  shall  he  shave  it," 
is  merely  exegetical  of  the  preceding. 
Theodoret,  however,  and  some  others 
suppose  a  twofold  shaving  to  be  indi- 
cated, the  one  on  the  first  day  of  his 
uncleanness  and  the  other  on  the  last. 
But  in  this  case,  it  is  difiicult  to  un- 
derstand why  the  first  day  that  he  was 
to  be  considered  unclean  should  be 
called  "  the  day  of  his  cleansing."  The 
shaving  now  enjoined  was  to  cleanse 
from  the  incidental  pollution  contract- 
ed, and  was  entirely  different  from  the 
shaving  prescribed  upon  the  fulfilment 
of  the  vow,  V.  18,  which  was  to  be  done 
at  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle,  where 
also  the  hair  was  to  be  burnt.  "  When 
the  Xazarite  shall  shave  himself  for  his 
uncleanness,  he  need  not  shave  him  at 
the  door  of  the  Sanctuary,  nor  cast  his 
hair  into  the  fire.  But  whether  he  be 
shaved  within  or  without  the  Sanctu- 
ary, his  hair  is  unlawful  to  be  put  to 
any  use,  but  must  be  buried." — Mai- 
monides.  The  import  of  all  this  was 
equivalent  to  that  of  the  shaving  of  the 


94 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


head  in  the  day  of  his  cleansing, 
on  the  seventh  day  shall  he  shave 
it. 

10  And  on  the  eighth  day  he 
shall  bring  two  ^  turtles,  or  two 
young  pigeons,  to  the  priest,  to 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation  : 

g  Lev.  5.  7.     14.  25.     15.  14,  29. 

leper  when  cleansed,  Lev.  14,  signify- 
ing the  renunciation  of  one's  own  right- 
eousness by  any  works  he  can  perform, 
and  the  acknowledgment  of  pollution 
even  in  his  best  doings.     Comp.  Phil. 

3 :  8,  9. H  The  seventh  day.    The  day 

when  all  who  were  defiled  by  the  dead 
were  made  clean  by  the  sprinkling  of 
holy  water,  ch.  19  :  11,  12,  19. 

V.  10.  Shall  bring  two  turtles.  That 
is,  two  turtle-doves.  The  appointment 
accords  with  that  which  the  law  made 
for  atonement  in  behalf  of  those  who 
had  unclean  issues,  and  went  through 
a  process  of  cleansing  on  account  of 
them.  See  Notes  on  Lev.  15:14,  etc. 
"  When  a  Nazarite  is  defiled  with  any 
uncleanness  for  which  he  is  to  shave 
himself,  one  is  to  sprinkle  upon  him  on 
the  third  day,  and  on  the  seventh  day 
(Num.  19  :  12),  and  he  is  to  shave  off 
the  hair  of  his  head,  in  the  seventh  day, 
and  to  wash  in  the  seventh  day,  after 
he  is  sprinkled,  as  do  all  that  are  defiled 
by  the  dead,  and  when  his  sun  is  set, 
he  shall  bring  his  offerings  on  the  eighth 
day,  and  they  are  two  turtles,  or  two 
young  doves." — Maimonides. 

V.  11.  And  the  priest  shall  offer.  Heb. 
dsah,  shall  do.  This  is  a  peculiar  phrase- 
ology, made  use  of  where  mention  is 
made  of  sacrificial  rites.  It  is  equivalent 
to  sacrifieabit,  parahit,  mactalit  in  Lat- 
in, i,  e.  to  make  ready  and  offer  up  in 
sacrifice.  The  parallelism  in  the  fol- 
lowing passages  will  unfold  the  usage. 
1  Chron.  21 :  23,  "  Let  my  lord  do  that 


11  And  the  priest  shall  offer 
the  one  for  a  sin-offering,  and 
the  other  for  a  burnt-offering, 
and  make  an  atonement  for  him, 
for  that  he  sinned  by  the  dead, 
and  shall  hallow  his  head  that 
same  day. 

12  And  he  shall  consecrate 
unto  the   Lord  the  days  of  his 


which  is  good  in  his  eyes."  2  Sam.  24 : 
22,  ''  Let  my  lord  the  king  take  and  offer 
up  what  seemeth  good  unto  him."  So 
also  Ps.  66  :  15,  ''  I  will  offer  (Heb.  will 
do)  bullocks  with  goats."  The  same 
word   occurs  Ex.    29  :  36.    Gen.   18  :  7. 

27  :  17. T[  For  that  he  sinned  hy  the 

dead.  Heb.  icca  p?  al  nephesh,  upon 
or  over  a  soul.  Chald.  "  By  the  dead." 
The  act  is  termed  sinning,  though  not 
with  strict  propriety,  as  it  was  merely 
a  casual  and  undesigned  contraction  of 
legal  uncleanness.  The  original  term  is 
Ntan  hdtd,  to  miss,  to  fail  of  one's  aim, 
and  such  was  the  effect  in  the  present 
instance.  Though  done  without  his 
agency  and  against  his  will,  yet  in  the 
eye  of  the  law  it  was  a  defilement,  and 
as  such  was  to  be  atoned  for.  It  was 
designed  to  make  men  very  cautious 
how  they  came  in  contact  with  any  thing 

that  should  cause  pollution. ^  Shall 

hallow  his  head.  Heb.  kiddesh,  shall 
sanctfy.  By  "  his  head  "  is  meant  "  the 
head  of  his  Nazariteship,"  as  v.  9.  The 
observance  of  his  vow  was  to  commence 
anew  by  the  consecration  of  the  hair  of 
his  head,  which  was  to  be  suffered  to 
grow  without  cutting  henceforth  to  the 
expiration  of  the  period  embraced  in  his 
vow.  Rabbi  Sol.  Jarchi  says,  "  Sanctify 
his  head,  i.  e.  to  begin  again  the  count 
of  his  Nazariteship."  This  is  confirmed 
by  the  ensuing  verse. 

V.  12.  And  he  shall  consecrate.  Heb. 
hizzir,  shall  separate  as  a  Nazarite,  the 
original  root  from  which  comes  nazir, 


B.  C.  1490. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


95 


separation,  and  sball  bring  a 
lamb  of  the  first  year  for  a 
trespass-offering  * :  but  the  days 
that  were  before  shall  be  lost, 
because  his  separation  was  de- 
filed. 

13  And  this  is  the  law  of  the 
Nazarite,  when  the  days  of  his 


the  JVasarite.  The  import  is,  that  he 
shall  begin,  with  the  eighth  day,  a  new 
term  of  self-consecration  or  separation, 
to  continue  for  the  same  length  of  time 

that  he  had  first  vowed. ^  For  a 

trespass-offering.  Which  was  the  pro- 
per offering  for  involuntary  sins.   Lev. 

8 :  15.  22 :  11. H  The  days  that  were 

before  shall  he  lost.  Heb.  yippelu,  shall 
fall,  or  fall  out.  Chald.  "  Shall  be 
frustrated."  Gr.  "Shall  not  be  reck- 
oned." Yulg.  "Shall  be  made  void." 
This  single  act  of  defilement,  however 
insignificant  it  might  appear  in  itself, 
would  still  be  sufficient  to  annul  all  that 
he  had  done  before,  so  that  it  should  be 
accounted  for  nothing.  "  It  teaches  us," 
says  Henry,  "  that  '  if  a  righteous  man 
turn  away  from  his  righteousness,'  and 
defile  himself  with  dead  works,  all  his 
righteousness  that  he  hath  done  shall 
be  *  lost  to  him,'  "  Ezek.  33  :  13. 

V.  13.  This  is  the  law  of  the  I\aza- 
rite,  etc.  That  is,  that  which  follows  is 
the  law  in  regard  to  the  closing  cere- 
monies of  the  Nazariteship,  the  speci- 
fied period  having  expired.  It  points 
out  the  manner  in  which  the  votary  was 
to  express  his  gratitude  to  God,  on  the 
fulfilment  of  his  vow,  and  receive  an 

orderly    discharge. T[  He   shall    be 

brought.  Heb.  ydbi  otho,  he  shall  bring 
him.  As  the  original  leaves  it  doubtful 
who  are  meant  by  "be"  and  "him," 
three  different  modes  of  interpretation 
have  been  suggested.  (1.)  That  the 
man  brought  himself,  which  is  appar- 


separation  are  fulfilled' :  he  shall 
be  brought  unto  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation; 
14  And  he  shall  offer  his  of- 
fering unto  the  Lord,  one  he- 
lamb  of  the  first  year  without 
blemish  for  a  burnt-offering,  and 
one  ewe-lamb  of  the  first  year 


ently,  though  not  certainly  favored  by 
the  Gr.  (2.)  That  the  priest  brought 
him.  (3.)  That  the  word  "  him  "  should 
rather  be  rendered  "it,"  referring  to 
the  lamb  which  the  man  was  to  bring 
as  an  oblation.  "We  prefer  the  construc- 
tion which  makes  the  subject  of  the 
verb  indefinite,  "  one  shall  bring  him," 
i.  e.  he  shall  be  brought,  as  our  version 
has  it. 

V.  14.  Ee  shall  offer.  Heb.  hikrib, 
shall  bring  near,  the  appropriate  term 
for  sacrificial  and  other  offerings.     See 

Note  on  ch.  8  :  9,  10. 1  Of  the  first 

year.  Heb.  "  Of  his  first  year,"  and  so 
in  the  subsequent  clause  respecting  the 

she-lamb,  "  of  her  first  year." ^  F-jr 

a  burnt-offering.  One  of  each  of  the 
three  great  classes  of  offerings  men- 
tioned Lev.  1 :  3  :  4  :  is  here  prescribed, 
corresponding  to  the  threefold  prohibi- 
tions of  wine,  tonsure,  and  corpse-defile- 
ment specified  above.  The  design  of 
them  is  well  expressed  by  Patrick  : — 
"A  burnt-offering,  as  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  God's  sovereign  dominion.  A 
sin-offering,  imploring  pardon  for  any 
omissions  of  which  he  might  have  been 
guilty  during  his  vow;  and  a  peace- 
qfftring,  in  thankfulness  to  God,  who 
had  given  him  grace  both  to  make,  and 
to  keep,  and  to  fulfil  this  vow."  The 
duty  of  bringing  these  offerings,  though 
the  vow  had  been  fulfilled  without  any 
pollution,  would  teach  the  Nazarite  that 
so  far  from  meriting  any  thing  by  his 
pious  consecration  of  himself,  a  secret 


96 


■NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


without  blemisli  *  for  a  sin-offer- 
ing, and  one  ram  without  blem- 
ish for '  peace-offerings, 

15  And  a  basket  of  unleav- 
ened bread,  cakes  "*  of  fine  flour 
mingled  with  oil,  and  wafers  of 
unleavened  bread "  anointed  with 
oil,  and  their  meat-offering,  and 
their  "  drink-offerings. 

16  And  the  priest  shall  bring 
them  before  the  Lord,  and  shall 

k  Lev.  4.  3,  28,  32.  Mai.  1.  13,  14.  1  Pet.  1.  19. 
I  Lev.  3.  6.  m  Lev.  2.  4.  n  Kx.  29.  2.  o  c.  15. 
5,  7,  10. 

and  unseen  guiltiness  still  clave  to  him 
even  in  his  best  and  most  perfect  works, 
and  though  "  he  knew  nothing  by  him- 
self (i.  e.  against  himself),  yet  was  he 
not  thereby  justified,  but  he  that  judged 
him  was  the  Lord."     1  Cor.  4  :  4. 

V.  15.  And  their  meat-offering  and 
tJteir  drink-offerings.  The  possessive 
"their"  in  this  connection  seems  to 
refer  to  the  btirnt-offering  and  peace- 
offering  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
verse,  and  which  were  always  to  have 
the  meat-oflFering  (meal-offering)  and 
drink-offering  as  an  accompaniment, 
besides  the  basket  of  unleavened  bread, 
with  the  cakes  and  wafers.  See  Lev. 
7  :  12.  Num.  15  :  2,  3,  etc. 

V.  16.  Shall  bring  {them.)  Heb. 
hikrib,  lit.  s7iall  cause  to  come  near ;  a 
term  which  is  interchanged  with  "  of- 
fer," 1  Chron.  IG  :  1,  "  they  offered  {yah- 
ribu)  burnt-sacrifices,"  etc.  compared 
with  2  Sam.  6  :  17,  "  And  David  offered 

(i/aal)  burnt-offerings,"  etc. T[  Shall 

offer  his  sin-offering.  Heb.  *'  Shall  do 
his  sin-offering."  See  Note  on  v.  11. 
For  an  account  of  the  nature  and  use  of 
the  sin-offering,  see  Note  on  Lev.  4  : 1. 
This,  though  mentioned  second,  was 
offered  first,  according  to  the  Hebrew 
writers: — "He  killed  the  sin-offering 
first,  and  after  the  burnt-ottering,  and 
after  that  the  peace-off"erings,  and  af- 


orfer   his   sin-offering,    and   his 
burnt-oftering. 

17  And  he  shall  offer  the 
ram  for  a  sacrifice  of  peace- 
offerings  unto  the  Lord,  with 
the  basket  of  unleavened  bread : 
the  priest  shall  offer  also  his 
meat-offering,  and  his  drink- 
offering. 

18  And  the  Nazarite  shall 
shave  ^  the  head  of  his  separa 
tion  ai  the  door  of  the  taberna- 

p  Acts  21.  24. 


ter  that  he  was  shaved." — Maimonides. 
Having  made  his  peace  with  God  by 
the  sin-offering,  the  other  two  which 
followed  were  made  acceptable. 

V.  17.  Shall  offer  the  ram.  Heb. 
"  Shall  do  the  ram,"  as  in  the  preceding 
verse.  On  the  nature  and  design  of  the 
peace-offering,  see  Note  on  Lev.  3:1, 
It  was  here  a  token  of  thankfulness  that 
he  had  been  enabled  to  fulfil  his  vow, 
and  a  kind  of  rejoicing  festival  before 
the  Lord,  as  the  flesh  of  the  peace-offer- 
ings was  eaten  by  him  who  brought  the 
sacrifice  after  the  Lord  and  the  priest 

had  had  their  portions. Tf  With  the 

basket  of  unleavened  bread.  From  Lev. 
8  :  26,  it  would  appear  that  not  the 
whole  contents  of  the  basket  were  thus 
offered  to  the  Lord,  but  one  of  each  kind 
of  the  cakes  was  dedicated  to  him  as  a 
wave-offering,  and  the  rest  was  eaten 
by  the  offerer  and  his  friends  invited  on 

the  occasion. T[  The  priest  shall  offer. 

Heb.  "  Shall  do."  From  this  it  is  obvi- 
ous that  the  meat-offering  (meal-offer- 
ing) and  the  drink-offering  were  distinct 
from  the  basket  of  unh^avened  bread, 
although  Boothroyed  and  Geddes  are 
disposed  to  identify  them. 

V.  18.  The  Nazarite  shall  shave  the 
head  of  his  separation.  Heb.  "  Of  his 
Nazariteship."  That  is,  the  hair  of  his 
head,  which  was  the  grand  visible  dis- 


B.  0.  1490.1 


CHAPTER  YI. 


97 


cle  of  the  congregation ;  and 
shall  take  the  hair  of  the  head 
of  his  separation,  and  put  it  in 
the  fire  which  is  under  the  sac- 
rifice of  the  peace-ofi"erings. 

19  And  the  priest  shall  take 
the  sodden  *  shoulder  of  the 
ram,  and  one  "■  unleavened  cake 
out  of  the  basket,  and  one  un- 
leavened wafer,  and   shall   put 


q  1  Sam.  2.  15. 


Ex.  29.  23-23. 


tinguishing  badge  of  his  separation  or 
consecration  to  the  Lord  as  a  Xazarite. 
The  Hebrews  call  this  "  the  shaving  of 
purity,"  for  having  now  fulfilled  his 
vow,  this  hair  was  holy,  not  having 
been  defiled  like  that  which  he  was  or- 
dered to  shave  ofi"  before,  v.  9.  The 
ceremony,  therefore,  was  like  cancelling 
a  bond  when  the  condition  is  perform- 
ed.  T[  At  the  door  of  the  tabernacle. 

That  the  act  might  receive  an  appro- 
priate notoriety ;  that  it  might  be  pub- 
licly known  that  he  had  completed  his 
vow.  After  the  Tabernacle  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Temple,  this  was  done  in 
the  precincts  of  the  latter.  Acts  21 :  26. 

H  Flit  it  in  the  fire  which  is  'under 

the  sacrifice  of  the  peace-offerings.  Be- 
ing considered  consecrated  and  holy  it 
was  consigned  to  the  fire,  where  it  was 
consumed  in  honor  of  the  Lord  whom 
the  fire  represented.  The  fire,  how- 
ever, in  this  case,  was  not  the  fire  of  the 
altar,  which  was  too  pure  for  such  an 
oblation,  but  the  common  fire  under  the 
pot  or  caldron  in  which  the  peace-offer- 
ings were  boiled.  This  might  be  called, 
in  one  sense,  holy,  because  it  was  em- 
ployed to  boil  holy  meat,  and  for  that  rea- 
son was  more  sacred  than  common  fire. 
V.  19.  Shall  take  the  sodden  shoulder. 
That  is,  the  boiled  shoulder,  which  was 
the  left,  the  right,  called  the  heave- 
shoulder,  V.  20,  being  by  a  previous 
law  (Lev.  7  :  32,  33)  appropriated  raw 

5 


ihem  upon  the  hands  of  the  Naz- 
arite,  after  ilie  hair  of  his  sepa- 
ration is  shaven  : 

20  And  the  priest  shall  wave 
them  for  a  wave-offering  before 
the  LoED  :  this  is  holj^  for  the 
priest,  with  the  wave-breast  and 
heave-shoulder :  and  after  that 
the  Nazarite  may  drink  wine. 

21  This  is  the  law  of  the 
Nazarite  who  hath  vowed,  and 


to  the  priest.  In  this  case,  accordingly, 
the  left  shoulder  was  added  to  the  right 
as  a  special  token  of  the  Nazarite's 
thankfulness  to  heaven  for  the  many 

mercies   vouchsafed. T[   After    (the 

hair  of)  his  separation  is  shaven.  Heb. 
"After  his  Nazariteship  is  shaven." 
The  thing  signified  being  put  for  the 
sign. 

V.  20.  And  the  priest  shall  icave  them. 
On  the  import  of  the  words  "  wave," 
"waving,"  "wave-offering,"  see  Notes 
on  Ex.  29  :  24-28.  Whatever  were  the 
distinction  between  wave-offering  and 
heave-offering,  the  act  was  performed 
by  the  priest's  putting  his  hands  under 
those  of  the  offerer,  thus  intimating 
that  the  acceptance  of  all  our  services 
is  through  the  mediation  of  our  great 
High  Priest,  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we 
are  to  offer  "  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to 

God  continually." ^    Thcis  is  holy 

for  the  priest.-  Heb.  Tcodesh,  holiness  ; 
that  is,  a  holy  portion  for  the  priest  to 

eat. T[    With    the   wave-breast    and 

heave-shoulder.  Heb.  "  Upon,  or  in  ad- 
dition to,  the  breast  of  waving  and 
shoulder  of  heaving,"  which  were  the 
perquisites  of  the  priests,   of  all  the 

peace-offerings. ^  May  drink  wine. 

Heb.  "  Shall  drink,"  i.  e.  if  he  pleases, 
being  now  discharged  of  his  vow  and 
restored  to  his  former  freedom,  to  live 
as  other  men. 
v.  21.  This  is  the  law  of  the  Naza- 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


of  his  oJBfering  unto  the  Lord 
for  his  separation,  beside  ihai 
that  his  hand  shall  get :  accord- 
ing to  the  vow  which  he  vowed, 
so  he  must  do  after  the  law  of 
his  separation. 


rite,  etc.  The  common  rendering  and 
interpretation  of  this  verse  does  not 
strike  us  as  satisfactory.  It  is  for  the 
most  part  understood  to  mean  that  all 
the  observances  above  mentioned  he 
was  bound  to  comply  with,  however 
poor  he  might  be,  besides  which  he 
might  add  whatever  his  circumstances 
and  inclinations  might  prompt  him  to 
over  and  above  what  was  thus  pre- 
scribed. ('Beside  that  that  his  hand 
shall  get.')  But  to  this  it  is  a  serious 
objection,  that  the  preceding  law  makes 
no  allusion  to  any  such  additional  vol- 
untary offerings,  and  yet  the  writer  is 
professing  to  recite  the  terms  of  the 
law.  We  propose,  therefore,  the  fol- 
lowing, as  the  literal  and  more  correct 
rendering  of  the  passage : — "  This  (i.  e. 
what  is  said  above)  is  the  law  of  the 
Nazarite  who  shall  vow,  (and  the  law 
of)  his  gift  (Jcorhano,  Ms  hor'ban)  unto 
the  Lord  according  to  his  Nazariteship, 
beside  that  which  his  hand  shall  have 
attained ;  according  to  the  vow  which 
he  shall  have  vowed,  so  shall  he  do  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  his  Nazariteship." 
The  phrase,  "  beside  that  that  his  hand 
shall  get,"  denotes,  we  think,  that  which 
fell  within  the  measure  of  his  ordinary 
ability.  Over  and  above  what  he  ordi- 
narily did  in  the  way  of  gifts  or  obla- 
tions, he  was  especially  bound  as  a  vo- 
tury  to  discharge  punctiliously  all  the 
requirements  above  specified  which 
were  involved  in  his  vow.  The  phrase- 
ology in  the  clause  **  for  his  separation  " 
{al  nizro),  which  we  have  rendered 
"according  to  his  Nazariteship,"  is  in 
the  original  closely  akin  to  that  which 


22  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

23  Speak  unto  Aaron  and 
unto  his  sons,  saying,  On  this 
wise   ye  shall   bless  *  the    chil- 

s  Lev.  9.  22.        Deut.  10.  S.        21.  5.      Josh.  8.  33. 
1  Clir.  23.  13. 


occurs  in  the  final  clause  of  the  verse, 
"  after  the  law  of  his  separation  {al 
torath  nizrd'').  If  the  preposition  J;? 
al  may  be  properly  rendered  in  one  case 
after,  i.  e.  according  to,  we  see  not  why 

it  may  not  be  also  in  the  other. • 

^  According  to  tJie  vow  wliicli  lie  vowed. 
Heb.  Icepi  nidro,  according  to  the  mouth 
of  his  vow.  That  is,  according  to  the 
tenor,  purport,  and  intention  of  his  vow. 
It  is  reiterating  the  general  declaration, 
that  he  must  conform,  with  the  utmost 
strictness,  to  the  terms  of  the  vow  which 
he  has  voluntarily  made.  On  the  gen- 
eral purport  of  the  latter  part  of  this 
chapter,  in  which  various  offerings  are 
commanded,  the  following  remarks  of 
Calvin  will  be  seen  to  be  very  appro- 
priate :  "  Here  we  clearly  perceive,  that 
however  cheerfully  and  earnestly  men 
endeavor  to  offer  themselves  altogether 
to  God,  yet  they  never  attain  to  the 
goal  of  perfection,  nor  arrive  at  what 
they  desii'e,  but  are  always  exposed  to 
God's  judgments,  unless  He  should  par- 
don their  sins.  Even  when  the  work 
of  the  Nazarites  is  complete,  God  com- 
mands them  to  confess  their  guilt,  and 
suffers  not  this  service  to  intrude  into 
the  place  of  merit,  but  requires  of  them 
a  sacrifice,  that  they  may  borrow  from 
elsewhere  what  belongs  not  to  them- 
selves, though  they  appear  to  be  the 
most  perfect  of  all  men." — Harm,  of 
Pent. 

The  Formula  of  .Blessing  pronounced 
upon  the  People. 
V.  23.   On  this  wise  shall  ye  Mess,  etc. 
The  Lord  here  prescribes  the  form  of 


B.  C.  1490.] 


dren  of  Israel,  saying  unto 
them, 

blessing  which  Aaron  and  his  sons  were 
to  pronounce  upon  the  people,  espe- 
cially at  the  close  of  the  daily  services. 
The  office  of  benediction  was  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner  committed  to  them,  as  ap- 
pears from  Deut.  22  :  5,  '*  And  the  priests 
the  sons  of  Levi  shall  come  near ;  for 
them  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  chosen  to 
minister  unto  him,  and  to  bless  in  the 
name  of  the  Zord."  And  1  Chron.  23  : 
13,  "Aaron  was  separated,  that  he 
should  sanctify  the  most  holy  things, 
he  and  his  sons  for  ever,  to  burn  incense 
before  the  Lord,  to  minister  unto  him, 
and  to  bless  in  his  name  for  ever,"  In 
this  act  they  represented  one  grand 
prerogative  of  Christ,  the  great  High 
Priest  of  the  Church,  who  is  pre-emi- 
nently the  fountain  of  blessing,  and  "  in 
whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  are 
(to  be)  blessed."  The  uniform  practice 
of  the  Apostles  in  blessing  the  people, 
leads  us  to  infer  that  it  was  to  be  con- 
tinued under  the  Christian  dispensa- 
tion ;  and  accordingly,  in  conformity  to 
their  example,  the  Christian  Church 
has  universally  retained  the  custom  of 
closing  the  service  with  a  pastoral  bene- 
diction. Not  that  ministers  .caiL,  bnany 
power  or  authority j)f  their jO\nu_£on- 

Vey  a  blessing  ;    bLLLA&..Ateamrfl-<  pf  thft 

rnxsteries  of  God,  and  mediums  be- 
tween himself  and  his  people,  they  may 
still  act  as  the  appointed  vehicles  of 
^essin^s  which  he  sees  fit  to  impart. 
The  priestly  benediction  was  in  itself 
very  simple,  yet  as  the  divine  appoint- 
ment it  undoubtedly  brought  down 
many  blessings  upon  those  upon  whom 
it  was  pronounced.  And  shall  we  sup- 
pose that  the  Most  High  will  put  any 
less  honor  upon  his  ordinances  under 
the  Gospel?  Let  not  then  the  benedic- 
tion be  slighted,  as  though  it  were  a 


CHAPTER  VI.  99 

24    The    Lord    bless'   thee. 


and  "  keep  thee  ; 

«Pb.  134.  3.  uPs.  121.7.    John  17.  11. 

mere  signal  for  the  breaking  up  of  the 
congregation,  but  be  looked  upon  as 
the  expression  of  the  Lord's  good  will 
to  each  of  his  worshippers  involving 
the  exhortation  to  do  as  well  as  to  lear/i 
his  commandments.  The  threefold  repe- 
tition of  the  name  "  Jehovah  "  undoubt- 
edly carries  with  it  an  allusion  to  the 
divine  mystery  set  forth  in  the  august 
titles  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  as 
evangelically  explained  by  the  apostle,  ( 
2  Cor.  13  :  14,  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  I 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  the  Father,  1 
and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
be  with  you  all."    Indeed,  the  Hebrew 
writers  confess  that  as  the  name  "Je- 
hovah," in  this  connection,  is  differently 
pointed  each  time,  some  mystery  un- 
known to   them  is   couched  under  it. 
Under  the  Christian  dispensation  this 
mystery  is  unfolded.    The  term  "  bless,"  1 
though  here  predicated  of  the  priests,  is  I 
properly  to  be  understood  of  the  Lord  J 
himself,  and  the  part  of  the  priests  was  ' 
simply  that  of  in  vocation,  for  they  could  1 
not  bless  of  themselves.    At  the  same  ■ 
time,  as  they  acted  as  official  interces-  ' 
sors,  and  spake  in  the  name  of  Him  ; 
who    commanded    the    blessing,"    the  \ 
prayer  on  that  account  involved  a  vir-  ; 
tual  promise,  and  was  uttered  with  a 
certain  authority  which  gave  assurance 
of  its  accomplishment.     This  blessing 
was  pronounced  in  a  standing  posture, 
with  uplifted  hands,  and  probably  with 
a  loud  voice,  and  the  face  turned  to- 
wards the  people.      Deut.  10  :  8.  Lev. 
9  :  22.     With  the  Levitical  priests  this 
was  typical.     In  our  Lord  himself  it 
was  veritably  fulfilled.     Luke  24:50, 
"  And  he  led  them  out  as  far  as  to  Beth- 
any ;   and  he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and 
blessed  them." 
V.  24.   The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep 


100 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


25  The  Lord  make  his  face " 
shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gra- 
cious ""  unto  thee  ; 

vPs.  31.  16.  67.1.  80.3,7,19.  119.135.  Dan. 
9.17  w  Gen.  43. -29.    Ex.  33.  19.     Mai.  1.  9. 

thee.  The  blessing  is  here  pronounced 
in  the  singular  ("  thee  "),  although  its 
import  is  of  course  plural.  In  this  re- 
spect it  is  like  the  precepts  of  the  Deca- 
logue, which  address  themselves  to 
every  man  in  his  individual  capacity, 
the  implication  being  in  either  case  that 
no  one  is  to  lose  himself  in  a  multitude, 
but  to  make  a  personal  application  of 
whatever  is  included  in  the  blessing  or 
the  command.  The  leading  import  of 
blessing,  when  spoken  of  the  Lord,  is 
ahundant  increase  and  miiUiplication 
of  good  things  both  temporal  and  spir- 
itual. "  The  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep 
thee,"  therefore,  is  equivalent  to,  the 
Lord  bestow  upon  thee  plentifully  the 
favors  of  his  providence  and  his  grace, 
and  kindly  guard  and  preserve  thee  in 
the  happy  enjoyment  of  them.  The 
original  term  for  "  keep  "  is  often  em- 
ployed to  signify  the  tutelary  care,  the 
faithful  guardianship,  which  the  Most 
High  exercises  towards  those  who  put 
their  trust  in  Him.  Thus,  Ps.  121  :  7, 
"  The  Lord  &\\dX\  j07'eser've  thee  from  all 
evil,  he  shall  preserve  thy  soul." 

V.  25.  The  Lord  make  his  face  to 
shine  upon  thee,  etc.  Heb.  yaer  pnnauv 
aliiM,  make  Ms  face  (lit.  faces)  to  he 
light  {lightsome  or  luminoiis)  to  thee. 
The  Targ.  Jon.  adds,  **  when  thou  art 
studying  the  law,  and  reveal  to  thee  its 
hidden  things."  The  ancient  versions, 
tliough  somewhat  various  in  the  form 
of  expression,  evince  a  substantial 
agreement.  Chald.  "  The  Lord  display 
his  Shekinah  (or  Divine  Majesty)  upon 
tlioe,  and  have  compassion  upon  thee." 
Syr.  "  The  Lord  illuminate  thee  with 
his  countenance,  and  vivify  thee." 
Arab.  "The  Lord  kindle  the  splendor 


26  The  Lord  lift  up  *  his 
countenance  upon  thee,  and  give 
thee  peace  ^ 


X  Ps.  4.  6. 
John  14.  -27. 


y  Ps.  29.  11.    Is.  26.  3,  12. 
2  Thes.  3.  16. 


of  his  countenance  upon  thee,  and  be 
propitious  to  thee."     Gr.  "  The  Lord 
make  his  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and 
be  merciful  to  thee."     The  face  of  God  ' 
sometimes  denotes  his  anger,  Lev.  20  : 
6.  Ps.  21 :  10.    34  :  17,   and  sometimes 
his  favor,  Ps.  21 :  7.     But  the  light  or   '' 
the  shining  of  his  face  usually  carries 
with  it  the  idea  of  loving-kindness  and 
salvation  in  Christ,  as  Ps.  80 :  7,  "  Cause 
thy  face  to  shine,  and  we  shall  be  saved." 
Comp.  Ps.  44 :  3.     It  is  equivalent  to, 
"  smile  upon  thee,"  and  this  implies  the 
opposite  to  the  hiding  of  the  face,  and 
covering  it  with  a  cloud.      The  term 
gracious,  it  will  be  observed,   has,  in 
most  of  the  ancient  versions,  the  sense 
oi  pity,  comiiassion,  mercy,  while  with 
us  it  has  somehow  received  a  sense  in' 
conformity  with  the  idea  of  atonement 
or  propitiation  upon  which  it  is  sup- 
posed to  be  built,  and  therefore  is  usu- 
ally explained,  in  this  connection,   asv 
implying  ihc  forgiveness  of  sin.     Prob-F 
ably,  however,  the  leading  idea  is  that? 
o^benignity,  and  the  clause  may  be  para- 
phrased,  "  The  Lord  bless  thee  with  the| 
sensible  effects  of  his  favor,  and  visit  f- 
thy  soul  with  an  influence  like  that  of 
the  sun  upon  the  face  of  nature,  cheer-    j 
ing  and  enlivening  it." 

V.  26.  The  Lord  lift  up  his  counten- 
ance upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace. 
Heb.  "  The  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance 
to  thee,  and  put,  or  dispose,  unto  thee, 
peace."  Chald.  "  The  Lord  take  away 
his  anger  from  thee,  and  impart  to  thee 
peace."  Vulg.  "The  Lord  turn  his 
countenance  to  thee,  and  give  thee 
peace."  The  phrase  "  lift  up  the  coun- 
tenance," when  spoken  of  men,  implies 
a  free,  open,  and  cheerful  air  and  de- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  yi. 


101 


27    And  they  shall   put  my  j  Israel,     and 
name  '  upon    the    children   of    them. 


I     will  "    hless 


t  Deut.  2S.  10. 
18,  19. 


2Chr.  7.  14.      Is.  43.  7.      Dan.  9. 


portment,  the  opposite  of  downcast  and 
melancholy,  as  Job  29  :  24.  2  Sam.  2  : 
22 ;  so  when  spoken  of  God  it  imports 
that  favor  and  complacency  which  pro- 
duce such  an  elevation  of  face  in  the 
subject  of  it,  being  attended  with  an  in- 
ward calm  of  conscience,  a  peace  and 
assurance  which  could  flow  from  no 
other  source.  This  peace  is  but  anoth- 
er name  for  all  manner  of  prosperity 
and  welfare,  being  opposed  to  war,  to 
discord  and  enmity,  to  tumult  and  con- 
fusion, and  also  to  adversity.  This 
threefold  invocation,  therefore,  is  very 
comprehensive  in  its  range  of  import, 
being  laden  with  the  richest  blessings 
which  heaven  can  impart  to  men. 
"  There  be  many  that  say.  Who  will 
show  us  any  good  ?  Lord,  lift  thou  up 
the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us." 
We  may  here  remark,  that  some  in- 
terpreters are  of  opinion,  that  the  last 
clause  of  each  benediction  explains  the 
foregoing,  as  if  it  were  said,  "  The  Lord 
bless  thee,  by  keeping  thee ;  the  Lord 
make  his  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  by 
being  gracious  unto  thee ;  the  Lord  lift 
up  his  countenance  upon  thee,  by  giv- 
ing thee  peace."  This  may  be  admit- 
ted, without  at  the  same  time  supersed- 
ing any  of  the  other  senses  which  we 
have  attributed  to  the  language.  "  As 
I  came  along  the  road,  I  met  Raman, 
and  he  lifted  up  his  face  upon  me  ;  but 
I  knew  not  the  end ; "  which  means,  he 
looked  pleasantly.  Does  a  man  com- 
plain of  another  who  has  ceased  to  look 
kindly  upon  him,  he  says,  "  Ah !  my 
friend,  you  no  longer  lift  up  your  coun- 
tenance upon  me." — Roberts. 

V.  27.  TJiey  shall  put  my  name  upon 
the  children  of  Israel.  Heb.  samu,  shall 
put,  or  impose  ;  a  phraseology  of  a  pecu- 


a  Gen.  1-2.  2,  3. 
12,  13.    Acts  3.  26. 


!.  23.  20. 
Eph.  1.  3 


Ps.  5.  12.     67.7.     115. 


liar  kind,  implying  mainly  the  invoca- 
tion of  the  divine  name  upon  the  chosen 
people,  whereby  is  understood  the  min- 
isterial or  mediatory  communication, 
in  a  measure,  of  the  very  qualities  and 
attributes  for  which  the  name  of  Jeho- 
vah stands.  Chald.  "  They  shall  put, 
or  impose,  the  blessing  of  my  name." 
We  may  doubtless  suppose  that  the 
threefold  blessing  above  mentioned  in- 
volved the  essential  import  of  the  name 
Jehovah,  so  that  in  pronouncing  that 
blessing  they  did  in  effect  impart  the 
virtue  of  that  divinely  significant  name ; 
and  it  may  be  questioned  whether  this 
verse  is  not,  in  fact,  the  Lord's  own  in- 
terpretation of  the  purport  of  the  bless- 
ing which  he  ordered  to  be  pronounced, 
and  which  is  given  in  the  preceding 
verses.  It  is  not,  at  any  rate,  clear 
what  more  is  intended  to  be  conveyed 
by  the  language  of  this  verse  than  is 
embraced  in  the  true  sense  of  the  three 
preceding.  Ainsworth  remarks,  that  it 
is  apparently  meant  of  the  priests'  ges- 
ture in  lifting  up  their  hands  "  towards 
the  people,"  as  did  Aai-on,  Lev.  9  :  22, 
as  a  sign  that  the  name  and  blessing  of 
God  was  imposed  upon  them.  But  this 
was  probably  done  in  the  benediction 
itself,  and  therefore  cannot  well  indi- 
cate a  distinct  act  here.  Why  may  we 
not  regard  the  benediction  pronounced 
by  Aaron  and  his  sons  upon  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  as  a  dim,  but  real  fore- 
shadowing and  revelation  of  that  great 
truth  which  lies  at  the  very  foundation 
of  the  Christian  system — the  love  of  the 
Everlasting  Father,  the  grace  of  the  In- 
carnate Son,  the  comfort,  the  teaching, 
and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  and 
Blessed  Spirit— not  as  three  Gods,  but 
as  one  God  viewed  under  a  threefold 


102 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


A 


CHAPTER   VIL 

ND  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
clay  that  Moses  bad   fully 


aspect.  According  to  this  suggestion, 
God  the  Father  is  referred  to  in  the  24th 
verse — "  The  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep 
thee;"  the  Son,  the  Redeemer,  is  re- 
ferred to  in  the  25th  verse — "Make  his 
face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious 
unto  thee ;  "  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  al- 
luded to  in  the  26th  verse — "  Lift  up  the 
light  of  his  countenance  upon  thee,  and 
give  thee  peace."  This  view  appears  to 
us  a  reasonable  one,  and  therefore,  on 
the  whole,  we  would  read  the  passage  as 
if  written,  "  And  (thus)  shall  ye  put  my 
name,"  etc.  That  is,  by  pronouncing 
the  above  blessing  ye  shall  in  effect  put 
my  triune  name  upon  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  thereby  challenge  them  as 
mine;  as  especially  bound  and  conse- 
crated to  me  in  the  acknowledgment  of 

my  divine  nature  and  perfections. 

T[  And  I  will  bless  iJiem.  Targ.  Jon. 
"  I  will  bless  them  in  or  by  my  Word." 
Gr.  "  I  the  Lord  will  bless  them."  That 
is,  both  the  people  and  the  priests.  For 
the  strengthening  of  their  faith  the  Lord 
promises  to  bless  the  blessing  of  his 
appointed  servants. 


CHAPTER  yiL 

The  Offering  of  the  Princes  at  the 
Dedication  of  the  Tabernacle. 

V.  1.  On  the  day.  That  is,  about  the 
time.  The  Tabernacle  was  fully  set  up 
on  the  first  day  of  the  first  month  of  the 
second  year  after  the  departure  from 
Egypt,  Ex.  40  :  17, 18.  The  history  here 
seems  to  revert  to  that  period,  and  yet 
we  are  not  to  interpret  it  in  such  a 
strictness  of  sense  as  to  confine  what 
is  here  said  to  the  space  of  a  single 
day;  for  the  anointing  or  consecrating 
process  occupied  seven  days  (Lev.  8  : 


set  up  *  the  tabernacle,  and  had 
anointed  it*,  and  sanctified  it, 


h  Lev.  8.  10,  11. 


35),  and  the  dedication  here  spoken  of 
took  place  after  that.  It  must  be  un- 
derstood, therefore,  that  after  the  Tab- 
ernacle had  been  erected,  and  conse- 
crated with  all  its  appurtenances,  the 
priests  anointed,  their  services  defined, 
the  tribes  registered  and  arranged  un- 
der their  several  standards,  the  Levites 
distinguished  into  their  appropriate 
classes;  that  "in  that  day,"  or  about 
that  time,  the  chief  heads  of  the  differ- 
ent tribes  entered  upon  the  work  of  ded- 
ication as  described  in  what  follows. — 
The  general  scope  of  the  Israelitish  his- 
tory as  typical  of  the  Christian  church 
undoubtedly  warrants  the  idea  of  such 
a  bearing  in  the  present  narrative.  The 
Tabernacle,  it  will  be  observed,  is  first 
set  up,  and  then,  with  all  its  imple- 
ments and  utensils,  anointed  and  sanc- 
tified, and  thus  made  fit  to  be  conse- 
crated to  the  holy  uses  for  which  it  was 
designed.  The  actual  dedication  fol- 
lowed, and  this  was  signalized  by  the 
voluntary  gifts  of  the  heads  of  the 
tribes,  as  recorded  in  the  present  chap- 
ter. The  ceremony  of  unction  in  the 
0.  T.  is  a  standing  symbol  of  the  effu- 
sion of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  purifying 
and  gladdening  influences.  As  applied 
to  the  Tabernacle  and  its  contents  it 
points  typically  to  the  inauguration  of 
Christ  as  head  of  his  church,  and  in  and 
through  him  to  the  universal  church  it- 
self, which  is  the  fulness  of  his  spiritual 
body.  The  representative  import  of 
the  Altar  is  not  materially  different, 
though  it  has  a  more  especial  reference 
to  the  Lord  and  the  church  in  respect 
to  the  worship  rendered  by  the  one  and 
received  by  the  other.  We  may  say, 
then,  that  the  dedication  of  the  altar  is 
the  consecration  of  the  church.  The 
day  of  the  anointing  of  the  altar  denotes 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER   VII. 


103 


and  all  the  instruments  thereof, 
both  the   altar  and  all  the  ves- 

the  time  of  the  Lord's  inauguration, 
when,  after  the  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion, the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured  out  in 
rich  abundance,  and  his  precious  gifts 
imparted  to  believers.  "As  a  recom- 
pense in  the  same "  their  hearts  were 
also  opened  "  as  the  hearts  of  a  willing 
people,"  and  they  were  ready  to  bestow 
at  once  their  goods  and  themselves  up- 
on the  Lord  as  a  holy  dedication,  "  Thy 
people,"  says  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  110  :  3, 
•'  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  pow- 
er ; "  Heb.  "  shall  be  a  people  of  volun- 
tarinesses, or  liberalities ; "  and  it  is 
perhaps  with  a  tacit  reference  to  this 
noble,  liberal,  generous  spirit  and 
prompting  that  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes 
are  here  termed  "  princes."  The  char- 
acter thus  typically  given  to  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  its  primitive  period,  when 
its  disciples  were  in  this  respect  of  one 
heart  and  one  mind,  ready  to  possess 
all  things  in  common,  is  to  be  consid- 
ered as  virtually  the  character  of  the 
Lord's  disciples  in  all  ages  ;  for  of  them 
it  may  be  properly  said,  "the  liberal 
soul  deviseth  liberal  things."  In  the 
present  case,  it  might  be  said  of  the  Is- 
raelites, as  of  the  early  Christians,  that 
"their  deep  poverty  abounded  to  the 
riches  of  their  liberality,"  for  though 
they  had  little  to  spare,  yet  they  gave 
it  with  a  princely  generosity.  The  in- 
ventoxy  is  here  made  out,  and  the 
names  of  the  donors  stand  recorded  to 
their  honor,  as  we  often  see  in  modem 
times  the  names  of  contributors  to  mis- 
sionary and  other  benevolent  enter- 
prises published  to  the  world,  not  to 
trumpet  or  eulogize  their  benefactions, 
but  to  attest  their  zeal,  and  serve  as  an 
encouraging  example  to  others.  On 
this  subject  we  quote  the  apposite  re- 
marks of  Mr.  Cummiugs,  in  his  "Scrip- 
ture Readings  on  Numbers,"  (in  loo.)  : — 


sels  thereof,  and  had  anointed 
them,  and  sanctified  them. 


"Some  people  seem  to  think,  that  to 
publish  one's  name  in  a  list,  or  in  an 
advertisement,  as  the  donor  of  so  much 
to  a  charitable  object,  is  wrong.  It  may 
be  right  or  wrong ;  in  the  thing  itself 
there  is  nothing  necessarily  wrong,  nor 
is  there  any  thing  necessarily  right.  If 
it  be  done  from  vain  glory,  it  is  wrong ; 
but  if  it  be  done  simply  as  expressing 
one's  gratitude  to  God,  and  one's  sym- 
pathy with  His  cause,  then  it  has  prece- 
dents in  the  Old  Testament,  it  has  a 
precedent  in  the  New.  That  woman's 
name,  who  anointed  the  Saviour's  feet 
with  the  precious  perfume,  is  recorded, 
and  recorded  as  a  precedent  for  us. 
And  it  may  be  done  to  induce  others, 
who  have  more  in  their  coffers,  but  at 
present  less  liberality  in  their  hearts,  to 
go  and  do  likewise.  We  are  not  called 
upon  ostentatiously  to  display  what  we 
do ;  that  is  sin :  it  is  not  only  sin,  it  is 
absurd;  but  we  are  at  the  same  time 
called  upon  to  let  our  light,  whether  it 
be  bright  or  dim,  so  shine  before  men, 
that  others  seeing  our  good  works — our 
names  recorded  in  the  annual  list — may 
glorify  not  us,  but  our  Father  who  is  in 
heaven.  And  if  these  men,  the  princes 
of  the  ancient  tribes  of  Israel,  gave  so 
much,  and  so  liberally — for  it  was  a  vast 
amount  of  gold  and  of  silver — to  that  tab- 
ernacle that  was  to  be  taken  down,  how 
should  we  rejoice  in  every  opportunity, 
as  it  presents  itself,  in  the  Providence 
of  God,  of  contributing  to  build  up  a 
living  temple  of  living  stones  on  Christ 
the  foundation  rock,  until  that  com- 
pleted and  perfected  temple  shall  sound 
with  the  praises  of  Him  that  redeemed 

it — ■'  Grace,  grace  unto  it.' " T[  Mad 

anointed  it.  That  is,  with  oil,  accord- 
ing to  the  command,  Ex.  30  :  23-28,  the 
execution  of  which  is  related  Lev.  8  : 
10,  11.    As  the  Tabernacle  and  the  Al- 


104 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


2  That  the  princes  "  of  Is- 
rael, heads  of  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  who  wer^e  the  princes  of 
the  tribes,  and  were  over  them 
that  were  numbered,  offered  : 

3  And    they   brought   their 


tar  were  the  principal  things,  and  what 
sanctified  the  oblations  (Mat.  23  :  17, 19), 
therefore  the  princes'  oflferings  were  de- 
ferred till  these  were  duly  set  up  and 
inaugurated. 

V.  2.  That  the  princes,  etc. offer- 
ed. See  ch.  1 :  16,  where  the  same  term 
occurs,  which  Geddes  renders  "patri- 
archal chiefs."  The  word  "offered," 
which  in  our  version  is  the  last  word 
in  the  verse,  is  in  the  Hebrew  the 
first.    Accordingly,  Ainsworth  renders, 

"Then  offered  the  princes,"  etc. 

T[  Heads  of  the  house  of  their  fathers. 
For  "  heads  of  the  houses."    See  Note 

on  ch.  1 :  20. Tf  And  tvere  over  them 

that  were  numbered.  Heb.  "  That  stood 
by,  upon,  or  over  them  that  were  mus- 
tered." As  this  is  the  same  term  that 
occurs  ch.  1 :  6,  in  speaking  of  the  num- 
bering of  the  people  by  Moses  and 
Aaron  and  their  assistants,  "these  are 
the  names  of  the  men  that  shall  stand 
with  you,"  the  inference  would  seem 
fair,  that  the  writer  intended  to  say 
these  were  the  same  persons  who  offi- 
ciated with  Moses  and  Aaron  on  that 
occasion.  Gr.  "That  presided  over 
the  visitation,"  i.  e.  the  muster.  Yat. 
"  That  stood  by  while  the  people  were 
numbered."  Calvin,  however,  does  not 
recognise  any  allusion  to  these  twelve 
assistants.  His  explanation  is,  that 
after  the  people  were  numbered,  and 
separated  into  their  several  divisions, 
these  were  chosen  as  the  chiefs  of  the 
tribes.  This  may  have  been  so,  and 
yet  the  men  chosen  may  have  been  the 
twelve  above  mentioned. 


offering  before  the  Lord,  six 
covered  wagons,  and  twelve  ox- 
en ;  a  wagon  for  two  of  the 
princes,  and  for  each  one  an 
ox ;  and  they  brought  them  be- 
fore the  tabernacle. 


y.  3.  And  they  Irought  their  offering. 
Heb.  horUinam,  their  Jcorhan.  The  de- 
sign of  this  offering  was  to  perform  a 
public  service,  by  affording  convenient 
vehicles  to  transport  the  heavier  mate- 
rials of  the  Tabernacle  when  it  was  re- 
moved from  place  to  place. T[  Before 

the  Lord.  That  is,  before  the  door  of 
the  Tabernacle,  as  appears  from  the 
final  clause  of  the  verse. Tf  8ix  cov- 
ered wagons.  Heb.  shesh  egloth  tzah. 
The  original  tzdh  is  from  a  root  signify- 
ing to  swell,  to  grow  turgid.  It  is  em- 
ployed in  reference  to  the  swelling  of 
the  adulterous  woman  under  the  opera- 
tion of  the  waters  of  jealousy,  and  is  the 
term  rendered  tortoise,  Lev.  11 :  29,  from 
the  turgid  form,  of  his  shell.  The  simi- 
lar form  of  a  covered  wagon  will  show 
the  ground  of  its  usage  in  this  sense  in 
the  present  instance.  The  same  word 
in  Is.  66  :  20,  is  translated  "  litter." 
The  Gr.  has  a/na^as  Aa/xirrjuiKas,  coach 
wagons,  the  epithet  implying,  according 
to  lexicographers,  a  kind  of  vehicles 
such  as  were  used  by  illustrious  men 
and  women.  Though  comparatively  of 
a  rude  structure,  they  were  doubtless 
the  best  and  most  costly  that  could  be 

furnished  under  the  circumstances. 

Tl  A?id  twelve  oxen.  "  It  appears  that 
each  cart  was  drawn  by  two  oxen,  and 
a  greater  number  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  employed  on  any  of  the  different 
occasions  mentioned  in  Scripture.  Oxen 
seem  to  have  been  generally  used  for 
draught  in  ancient  times  among  other 
nations  as  well  as  the  Hebrews;  and 
they  still  continue  to  be  employed  in 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  yil. 


105 


4  And  tlie  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

5  Take  it  of  them,  that  they 
may  be  to  do  the  service  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation ; 
and  thou  shalt  give  them  unto 
the  Levites,  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  service. 

6  And  Moses  took  the  wag- 
ons and  the  oxen,  and  gave 
them  unto  the  Levites. 

7  Two  wagons  and  four  oxen 
he  gave  unto  the  sons  of  Grer- 

dragging  the  few  carts  which  are  in  use 
in  some  parts  of  Western  Asia." — P/rf. 

Bible. T[  A  wagon  for  two  of  the 

princes.  Heb.  "  A  wagon  upon  two  of 
the  princes ; "  i.  e.  according  to,  or  for 
two.  Such  is  the  peculiar  force  of  the 
Heb.  particle  al.  From  which  it  ap- 
pears that  there  was  a  certain  kind  of 
concert  in  this  presentation  of  the  wag- 
ons, as  if  each  two  of  the  princes  com- 
bined to  furnish  a  wagon,  while  each 
one  contributed  an  ox. 

V.  5.  TaJce  it  of  them.  It  is  perhaps 
in  reference  to  this  expression  that  Jo- 
nathan in  his  Targum  says  that  Moses 
at  first  refused  the  presents,  to  which 
Eab.  Sol.  Jarchi  adds,  that  "  he  received 
them  not  from  their  hand  till  he  was 
commanded  by  the  mouth  of  God." 
The  words  imply,  perhaps,  some  de- 
murring on  the  pai-t  of  Closes  until  he 
had  taken  time,  according  to  his  usual 
custom  on  all  doubtful  points,  to  con- 
sult the  Lord,  and  definitely  ascertain 

his  will. T[  That  they  may  he  to  do 

the  service.  Heb.  "And  let  them  be  to 
serve  the  service."  Gr.  "And  they 
shall  be  for  the  ministerial  work  of  the 
Tabernacle  of  testimony."  Vulg.  "To 
serve  in  the  ministry  of  the  Taberna- 
cle."  ^  To  every  man  according  to 

his  service.  Heb.  "According  to  the 
month  of  his  service."    That  is,  accord- 

5* 


shon,    according   to   their    ser- 
vice ■' : 

8  And  four  wagons  and  eight 
oxen  he  gave  unto  the  sons  of 
Merari  %  according  unto  their 
service,  under  the  hand  of  Itha- 
mar  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest. 

9  But  unto  the  sonsof  Kohath 
he  gave  none ;  because  -^  the  ser- 
vice of  the  sanctuary  belonging 
to  them  was.,  that  they  should 
bear  upon  their  shoulders. 

d  c.  4.  -^-l-iS.  e  c.  4.  29-33.  /  c.  4.  4-15. 


ing  to  the  measure  and  proportion  of 
his  service ;  or,  in  other  words,  accord- 
ing as  every  one  had  a  greater  or  less 
burden  to  carry.  Accordingly,  to  the 
Gershonites,  who  had  the  lightest  bur- 
den, the  curtains  and  hangings,  ch.  4 : 
24-28,  he  gave  but  two  wagons  and  four 
oxen. 

V.  8.  Four  wagons  and  eight  oxen 
he  gave  unto  the  sons  of  Merari.  The 
largest  allowance  of  wagons  Avas  made 
to  this  family  both  because  it  was  the 
most  numerous,  and  was  charged  with 
the  heaviest  burdens,  ch.  4  :  31,  32,  48. 
The  boards,  bars,  pillars,  sockets,  etc., 

fell  to  their  lot. *![  According  unto 

their  service.     Heb.  "  According  to  the 

month  of  their  service." T[    Under 

the  hand  of  Ithamar.  Heb.  "  In  the 
hand  of  Ithamar,"  that  is,  under  his 
guidance  and  direction.  He  had  the 
general  superintendence  of  both  the 
Gershonites  and  the  Merarites,  ch.  4 : 
28,  33. 

Y.  9.  Because  the  service  of  the  sanc- 
tuary,  etc.  Heb.  dbodath  hakkodtsh,  the 
service  of  the  holy,  that  is,  of  the  holy 
things,  such  as  the  Ark,  Table,  Candle- 
stick, Altar  of  Incense,  etc.  Gr.  "  Be- 
cause they  have  the  ministrations  of 

the  holy  {rov  ayiov). ^  ( That)  they 

should  hear  upon  their  shoulders.  This 
was  with  a  view  to  the  greater  honor 


106 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


10  And  the   princes   offered 
for  dedicating^  of  the  altar  in 

g  Deut.  20.  5.     1  K.  8.  63.    2  Chr.  1.  5,  9.   Ezra  6. 16. 
Neh.  li.  21.     Ps.  30.  title. 

and  dignity  of  the  Ark  and  of  the  Law 
contained  in  it.  The  violent  motion  of 
a  wagon  might  injure  the  exquisite 
workmanship  of  the  sacred  chest,  and 
shake  and  ruffle  the  ephod  and  breast- 
plate, which  by  carrying  on  the  shoul- 
der would  be  effectually  avoided.  From 
the  fearful  judgment  that  befell  Uzzah, 
2  Sam.  6  :  3,  7,  it  would  appear  that  the 
order  as  to  this  mode  of  transportation 
was  exceedingly  strict.  The  bearing 
of  the  Ark  and  the  other  holy  things 
was  not,  however,  so  exclusively  the 
province  of  the  Kohathites  that  it  might 
not  be  assumed  by  the  priests,  the  sons 
of  Aaron,  on  certain  special  occasions, 
as  appears  from  Josh.  8  :  3. 

Y.  10.  The  princes  offered  for  dedica- 
ting of  the  altar,  etc.  Heb.  eth  hanuk- 
kath,  the  initiation,  or  consecration. 
Although  our  version  renders  the  clause 
"/or  dedicating,"  etc.,  yet  there  is  noth- 
ing in  the  original  to  answer  to  "  for," 
and  the  true  sense  undoubtedly  requires 
the  rendering  : — "  Offered  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  altar,"  etc.,  i.  e.  the  sacri- 
fices which  constituted  the  dedication- 
offering,  or,  as  Geddes  proposes,  the 
initial-offering,  by  a  figure  of  speech 
similar  to  that  by  which  the  Heb.  "  sin  " 
is  sometimes  used  to  signify  a  "  sin- 
offering."  The  usage  in  regard  to  the 
original  term  (from  the  root  himah) 
is  peculiar  and  somewhat  important. 
When  spoken  of  men  it  denotes  cate- 
chising, initiation,  instruction,  t7'ain- 
ing  up  to  any  new  thing  to  which  they 
were  previously  unaccustomed.  Thus 
Prov.  22 : 6,  Train  vp  {hanok)  a  child 
in  the  way  he  should  go,"  etc.,  where 
the  margin  has  catechise.  When  ap- 
plied to  other  things,  as  temples,  altars, 
houses,  etc.,  it  indicates  the  first  using 


the  day  that  it  was  anointed, 
even  the  jDrinces  offered  their 
offering  before  the  altar. 


or  enjoying  of  them,  which  was  usual- 
ly done  with  some  special  solemnities. 
Thus,   Solomon  ^^  dedicated  the    house 
of  God,"  2  Chron.  7  :  5,  and  kept  "  the 
dedication   of  the   altar  seven   days," 
2  Chron.  7:9;  and  at  the  return  from 
Babylon  "  they  kept  the  dedication  of 
the  house  of  God  with  joy,  and  oflered 
at  the  dedication  thereof  an  hundred 
bullocks,"  etc.,  Ezra  6  :  16,  17.     In  like 
manner  the  people  kept  "  the  dedication 
of  the  wall  of  Jerusalem  with  gladness, 
thanksgiving,  singing,  cymbals,  psal- 
teries, and  harps,"  Neh.  12  :  27-43.    Da- 
vid also  composed  the  thirtieth  Psalm 
on  the  occasion  of  the  dedication  of  his 
house ;  and  it  appears  from  Deut.  20  :  5, 
that  all  the  Israelites  were  in  the  habit 
oi  dedicating  their  dwelling-houses.     In 
the  time  of  the  Maccabees  "  they  kept 
the  dedication  of  the  altar  eight  days," 
with  sacrifices  and  gladness,  and  or- 
dained it  to  be  so  kept  yearly,  1  Mac. 
4 :  54,  56-59,  which  ordinance  was  ob- 
served in  our  Lord's  time,  John  10  :  22, 
in  what  is    termed   *'the  feast  of  the 
dedication."    A  like  ceremony  obtained 
among  the  Gentiles,  as  is  evident  from 
what  is  said  Dan.  3  :  2,  3,  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's " dedicating i\iQ  image"  which 
he  had  set  up.    We  may  trace  the  con- 
tinuance of  these  usages  in  the  custom 
of  dedicating  or  consecrating  church- 
es and  chapels,  and  other  public  build- 
ings, and  in  the  ceremonies  connected 
with    the    '  opening '   of   roads,    mar- 
kets, bridges,  and  occasionally  with  the 
launching  of  ships.     In  all  these  cases 
the  original  word  is  the  same  with  that 
employed  in  this  passage.    The  custom 
is  expressed  in  Greek  by  iyKaiviaixos, 
and  the  feast  by  ^jKaLveia,  Lat.  encae- 
nia, from  Kaivos,  new,  implying  renovu' 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


107 


11  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  They  shall  offer  their 
offering,  each  prince  on  his  day, 
for  the  dedicating  of  the  al- 
tar. 


tion,  restoration,  or  the  re-appropriation 
of  any  thing  to  its  intended  use.  So 
the  solemnity  of  covenant-making  at 
Mount  Sinai,  related  Ex.  24 : 3-8,  is 
called  by  the  Apostle,  Heb.  9  :  18,  a 
dedication ;  as  he  says  "it  was  not  ded- 
icated without  blood,"  and  Christ  is 
said  to  have  "  dedicated  a  new  and  liv- 
ing way "  into  the  holy  heavens,  Heb. 
10  :  20.  So  in  the  present  case,  in  or- 
der that  the  altar  might  be  consecrated 
for  the  oblations  of  Israel  at  all  limes, 
the  princes  of  the  twelve  tribes  are 
moved  to  dedicate  it  with  gifts  and  sac- 
rifices of  various  kinds,  continued  with 
great  solemnity  for  twelve  days,  thus 
representatively  testifying  their  faith 
and  joy  in  Christ,  who  was  symbolized 
b}'  the  altar,  and  by  whom  they  should 
offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God  con- 
tinually, Heb.  13:10-15.  It  is  to  be 
observed,  however,  that  this  is  a  dis- 
tinct oftering  from  that  of  the  wagons 
above-mentioned.  Rabbi  Sol.  Jarchi 
observes :  "  After  they  had  voluntarily 
given  the  wagons  and  oxen  to  carry  the 
Tabernacle,  their  heart  stirred  them  up 
to  offer  voluntary  offerings  to  the  altar 
to  dedicate  it."  Though  not  expressly 
intimated,  it  is  yet  to  be  presumed  that 
the  offerings  made  by  the  princes  on  this 
occasion  were  not  exclusively  an  expres- 
sion of  their  own  personal  promptings, 
but  made  on  the  behalf  and  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  tribes  to  which  they  sever- 
ally belonged.  Calvin  appropriately  re- 
marks, that  "  although  mention  is  only 
made  of  the  'princes,'  it  is  probable 
that  each  of  them  presented  what  the 
whole  tribe  had  subscribed,  since  there 
was  no  person  at  that  time  wealthy 


12  And  he  that  offered  his 
offering  the  first  day  was  Nah- 
shon  ^  the  son  of  Amminadab, 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah ; 


A  c.  1.  7.     2.  3. 


enough  to  give  so  much  gold  and  sil- 
ver of  his  own." — Harm,  of  Pent. 

Tf  In  the  day  that  it  was  anointed.  Heb. 
"In  the  day  of  its  being  anointed." 
That  is,  about  or  near  the  time ;  not 
precisely  on  the  very  day.  See  Note 
on  V.  1. 

V.  11.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
They  shall  offer  their  offering,  each 
prince  on  his  day.  Heb.  "  One  prince 
for  a  day,  one  prince  for  a  day,  shall 
they  offer  their  offering."  Repeated  for 
the  sake  of  emphasis  and  the  greater 
solemnity  of  the  proceeding,  as  well  as 
to  indicate  the  equal  right  which  all  the 
princes  and  tribes  had  in  the  altar  to 
be  dedicated.  It  would  probably  be 
better  to  render  the  first  clause  of  the 
verse,  "  For  the  Lord  had  said,"  inti- 
mating that  God  had  previously  re- 
quired this  tribute  of  the  people.  As  it 
now  stands,  it  would  seem  as  if  Moses 
had  not  been  ordered  to  receive  it  be- 
fore it  was  actually  presented  by  the 
princes  and  the  people.  A  preferable 
sense  results  from  considering  the  whole 
verse  as  parenthetical,  with  the  pluper- 
fect rendering. Tf  For  the  dedicating 

of  the  altar.  The  dedication  here  men- 
tioned is  not  to  be  understood  as  if  the 
altar  was  now  for  the  first  time  to  be 
inaugurated  into  its  stated  use.  This 
had  in  fact  been  done  before,  and  seven 
days  spent  in  the  ceremony;  but  the 
idea  conveyed  is  that  of  its  beginning  to 
he  used  after  having  been  previously  set 
apart  and  sanctified. 

V.  12.  1[  Nahshon,  the  son  of  Ammin- 
adab. It  will  be  noticed  that  in  every 
other  instance  throughout  the  chapter, 
the  title  "prince"   is  attached  to  the 


108 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


13  And  his  offering  was  one 
gilver  charger,  the  weight  there- 
of was  an  hundred  and  thirty 
>,  one  silver  bowl  of  sev- 


name  of  the  person  designated.  Here 
it  is  omitted,  for  which  the  reason  may 
be,  that  the  distinction  of  offering  first 
involved  in  itself  a  kind  of  principality, 
inasmuch  as  the  tribe  of  Judah,  in  the 
person  of  Nahshon,  represented  the 
Lord  the  Saviour,  descended  from  him, 
and  who  was,  "  in  all  things  to  have  the 
pre-eminence."  Chazkuni,  a  Rabbini- 
cal writer,  remarks  thus  upon  the  fact : — 
"  He  is  not  called  prince,  that  he  might 
not  be  puffed  up  because  he  offered  first ; 
and  all  the  others  are  called  princes,  for 
that  they  submitted  themselves  and 
offered  after  him,"  It  is  not,  however, 
very  easy  to  perceive  how  the  recording 
or  not  recording  of  his  title  should  have 
had  any  effect  in  the  way  of  inflating 
his  spirit,  when  for  aught  that  appears 
the  history  of  the  transaction  might 
have  been  written  years  after  its  occur- 
rence.  T[  Of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  Heb. 

lematteJi,  for  the  tribe.  Several  versions 
render  it  "o/the  tribe,"  but  the  above 
is  the  most  literally  exact,  and  doubt- 
less the  true  sense.  As  such  it  confirms 
the  remark  made  above,  that  the  offer- 
ings were  not  made  so  much  by  the 
princes  in  their  own  names,  as  in  the 
names  of  the  tribes  to  which  they  per- 
tained, and  over  which  they  presided. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  offering 
of  the  chiefs  of  tribes,  each  in  his  day, 
is  not  in  the  order  of  their  births,  or 
as  they  stand  in  ch.  1,  but  according  to 
the  order  in  which  they  were  ranged 
around  the  Tabernacle,  ch.  2,  beginning 
at  the  east,  proceeding  thence  to  the 
south,  next  to  the  west,  and  ending  at 
the  north.  This  order  we  may  present 
in  tabellated  form,  thus  : — 


entj  shekels,  after  the  shekel' 
of  the  sanctuary  :  both  of  them 
were  full  of  fine  flour  mingled 
with  oil,  for  a  '^  meat-ofi"ering  : 


1.  Judah :  Nahshon,  v.  12 | 

2.  Issachar :  JSfethaneel,  v.  13 >  East. 

3.  Zebulun :  Eliah,  v.  24 ) 

4.  Eeuben :  Mizur,  v.  30 \ 

5.  Simeon :  Shelumiel,  v.  36 >-  South. 

6.  Gad:  Eliasaph,  v.  42 ) 

7.  Ephraim :  MisJiama,  v.  48.. . .  ) 

8.  Manasseh :  Gamaliel,  v.  54. . .  >•  West 

9.  Benjamin :  Abidan,  v.  60 ) 

10.  Dan :  Ahieser,  v.  66 ) 

11.  Asher :  Pagiel,  v.  72 [•  North. 

12.  Naphtali :  Ahira,  v.  78 ) 

This  ceremony  of  offering  was  con- 
tinued for  twelve  successive  days,  on 
each  of  which  the  prince  or  chief  at  the 
head  of  his  tribe,  forming  a  grand  pro- 
cession, marched  forward  and  laid  his 
rich  offering  upon  the  common  altar, 
in  regard  to  which  all  the  tribes  stood 
on  a  footing  of  dignified  equality.  And 
in  order  still  further  to  cement  the  union 
of  the  whole  body  of  the  people,  each 
day  of  the  celebration  was  made  a  day 
of  festivity  for  the  whole,  by  the  Feast 
Offering  which  made  part  of  the  tribute. 

Y,  13.  One  silver  charger.  Heb. 
Jcaarath,  dish,  platter,  or  deep  bowl.  Gr. 
"  Trubliou,"  which  in  Mat.  26  :  23,  is 
rendered  dish.  Its  precise  use  has  not 
been  clearly  determined,  but  it  would 
seem  to  have  been  designed  for  receiv- 
ing the  fine  flour  of  which  the  meat 
(meal)  offering  was  made,  or  for  the 
mixing  of  the  flour  into  a  paste.    See 

Ex.  25  :  29. 1[  An  hundred  and  thirty 

shekels.     About  sixty-five  ounces. 

1[  One  silver  hoivl.  Heb.  mizroh,  bowl, 
basin.  Gr.  "Phiale,"  translated  vials. 
Rev.  16,  which  however  does  not  con- 
vey a  correct  idea  to  the  English  read- 
er, as  the  vessels  intended  were  of  very 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  yil. 


109 


14  One  spoon  of  ten  shekels 
of  gold,  full  of  incense  ' : 


different  construction  from  our  vials. 
"  Goblets  "  would  be  a  rendering  nearer 
the  truth.  The  use  of  these  vessels  in 
the  holy  things  was  to  hold  the  blood 
which  was  carried  to  the  altar  and  there 
poured  out  or  sprinkled,  Ex.  27  :  3.  It 
is  obvious,  too,  from  the  concluding 
clause,  that  it  was  used  for  containing 
the  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  the  me- 
morial of  which  was  to  be  burnt  in  the 

fire  of  the  altar,  Lev.  2  :  2. ^  SheJcel 

of  the  sanctuary.  Heb.  shekel  haJcTco- 
desh,  shekel  of  the  holiness  or  sanctity  ; 
that  is,  the  shekel  employed  as  a  stand- 
ard in  regard  to  the  weight  of  all  holy 

things. ?[  For  a  meat  offering  ;  that 

is,  for  a  meal-offering,  or  mincha,  Avhich 
was  to  be  an  accompaniment  of  the 
burnt-ofi'ering  and  peace-offering  men- 
tioned vs.  15,  17. 

V.  14.  One  spoon.  Heb.  kaph,  cup ; 
a  vessel  for  holding  incense,  called  a 
spoon  from  its  concavity.  See  Note  on 
Ex.  25  :  29.  Geddes  and  Boothroyd  ren- 
der by  "  incense-pot."  As  this  was  of 
gold,  it  doubtless  pertained  to  the  altar 
of  incense,  and  not  to  the  brazen  altar 
standing  in  the  outer  court ;  and  this 
would  indicate  that  both  altars  were  now 
dedicated,  that  is,  began  to  be  first  used 
for  the  purposes  of  the  whole  congrega- 
tion. As  to  the  use  of  incense  in  connec- 
tion with  the  meat-ofiering,  see  Note  on 
Lev.  2  :  1,  et  seq.  If  these  dedication- 
offerings  have,  on  the  whole,  as  we  have 
endeavored  to  show,  a  Christian  aspect, 
then  it  may  be  presumed  that  these  va- 
rious vessels  of  gold  and  silver  come  in- 
to the  general  category  of  typical,  and 
we  see  nothing  more  probable  than  the 
suggestions  of  the  old  commentator  Ra- 
banus  Maurus,  who  says  : — "  These  dif- 


15  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for "'  a  burnt-oflfering  : 


m  Lev.  1.  2,  3. 


ferent  kinds  of  vessels,  made  for  offer- 
ing libations,  were  intended  to  denote 
the  varying  capacities  of  men  in  respect 
to  the  reception  of  divine  things.  One 
and  the  same  kind  of  teaching  is  not 
equally  adapted  to  all  classes  of  men. 
The  wise,  the  simple,  the  rich,  the  poor, 
the  sound,  and  the  infirm,  require  dif- 
ferent modes  of  instruction.  The  rude 
race  of  the  Jews,  abiding  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Law,  were  to  be  trained 
in  one  way ;  in  quite  another  way  is  a 
Christian  people,  beholding  the  myste- 
ries of  the  Law  unfolded  in  the  verity 
of  the  Gospel,  to  be  nurtured  into  a 
perfect  man."  He  then  goes  on  to  ex- 
plain the  symbolical  purport  of  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  vessels,  the  bowls, 
goblets,  cups,  etc.,  intimating  that  they 
here  represent  the  various  capacities 
of  truth  distinguishing  different  per- 
sons in  the  church,  all  of  whom,  how- 
ever, are  prompt  to  present  their  seve- 
ral faculties  to  the  Lord  to  be  filled 
from  the  fulness  of  his  Spirit,  and  then 
solemnly  dedicated  to  his  service. 

Y.  15.  One  yowig  hullock,  etc.  The 
offerings  here  mentioned,  the  plate  and 
the  sacrifices,  of  which  latter  there  were 
no  less  than  twenty-one,  were  very 
costly,  and  must  have  constituted  a 
magnificent  donative  for  a  people  now 
sojourning  in  a  wilderness  beyond  the 
bounds  of  civilization.  '*  The  occasion 
must  have  been  one  of  great  and  strik- 
ing solemnity,  and,  from  the  account 
here  given,  reminding  us  strongly  of 
the  annual  festival  of  Nurooz  in  Persia, 
when  the  king  sits  in  great  state  and 
glory,  with  the  nobles  of  his  court  at 
tending  in  their  most  gorgeous  attire, 
and  thus  receives  in  succession  a  long 


110 


]SrUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


16  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  "  sin-oflFering : 

17  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
*  peace-oflferings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Nahshon  the  son  of 
Amminadab. 

18  On  the  second  day  Netha- 
ncel  P  the  son  of  Zuar,  prince  of 
Issachar,  did  offer. 

19  He  offered  ''for  his  offer- 
ing one  silver  charger,  the  weight 
whereof  was  an  hundred  and 
thirty  shekels^  one  silver  bowl 
of  seventy  shekels,  after  the 
shekel  of  the  sanctuary ;  both 
of  them  full  of  fine  flour  min- 
gled with  oil,  for  a  meat-offering : 

20  One  spoon  of  gold  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

21  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

22  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-ofiering  : 

23  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  ivas  the 
offering  of  Nethaneel  the  son  of 
Zuar. 

24  On  the  third  day  Eliab ' 


n  Lev.  4.  25. 
q  ver.  13,  etc. 


Lev.  3.  1.  p  c.  1.  8.    2.  5. 

T  c.  1.  9.     2.  7. 


series  of  costly  offerings,  which  the 
princes  who  govern  the  provinces  of 
his  empire  send,  at  that  season,  to  the 
capital  for  his  acceptance,  and  which 
are  of  such  value  as  to  form  one  of  the 
principal  portions  of  his  yearly  reve- 
nue."—Pic^.  BiUe. 

V.  17.  And  for  a  sacrifice  of  peace- 
offerings.     The  victims  here  are  much 


the  son  of  Helen,  prince  of  the 
children  of  Zebulun,  did  offer  : 

25  His  offering  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
ivas  an  hundred  and  thirty  shek- 
els, one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary ;  both  of  them  full 
of  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil, 
for  a  meat-offering : 

26  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

27  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

28  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

29  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Eliab  the  son  of  He- 
Ion. 

30  On  the  fourth  day  Elizur' 
the  son  of  Shedeur,  prince  of 
the  children  of  Reuben,  did 
offer  : 

31  His  offering '  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  of  the  weight  of  an 
hundred  and  thirty  shekels,  one 
silver  bowl  of  seventy  shekels, 
after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctua- 
ry; both  of  them  full  of  fine 


s  c.  1.  5.    2.  10. 


more  numerous  than  in  the  case  of  the 
burnt-offerings  or  the  sin-offerings  for 
the  reason  that  the  priests,  the  princes, 
and  as  many  of  the  people  as  were  in- 
vited had  their  share  of  them,  and  feast- 
ed together  before  the  Lord  with  great 
rejoicing. 

V.  18.   On  the  second  day  Nethaneel 
did  offer.    It  may  here  be  remark- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER   VII. 


Ill 


flour   mingled    with   oil,   for  a 
meat-offering : 

32  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

33  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt- offering : 

34  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

35  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  ivas  the 
offering  of  Elizur  the  son  of 
Shedeur. 

36  On  the  fifth  day  Shclu- 
miel  "  the  son  of  Zurishaddai, 
prince  of  the  children  of  Sime- 
on, did  offer  : 

37  His  offering "  tvas  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
was  an  hundred  and  thirty  shek- 
els, one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary  ;  both  of  them  full  of 
fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for 
a  meat-offering : 

38  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

39  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt- offering : 


c.  1.  6.    2.  12. 


ed  that  every  tribe,  through  its  prince 
or  chief,  offers  precisely  the  same  kind 
of  offering,  and  in  the  same  quantity, 
and  that  the  offering  of  each  is  distinct- 
ly described,  although  it  necessitates  a 
repetition  in  the  same  words,  whereas 
we  should  doubtless  have  supposed 
that,  after  specifying  the  first,  the  sacred 
writer  would  have  said  : — "  And  so  in 
like  manner  with  all  that  followed ;  each 
one  made  the  same  offering."    But  in- 


40  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

41  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Shelumiel,  the  son  of 
Zurishaddai. 

42  On  the  sixth  day  Elia- 
saph ""  the  son  of  Deuel,  prince 
of  the  children  of  Gad,  afered  : 

43  His  offering  "^  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  of  the  weight  of  an 
hundred  and  thirty  shekels,  a 
silver  bowl  of  seventy  shekels, 
after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctu- 
ary; both  of  them  full  of  fine 
flour  mingled  with  oil,  for  a 
meat-offering : 

44  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

45  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

46  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

47  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Eliasaph  the  son  of 
Deuel. 


u>  c.  1.  14.    2.  14. 


finite  wisdom  has  seen  fit  to  adopt 
another  course,  and  it  may  have  been 
upon  the  same  principle  with  that  to 
which  we  have  adverted,  ch.  1 :  20-43, 
with  which  compare  Note  on  Ex.  36  : 
8-38.  The  witnessing  of  the  actual  pro- 
cessions and  offerings  continued  from 
day  to  day  would  have  produced  a  deep 
and  solemnizing  impression  upon  the 
mind,  and  it  may  be  that  the  leisurely 
perusal  of  the  distinct  account  of  each. 


112 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490. 


48  On  the  seventh  day  Eli- 
shama  '',  the  son  of  Ammi- 
hud,  prince  of  the  children  of 
Ephraim,  offered  : 

49  His  offering  '  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
was  an  hundred  and  thirty  sheh- 
els,  one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary ;  both  of  them  full  of 
fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for  a 
meat-offering : 

50  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

51  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering ; 

52  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering  : 

53  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Elishama,  the  son  of 
Ammihud. 

54  On  the  eighth  day  offered 
"  Gramaliel,  the  son  of  Pedahzur, 
prince  of  the  children  of  Manas- 
seh  : 

55  His  offering  *  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  of  the  weight  of  an 
hundred  and  thirty  shekels,  one 
silver  bowl  of  seventy  shekels, 
after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctu- 
ary ;  both  of  them  full  of  fine 
flour  mingled  with  oil,  for  a 
meat-offering : 


y  c.  1.  10.    2.  18. 
-i.  20. 


ir.  13,  etc. 
b  ver.  13,  etc. 


when  set  before  us  in  written  recital, 
was  presumed  to  be  productive  of  a 
somewhat  similar  eflfect. 

V.  48.  On  the  seventh  day.    As  twelve 
days  were  occupied  in  the  celebration, 


56  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

57  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

58  One  kid  of  the  goats  for     i 
a  sin-offering :  I 

59  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Gamaliel,  the  son  of 
Pedahzur. 

60  On  the  ninth  day  Abidan*", 
the  son  of  Gideoni,  prince  of  the 
children  of  Benjamin,  offered  : 

61  His  offering  '^  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
was  an  hundred  and  thirty  shek- 
els, one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary  ;  both  of  them  full  of 
fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for 
a  meat-offering : 

62  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

63  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

64  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

65  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Abidan,  the  son  of 
Gideoni. 

66  On  the  tenth  day  Ahie- 


c.  1.  11.     2.  22. 


one,  or  perhaps  two  sabbaths  must  have 
intervened  in  the  time,  and  yet  it  ap- 
pears that  the  ceremonies  suffered  no 
interruption  on  that  account.  But  the 
Lord  is  "  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath,"  and 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


113 


zer*,  the  son  of  Ammishaddai, 
prince  of  the  children  of  Dan, 
offered  : 

67  His  offering -^^  it;as  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
was  an  hundred  and  thirty  shek- 
els^ one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary  ;  both  of  them  full  of 
fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for 
a  meat-offering  : 

68  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

69  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering  : 

70  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering  : 

71  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Ahiezer,  the  son  of 
Ammishaddai. 

72  On  the  eleventh  day  Pa- 
giel^,  the  son  of  Ocran,  prince 
of  the  children  of  Asher,  offered: 

73  His  offering  ''  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  whereof 
was  an  hundred  and  thirty  shek- 
els, one  silver  bowl  of  seventy 
shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary ;  both  of  them  full  of 
fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for 
a  meat-offering  : 

74  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense. 


c  c.  1. 
2.  'i7. 


13,  etc.         g  c.  1.  13. 
h  V.  13,  etc. 


the  work  which  he  himself  appoints  for 
that  day  is  holy  work,  suitable  for  that 
sacred  season. 

Y.  84.  27m  was  the  dedication  of  the 
altar.    Targ.  Jon.  "  This  was  the  dedi- 


75  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering : 

76  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering : 

77  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Pagiel  the  son  of 
Ocran. 

78  On  the  twelfth  day  Ahi- 
ra'  the  son  of  Enan,  prince  of 
the  children  of  Naphtali,  offered: 

79  His  offering  ^  was  one  sil- 
ver charger,  the  weight  where- 
of was  an  hundred  and  thirty 
shekels,  one  silver  bowl  of  sev- 
enty shekels,  after  the  shekel 
of  the  sanctuary  ;  both  of  them 
full  ot  fine  flour  mingled  with 
oil,  for  a  meat-offering  : 

80  One  golden  spoon  of  ten 
shekels,  full  of  incense  : 

81  One  young  bullock,  one 
ram,  one  lamb  of  the  first  year, 
for  a  burnt-offering  : 

82  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering  : 

83  And  for  a  sacrifice  of 
peace-offerings,  two  oxen,  five 
rams,  five  he-goats,  five  lambs 
of  the  first  year.  This  was  the 
offering  of  Ahira,  the  son  of 
Enan. 

84  This  was  the  dedication 
of  the  altar,  in  the  day  when  it 


c.  1.  15.    i2.  29. 


h  ver.  13,  etc. 


cation  of  the  anointing  of  the  altar." 
It  was  dedicated  by  the  oblations  and 
sacrifices  above  recited,  which,  though 
simple  and  plain,  were  of  great  value, 
leaving  us  to  infer  that  we  are  to  serve 


114 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


was  anointed,  by  the  princes  of 
Israel :  twelve  chargers  of  sil- 
ver, twelve  silver  bowls,  twelve 
spoons  of  gold ; 

85  Each  charger  of  silver 
weighing  an  hundred  and  thirty 
shekels^  each  bowl  seventy  :  all 
the  silver  vessels  weighed  two 
thousand  and  four  hundred  shek- 
els, after  the  shekel  of  the  sanc- 
tuary : 

86  The  golden  spoons  were 
twelve,  full  of  incense,  iveigh- 
ing  ten  shekels  apiece,  after  the 
shekel  of  the  sanctuary  :  all  the 


God  with  the  chiefest  and  choicest  of 
our  possessions,  and  that  too  in  a  large 
and  liberal  spirit.     Comp.  Ex.  25 :  22. 

T[  In  the  day  when  it  was  anointed. 

That  is,  at  or  about  the  time  when  it 
was  anointed,  for  as  the  pageant  oc- 
cupied twelve  days,  the  term  "  day " 
must  of  course  be  taken  in  an  extended 
sense.  "  WJien  it  was  anointed,"  is 
plainly  equivalent  to  "  after  it  was 
anointed." 

V.  85.  All  the  silver  vessels  weighed, 
etc.  The  sum  total  of  all  these  various 
offerings  in  silver,  gold,  and  cattle,  may 
be  thus  exhibited : — 

12  Silver  Chargers,  eacli  130  shekels. 
12  Silver  Bowls,  "       70       " 

12  Gold  Spoons,  "       10       " 

Total  Shekels  of  SUver,    2400 
"      of  Gold,       120 

Of  beasts  for  sacrifice : 

Bullocks, 12 

Earns, 12 

Lambs, 12 

Goats, 24 

Earns, CO 

Ile-Goats, 60 

Lambs, 60 

Total, 240 


gold  of  the  spoons  was  an  hun- 
dred and  twenty  shekels. 

87  All  the  oxen  for  the  burnt- 
offering  ivere  twelve  bullocks, 
the  rams  twelve,  the  lambs  of 
the  first  year  twelve,  with  their 
meat-offering  :    and    the     kids 

of   the    goats    for    sin-offering,    | 
twelve.  ^ 

88  And  all  the  oxen  for  the 
sacrifice  of  the   peace-offerings     , 
were  twenty  and  four  bullocks,    : 
the    rams    sixty,    the    he-goats 
sixty,  the  lambs  of  the  first  year 
sixty.     This  was  the  dedication 

"By  this,"  says  Adam  Clarke,  "it  is  ' 
easy  to  see,  that  though  the  place  in 
which  they  now  sojourned  was  a  wil- 
derness, as  to  cities,  villages,  and  regu- 
lar inhabitants,  yet  there  was  plenty  of 
pasturage,  else  the  Israelites  could  not 
have  furnished  these  cattle,  with  all  the 
sacrifices  necessary  for  different  occa- 
sions, and  especially  for  the  passover, 
which  was  celebrated  during  their  so- 
journing in  the  desert,  and  which  it- 
self must  have  required  an  immense 
number  of  lambs,  when  each  family  of 
600,000  males  was  obliged  to  provide 
one,"  (ch.  9.)  It  is  not,  however,  to  be 
disguised,  that  there  are  serious  diffi- 
culties to  be  encountered  in  the  attempt 
to  show  how  such  a  vast  multitude  of 
cattle  as  would  be  requisite  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  people  of  Israel  could  be 
subsisted  in  this  desert,  rocky  region. 
Mr.  Stanley,  in  his  recent  work  on  Sinai 
and  Palestine,  alludes  to  this  subject, 
and  though  he  does  not  consider  any 
solution  of  the  problem  yet  given  as 
wholly  satisfactory,  yet  he  ofiers  seve- 
ral suggestions  calculated  greatly  to 
weaken  the  force  of  the  objections 
brought  against  the  Mosaic  history  on 
this  score.  He  remarks,  that  there  is 
abundant  evidence  that  the  resources 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  yill. 


115 


of  the  altar,  after  that  it  was 
anointed  ^ 

89  And  when  Moses  was  gone 
into  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation to '"  speak  with  him, 
then  he  heard  the  voice  of  one 
speaking  unto  him  from  off  the 
mercy-seat  "■  that  ivas  upon  the 
ark  of  testimony,  from  between 
the  two  cherubims  :  and  he 
spake  unto  him. 


I  ver.  1.      m  c.  12. 


Ex.  33.  9,  11. 


of  the  peninsula  were  anciently  far 
greater  than  they  are  now. 

y.  89.  And  when  Moses  was  gone  into, 
etc.  Heb.  leho  MosheJi,  in  Moses'  going 
in.  The  meaning  undoubtedly  is,  that 
from  this  time  henceforth,  whenever 
Moses  went  into  the  Tabernacle  to  con- 
sult the  divine  oracle,  he  was  privileged 
to  hear  the  voice  speaking  to  him,  as 

here   described. T[    To   sjpeak   with 

Tiim.     That  is,  with  God. \  Heard 

the  voice  of  one  speaking  with  him. 
Gr.  *'  Heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  speak- 
ing." Targ.  Jon.  "  Heard  the  voice  of 
the  Spirit  speaking."  This  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  prerogative  vouch- 
safed to  Moses  of  being  admitted  to 
more  intimate  converse  with  the  Lord 
than  any  of  the  rest  of  the  prophets. 
See  ch.  12 : 8. \  From  off  the  mercy- 
seat.  Heb.  "From  above  the  mercy- 
seat."  In  this  was  fulfilled  the  promise 
made  Ex.  25:21,  22,  ''And  thou  shalt 
put  the  mercy-seat  above  upon  the  ark 

and  there  I  will  meet  with  thee, 

and  I  will  commune  with  thee  from 
above  the  mercy-seat,  from  between 
the  two  cherubims."  For  this  reason, 
the  most  holy  place  of  the  Sanctuary, 
where  the  ark  and  the  mercy-seat  were 
stationed,  was  called  dehir,  speahing- 
place  or  oracle,  from  the  root  dahar,  to 
speak.  Into  this  sacred  recess  Moses 
alone  was  then  thus  privileged  to  enter. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

AND    the   Lord    spake   unto 
Moses,  saying, 

2  Speak  unto  Aaron,  and  say 
unto  him,  When  thou  lightest  the 
lamps",  the  seven  lamps  shall  give 
light  over  against  the  candlestick. 

3  And  Aaron  did  so  :  he 
lighted  the  lamps  thereof  over 
against  the  candlestick,  as  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses. 


a  Ex.  '25.  37.     40.  25. 


But  now  every  Christian  has  in  effect 
all  the  rights  that  Moses  had.  The 
humblest  believer  is  a  priest  in  the 
truest  and  only  existing  sense  of  the 
word ;  and  has  access  as  a  priest  into 
the  immediate  presence  of  God.  The 
monopoly  of  the  few  is  now  the  privilege 
of  all  mankind  that  believe.  The  nar- 
row gate  that  once  gave  access  to  a  sin- 
gle nation,  is  now  opened  so  wide  that 
all  nations  may  pass  freely  through  it. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

The  Lighting  of  the  Lamps  and  the 
Workmanship  of  the  Candlestick.    ■ 

V.  2.  When  thou  lightest  the  lamps. 
Heb.  "In  thy  causing  the  lamps  to 
ascend."  See  the  import  of  this  phrase 
fully  explained  in  the  Notes  on  Ex.  25  : 
37.  Gr.  "  When  thou  shalt  set  up,  or 
put  up,  the  lamps."  Chald.  "When 
thou  shalt  kindle  the  lamps."  The  lamps 
or  sconces  containing  the  oil,  were  so 
constructed  as  to  be  capable  of  being 
detached,  and  taken  down  from  the 
branches,  to  be  filled  and  then  raised  %ip 
{made  to  ascend)  to  their  proper  places 

on  the  candlestick. ^  Shall  give  their 

light  over  against  the  candlestick.  Heb. 
"  Over  against  the  face  (lit.  faces)  of  the 
candlestick."    The  meaning  is  not  en- 


116 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


tirely  obvious  from  the  literal  render- 
ing, but  the  explanations  drawn  from 
the  Rabbinical  comments  throw  a  satis- 
factory light  upon  it.  "Over  against 
the  candlestick  "  we  take  to  be  equiva- 
lent to  "  towards  the  central  shaft,"  for 
the  term  "  candlestick"  is  occasionally 
applied  by  way  of  eminence  to  the  shaft 
from  which  the  branches  issued.  See 
Notes  on  Ex.  25  :  31-37.  At  other  times 
it  stands  for  the  whole  structure.  The 
meaning  undoubtedly  is,  that  the  wicks 


should  be  so  disposed  in  the  lamp-cups 
or  sconces  that  they  should  incline  to 
the  edge  nearest  the  centre,  and  thus 
should  shine  towards  the  candlestick 
emphatically  so  called.  The  central 
lamp,  it  is  supposed,  was  lighted  from 
the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  all  the  others 
from  that.  We  give  in  this  connection 
the  form  of  the  candlestick  as  we  have 
been  enabled  to  deduce  it  from  the 
words  of  the  sacred  historian,  as  con- 
tained Ex.   25  :  31-40. 


Candlestick. 


The  Hebrew  doctors  say,  "  The  six 
lamps  that  were  fastened  unto  the  six 
branches  that  went  out  of  the  candle- 
stick, all  of  them  had  their  faces  towards 
the  middlemost  lamp  which  was  on  the 
branch  (the  shaft)  of  the  candlestick ; 
and  this  middlemost  lamp,  the  face  of  it 
was  towards  the  Most  Holy  Place,  and  it 
is  called  the  western  lamp." — Maimon- 
ides.  In  like  manner  Sol.  Jarchi  says, 
"  Over  against  the  face  of  the  candle- 
stick, that  is,  the  middle  lamp,  which  is 
none  of  the  branches,  but  of  the  body 
of  the  candlestick.     The  seven  lamps 


shall  give  light ;  the  six  which  are  upon 
the  six  branches,  the  three  that  are 
eastward  having  the  wicks  in  them 
turned  towards  the  middlemost;  and 
so  the  three  that  are  westward  having 
the  tops  of  the  wicks  towards  the  mid- 
dlemost." The  same  thing  is  briefly 
expressed  in  the  latter  clause  of  Ex. 
25  :  37.  It  is  indeed  said  that  "  the 
seven  lamps  shall  give  their  light"  in 
the  manner  above  described,  but  we  are 
still  at  liberty  to  understand  this  with 
the  due  discrimination  as  implying  that 
the  words  strictly  considered  hold  good 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  ym. 


117 


4  And  this  work  of  the  *  can- 
dlestick was  of  beaten  gold,  unto 
the  shaft  thereof,  unto  the  flow- 
ers thereof,  was  "  beaten  work  : 

b  Ex.  25.  31.  (J  Ex.  25.  18. 

of  the  six  branches  only  in  their  rela- 
tion to  the  central  shaft.  Similar  modes 
of  diction  could  easily  be  cited.  Thus, 
what  our  Lord  says  of  the  twelve  apos- 
tles sitting  upon  twelve  thrones  and 
judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel, 
must  be  understood  as  exclusive  of 
Judas.  The  opposite  interpretation  to 
this  is,  that  by  giving  light  over  against 
the  candlestick  is  meant,  causing  the 
light  to  fall  upon  the  north  side  of  the 
Tabernacle,  especially  illuminating  the 
table  of  show-bread,  whereas  the  can- 
dlestick itself  stood  upon  the  south  side. 
This  is  the  sense  affixed  to  the  passage 
by  the  Vulg.,  which,  however,  is  rath- 
er a  paraphrase  than  a  translation : — 
"  When  thou  shalt  place  seven  lamps, 
let  the  candlestick  be  set  up  on  the 
south  side.  Give  orders,  therefore,  that 
the  lamps  look  over  against  the  north, 
towards  the  table  of  the  loaves  of  prop- 
osition ;  over  against  that  part  shall 
they  give  light,  towards  which  the  can- 
dlestick looketh."  For  ourselves,  we 
give  a  decided  preference  to  the  other 
construction.  The  typical  bearing  of 
the  candlestick  with  its  lamps  is  largely 
unfolded  in  our  Notes  on  Ex.  25  :  31-37, 
and  in  consistency  with  that  the  sug- 
gestion flows  easily  from  what  is  here 
said,  that  as  the  central  shaft  more  espe- 
cially represents  the  Lord  the  Saviour, 
who  is  to  the  church  what  the  vine  is 
to  the  branches,  and  as  whatever  of 
spiritual  light  and  heat  is  possessed 
by  his  ministering  servants  flows  from 
him,  so  it  is  eminently  proper  that  they 
should  by  a  reciprocal  turning  or  in- 
clination, reflect  their  light  towards  its 
divine  source,  as  in  grateful  acknow- 
ledgment of  its  derivation  therefrom. 


according  unto  the  pattern  ^ 
which  the  Lord  had  showed 
Moses,  so  he  made  the  candle- 
stick. 


V.  4.  And  this  worh  of  the  candle- 
stick {was  of)  heaten  gold.  Or,  as  the 
Heb.  will  admit,  "  This  was  the  work 
of  the  candlestick,  (viz.  it  was)  beaten 
gold,"  etc.  For  a  detailed  account  of 
the  fabrication  of  the  candlestick,  see 
Ex.  25 :  18,  31-39.  37  :  17-24,  where,  in 
our  Notes,  we  have  endeavored  to  show 
that  the  epithet  "  beaten  "  implies  sim- 
ply hard,  solid,  as  the  Gr.  has  it,  and 
that  it  implies  the  nature  of  the  mate- 
rial and  not  the  mode  of  construction. 
The  candlestick  with  the  branches, 
bowls,  knops,  and  flowers,  was  con- 
structed of  one  piece,  although  not  by 
beating  or  hammering,  but  the  lamps 
were  formed  apart,  like  the  tongs  and 
snuff"-dishes.  So  one  of  the  Rabbinists 
says,  "  The  lamps  were  vessels  by  them- 
selves, and  might  be  removed  from  the 

branches." — Chazhuni. T[   Unto  the 

shaft  thereof,  etc.  That  is,  both  the 
shaft  and  the  flowers.  The  word 
''unto"  is  equivalent  to  "including," 
and  the  clause  is  thus  expounded  by 
Sol.  Jarchi :— "  As  if  he  should  say,  the 
body  of  the  candlestick,  all  of  it,  and  all 

that  pertained  to  it." TJ  According 

unto  the  pattern.  Heb.  Jcammareh,  ac- 
cording to  the  sight,  shmo,  vision,  ap- 
pearance /  the  word  being  derived  di- 
rectly from  the  root  rddh,  to  see.  The 
reference,  however,  is  undoubtedly  to 
the  visionary  pattern  or  model  exhibit- 
ed to  Moses  in  the  mount,  Ex.  25  :  40,  al- 
though in  this  latter  passage  the  original 
word  ior pattern  is  tahnith,  and  not  that 

which  is  here  so  rendered. ^  Which 

the  Lord  had  shoioed  Moses.  Heb. 
"  Which  the  Lord  had  caused  Moses  to 
see."  The  phraseology  of  the  Hebrew 
implies  a  peculiar  eftect  wrought  upon 


118 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


5  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

6  Take  the  Levites  from 
among  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  cleanse  them. 

his  interior  vision,  by  which  he  was 
enabled  to  behold  what  otherwise  would 
have  been  beyond  his  power.  He  was 
favored  with  a  spiritual  perception. 
The  objects  seen  were  seen  by  the  in- 
ward and  not  by  the  outward  eye,  and 
to  this  he  was  incompetent  unless  the 
Lord  had  made  him  to  see. 

TJie  Consecration  of  the  Levites. 
V.  6.  Take  the  Levites,  etc.  That  is, 
not  the  whole  body  of  the  Levites,  but 
all  besides  the  priests,  who  had  been 
consecrated  on  a  former  occasion.  Lev. 
8.  To  them  the  other  Levites  were  to 
be  adjoined  as  ministers  and  assistants, 
oh.  3  :  6,  etc.,  and  their  consecration 
forms  the  subject  of  the  present  chap- 
ter.  Tf  From  among  the  cMldren  of 

Israel.  We  see  in  this  the  basis  of  the 
familiar  distinction  of  the  chosen  peo- 
ple into  the  different  classes  mentioned 
1  Chron.  9:2,  "  The  Israelites,  the 
priests,  Levites,  and  the  Nethinims." 

\  And  cleanse  them.     Or,  "  purify 

them,"  i.  e.  in  the  manner  about  to  be 
described.  Although  it  was  required, 
as  a  geueral  rule,  that  all  the  people, 
when  they  approached  the  sanctuary, 
should  be  free  from  any  ceremonial  un- 
cleanness,  2  Chron.  23  :  19,  yet  there 
was  a  manifest  propriety  in  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Lord's  house  complying  with 
the  words  of  the  prophet.  Is.  52  :  11, 
"  Be  ye  clean  that  bear  the  vessels  of 
the  Lord  ;  "  and  such  a  purification  was 
represented  by  this  external  washing 
of  the  body  in  water.  So  the  apostle 
makes  "pureness"  one  of  the  requisite 
characteristics  by  which  the  ministry 
is  to  be  distinguished,  2  Cor.  6:4,  G. 


7  And  thus  shalt  thou  do 
unto  them,  to  cleanse  them : 
Sprinkle  water  *  of  purifying 
upon  them,  and  •''let  them  shave 


19.  9, 17,  etc. 


/  Lev.  14.  8,  9. 


"  The  mere  circumstance  of  birth  did 
not  entitle  the  Levites  to  enter  abruptly 
upon  the  duties  which  devolved  on 
them.  They  were  to  receive  a  sort  of 
consecration,  which  is  described  in  this 
chapter,  and  which,  although  solemn, 
is  different  from,  and  more  simple  than, 
that  which  the  priests  received.  They 
were  properly  purified  by  sprinkling 
and  shaving,  and  after  suitable  offer- 
ings and  sacrifices,  were  presented  be- 
fore the  Lord.  They  were  not  washed, 
or  anointed,  or  invested  with  official 
robes,  like  the  priests." — Fict.  Bible. 

V.  7.  Sprinkle  water  of  purifying. 
upon  them.  Heb.  "  Sprinkle  upon  them 
the  sin-water;"  that  is,  the  water  of 
purification  from  sin  ;  which  we  learn 
from  cb.  ly  :  9,  10,  ^'as  prepared  from 
the  ashes  of  a  red  heifer,  cedar-wood, 
hyssop,  and  scarlet.  It  is  called  "sin- 
water"  (Heb.  m'e  ^hattaath,  waters  of 
sin)  as  the  sacrifice  of  atonement  for 
sin  is  called  "sin-offering."  Indeed, 
we  may  say  with  Adam  Clarke,  that  as 
the  heifer  herself  was  sacrificed,  and 
her  blood  sprinkled  seven  times  before 
the  Tabernacle,  ch.  19  :  3-6,  she  may 
be  considered  as  a  proper  sacnfice  for 
sin,  and  consequently  the  water  thus 
prepared  be  termed  the  water  of  the 
sin-offering.  "  As  the  ashes  were  kept 
ready  at  hand  for  purifying  from  all  le- 
gal pollutions,  the  preparation  might 
be  considered  as  a  concentration  of  the 
essential  properties  of  the  sin-offering, 
and  might  be  resorted  to  at  all  times 
with  comparatively  little  expense  or 
trouble,  and  no  loss  of  time.  As  there 
were  so  many  things  by  which  legal 
pollution  might  be  contracted,  it  was 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Yin. 


119 


all  their  flesh,  and  let  them  wash 
their  clothes,  and  so  make  them- 
selves clean, 

8  Then  let  them  take  a  young 


necessary  to  have  always  at  hand,  in 
all  their  dwellings,  a  mode  of  purifying 
at  once  convenient  and  unexpensive. 
As  the  water  by  which  the  Levites  were 
here  purified  must  have  been  the  water 
prepared  from  the  ashes  of  the  red 
heifer,  this  ordinance  was  undoubtedly 
instituted  before  this  time,  though  not 
described  till  chap.  19  :  1-10  of  this 
book ;  but  that  chapter  might  be  in 
connection  with  any  of  the  preceding 
ordinances,  as  well  as  where  it  is  now 

found." — A.  Clarke. ^  Zet  them  shave 

all  their  flesh.  Gr.  "  Let  them  shave 
all  their  body."  "  Let  a  razor  go  over 
their  whole  body." — Cov.  "Make  a 
razor  to  run  along  upon  all  the  flesh  of 
them." — Mat.,  Cran.  "  Let  them  cause 
a  razor  to  pass  over  all  their  flesh." — 
Ains.  This  was  another  symbol  of 
purification  similar  to  that  of  the  leper, 
who  shaved  ofi"  all  his  hair  as  well  as 
washed  his  flesh,  as  a  part  of  the  pro- 
cess of  his  cleansing,  Lev.  14 :  8,  9. 
The  same  ceremony  was  ordained  also 
in  the  case  of  the  polluted  Nazarite,  ch. 
6  : 9.  One  of  the  Hebrew  doctors  re- 
marks, that  there  was  a  moral  signifi- 
cancy  in  the  act,  to  wit,  that  the  Levites 
were  thereby  admonished  "  to  cast 
away  all  worldly  cares,  as  much  as 
might  be,  and  give  themselves  wholly 
to  their  sacred  ministry."  The  exam- 
ple may  also  be  properly  understood  as 
teaching  that  all  Christians,  and  espe- 
cially all  Christian  ministers,  should 
"purify  themselves  from  all  filthiness 
of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness 
in  the  fear  of  God,"  2  Cor.  7:1.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that  Herodotus  says 
expressly  of  the  Egyptian  priests,  that 


bullock  with  his  meat-offering  ^, 
even  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil, 
and  another  young  bullock  shalt 
thou  take  for  a  sin  offering. 


g  Lev.  i2.  1. 


they  shave  their  whole  body  every  third 
day,  lest  any  vermin  or  other  foulness 
should  cleave  to  the  worshippers  of  the 
gods.  As  to  the  Levites,  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  the  direction  here  given  was 
to  be  observed  except  on  special  occa- 
sions.  1[  Let  them  wash  their  clothes. 

Another  rite  prescribed  in  purifying 
the  unclean.  Comp.  Ex.  19  :  10,  in  allu- 
sion to  which  it  is  said  of  the  redeemed, 
Rev.  7  :  9,  14,  15,  their  garments  are 
"  washed  and  made  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,"  that  they  may  "serve 
him  day  and  night  in  his  temple." 

V.  8.  Let  them  take  a  young  hullock. 
Heb.  "  A  youngling  the  son  of  the  herd." 
That  is,  of  the  second  year.  See  Note 
on  Ex.  29 : 1,  where  the  same  offering 
was  brought  for  the  priests.  This  was 
to  constitute  a  burnt-offering  or  holo- 
caust "  to  make  an  atonement  for  the 
Levites,  and  as  the  Jewish  Rabbins  say, 
"  For  the  consecration  of  their  service." 

H    With  Ms  meal-off tring.      That 

is,  meal-offering,  composed  of  fine  flour 
mingled  with  oil,  and  which  was  under- 
stood to  be  an  accompaniment  of  course 
of  the  burnt-offering.  The  ordinary 
meal-offering  for  a  bullock  was  "  three- 
tenth  deals  of  fine  flour  mingled  with 
oil,"  and  for  a  drink  offering  "  half  a 
bin  of  wine,"  ch.  28  :  12, 14.    See  Notes 

on  Lev.  2. T[  Another  young  hulloch. 

Heb.  "  A  second  bullock  the  son  of  the 
herd."  This,  though  mentioned  second, 
was  offered  first,  v.  12.  Lev.  8  :  14, 18. 
14 :  19.  The  only  case  in  which  a  bul- 
lock was  offered  for  a  sin-offlering  was 
that  in  which  the  priest,  and  through 
him  the  whole  congregation  had  sinned, 
Lev.  4 :  3,  13,  14,  22,  23,  and  the  reason 


120 


NUMBEPwS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


9  And  ^  thou  shalt  bring  the 
Levites  before  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation :  and '  thou  shalt 
gather  the  whole  assembly  of  the 
children  of  Israel  together  : 

10  And  thou  shalt  bring  the 

h  Ex.  29.  4,  etc.     40.  VI.  i  Lev.  8.  3 

that  this  kind  of  offering  was  made  on 
this  occasion  was,  that  it  was  offered 
for  the  Levites  in  a  body  who  represent- 
ed, as  it  were,  the  whole  congregation. 

V.  9.  And  tliou  shalt  bring  the  Levites. 
Heb.  hikraUa,  thou  shalt  hring  near,  or 
cause  to  approach,'  a  sacrificial  term 
almost  constantly  in  use  in  speaking  of 
the  offerings  made  upon  the  altar.  It 
denotes  that  the  Levites  were  viewed 
in  the  light  of  a  species  of  sacrifice  ded- 
icated and  devoted  to  the  Lord.  For 
this  purpose  they  were  to  be  brought 
like  other  sacrifices  to  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  which  is  usually  to  be  un- 
derstood by    the    phrase  "  before  the 

Lord," T[  Thou  shalt  gather  thewhole 

assembly.  The  occasion  was  one  in  which 
the  whole  body  of  the  people  were  equal- 
ly interested,  for  the  Levites  being  now 
to  be  taken  for  the  first-born,  it  was 
proper  that  the  whole  congregation 
should  signify  their  concurrence  in  the 
transaction.  This  was  according  to  the 
established  rule  in  law.  Quod  omnium 
interest,  ah  omnibus  fieri  debet,  what  con- 
cerns all  ought  to  be  done  by  all.  In  like 
manner  the  congregation  was  assembled 
at  the  consecration  of  the  priests,  Lev. 
8  :  3,  4. 

V.  10.  The  children  of  Israel  shall  put 
their  hands  upon  the  Levites.  Heb. 
sdmeku,  shall  lean  their  hands,  etc. 
That  is,  not  the  whole  body  of  the  peo- 
ple, but  some  of  the  chief  of  them,  the 
elders,  in  the  name  of  the  rest.  Ains- 
worth  suggests  from  Chuzkuni  that  the 
first-born  performed  that  office,  as  the 
Levites  were  substituted  in  their  place 


Levites  before  the  Lord  :  and 
the  children  of  Israel  shall  put  * 
their  hands  upon  the  Levites  : 

1 1  And  Aaron  shall  offer  '  the 
Levites  before  the  Lord  for  an 
offering  of  the  children  of  Is- 


and  made  atonement  for  them,  vs.  18, 
19.  The  act  of  imposition  of  hands  in 
this  instance  denoted  a  certain  kind  of 
transfer  from  one  party  to  another  of  a 
right,  function,  or  prerogative  which 
originally  pertained  to  the  transferring 
party.  The  act,  therefore,  as  Mr.  Kitto 
suggests,  had  virtually  the  same  signi- 
ficancy  as  that  of  the  Levites  in  laying 
their  hands  on  the  bullocks  which  were 
to  be  sacrificed  for  them  (v.  12),  or  to 
suffer  and  die  for  them  ;  and  the  appli- 
cation from  the  first-born  to  the  Levites 
would  express,  not  only  the  consecra- 
tion of  the  latter,  but  their  substitution 
to  attend  to  the  service  of  the  sanctuary 
in  the  room  of  the  first-born.  The  Le- 
vites represented  typically  the  minis- 
ters in  the  Christian  church ;  and  the 
transaction  before  us  carries  with  it  the 
implication,  that  the  functions  which 
they  discharge  are  inherently  appropri- 
ate to  the  whole  body  to  which  they 
pertain,  and  that  it  was  never  intended 
that  they  should  be  absolutely  and  en- 
tirely alienated  to  a  particular  class 
perpetuating  itself  by  an  ordination 
rite  in  which  the  people  at  large  have 
no  share.  Even  when  the  imposition 
of  hands  devolves  upon  those  who  have 
been  themselves  set  apart  in  this  man- 
ner, it  should  still  be  distinctly  under- 
stood that  the  act  is  performed  in  the 
name  and  behalf  of  the  mass  of  the  peo- 
ple. Under  the  present  dispensation 
all  true  Christians  are  "kings  and 
priests  unto  God,"  and  they  should  not 
lightly  part  with  their  birthright. 
V.  11.  And  Aaron  shall  offer  the  Le- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Vm. 


121 


rael,  that  tliey  may  execute  the 
service  of  the  Lord. 

12  And  the  Levites  shall  lay 

vites,  etc.  Heb.  liitiipJi,  shall  wave.  A 
sacrificial  term  applied  to  the  wave- 
ofFering,  respecting  which  see  Notes  on 
Ex.  29  :  23-28.  The  original  is  render- 
ed in  the  Gr.  bj  aphoriei,  shall  separate, 
which  is  transferred  into  the  N.  T.  in 
reference  to  the  setting  apart  of  Barna- 
bas and  Saul  (Paul)  for  the  work  to 
which  the  Lord  had  called  them,  Acts 
13  :  2.  In  like  manner  Paul  speaks  of 
himself,  Rom.  1 : 1,  as  "  separated  unto 
the  Gospel  of  God."  As  the  leading 
idea  of  the  Heb.  term  is  that  of  agita- 
tion, so  the  Gr.  applied  to  ministers  and 
apostles  denotes  more  than  simple  sep- 
aration, viz.,  the  trials,  tossiugs,  and 
afliictions  which,  for  the  most  part, 
should  accompany  their  dedication  to 
the  special  service  of  the  Lord  and  the 
church.  The  rendering  of  the  Arab,  is 
here  remarkable: — "And  Aaron  shall 
lead  them  about  by  a  circuitous  lead- 
ing," implying  that  they  were  conducted 
about  through  the  camp,  somewhat  as 
in  the  East  a  bride  is  conducted  in  a 
procession  from  her  father's  house  to 
the  house  of  the  bridegroom,  to  whom 
she  is  ever  after  to  be  solemnly  dedi- 
cated and  devoted.  The  agitation  or 
waving  to  and  fro  indicated  by  the  ori- 
ginal Heb.  term  implied  the  solemn  con- 
secration of  the  things  waved  to  God, 
as  a  sacrifice ;  and  therefore  the  Levites 
were  presented  to  him  under  the  same 
consideration  as  were  the  first-born. 
As,  however,  it  was  impossible  for 
Aaron  to  wave  them  as  he  did  the  ordi- 
nary sacrifices,  and  yet  the  term  would 
seem  to  express  something  which  he 
did  to  them,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  they 
were  made  to  perform  some  kind  of 
locomotion,  although  it  might  not  have 
been  precisely  that  indicated  by  the 
Arabic  version.     Patrick  suggests,  that 

6 


their  hands  upon  the  heads  of 
the  bullocks  :  and  thou  shalt 
offer  the  one  for  a  sin-offering, 


Aaron  "  lifting  up  his  hands,  and  turn- 
ing about  to  all  sides,  as  he  did  when 
he  offered  a  wave-offering,  they,  at  his 
command,  imitated  the  same  motion, 
and  so  were  offered  up  to  God,  and  be- 
came wholly  his."  Le  Clerc,  however, 
conjectures  that  they  were  led  round 
about  the  altar,  thus  favoring  the  con- 
struction of  the  Arabic,  which  we  on 

the  whole   are  inclined  to   adopt. 

TI  For  an  offering.  Heb.  temtphah,  a 
wave-offering.  See  Note  on  ch.  3  :  6. 
Gr.  apodoma,  a  gift,  as  the  ministers 
of  the  church  are  also  called  Eph.  4 :  8, 
11. T  That  they  may  execute  the  ser- 
vice. Heb.  "  That  they  may  serve  the 
service."  Gr.  "  That  they  may  be  to 
work,  or  do,  the  works  of  the  Lord  ;" 
as  also  in  v.  15.  The  same  phraseology 
occurs  in  the  original  of  1  Cor.  16  :  10, 
"For  he  worketh  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
as  I  also  do."  The  language  of  1  Cor. 
9  :  13,  is  equivalent : — "  Do  ye  not  know 
that  they  which  minister  about  holy 
things,  live,"  etc. 

V.  12.  Shall  lay  their  hands  upon  the 
head.s.  Heb.  "  Upon  the  head,"  sing, 
doubtless  because  the  ceremony  was 
performed  upon  the  head  of  each  one 

separately. ^  Thou  shalt  ofer.  Heb. 

"  Thou  shalt  do."  See  Note  on  ch.  6  : 
11,  16,  17.  As  the  words  are  addressed 
to  Moses,  the  meaning  is,  that  he  should 
cause  the  sacrifice  to  be  offered  by  the 
hands  of  Aaron  the  priest.  There  is 
something  which  strikes  us  as  very 
plausible  in  the  suggestion  of  Yitringa 
and  Patrick,  that  the  Levites  were  them- 
selves considered  in  this  transaction  as 
an  expiatory  sacrifice ;  for  being  given 
to  God  instead  of  the  first-born,  in  the 
sanctification  of  whom  the  whole  family 
was  sanctified,  and  their  sin  in  a  certain 
I  sense  expiated,  the  offering  of  the  Le- 


122 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


and  the  other  for  a  burnt-offer- 
ing, unto  the  Lord,  to  make  an 
atonement  for  the  Levites. 

13  And  thou  shalt  set  the 
Levites  before  Aaron,  and  be- 
fore his  sous,  and  offer  them /or 
an  offering  unto  the  Lord. 

14  Thus  shalt  thou  separate  "' 
the    Levites   from    among   the 


vites  in  this  manner  was  to  be  consid- 
ered as  having  the  same  effect  as  had 
the  offering  of  the  first-born,  viz.  the 
sanctification  and  atonement  of  the  peo- 
ple at  large.  This  idea  seems  to  be 
countenanced  by  the  phraseology  of  v. 
19,  "  to  make  atonement  for  the  children 
of  Israel,"  which  may  properly  be  un- 
derstood as  equivalent  to  making  atone- 
ment in  lehalf  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
i.  e.  viewing  the  Levites  themselves  as 
the  atoning  sacrifice,  and  not  the  minis- 
ters by  whom  it  is  made.  In  the  pres- 
ent verse  the  Levites  are  evidently  re- 
garded as  a  sacrificial  offering,  and  yet, 
as  they  were  not  devoted  to  death,  any 
more  than  the  first-born,  but  still  lived, 
therefore  the  sin-offering  and  the  burnt- 
offering  were  substituted  in  their  stead. 
Upon  these  they  accordingly  laid  their 
hands,  that  the  sin  which  the  children 
of  Israel  laid  upon  them  (v.  10)  might 
in  the  same  way  be  transferred  to  the 
victims,  which  thus  became  the  real 
sacrifices.  The  soundness  of  the  pro- 
posed interpretation  will  depend  upon 
the  true  import  of  the  phrase  lehajpper 
al,  to  make  atonement  upon,  for,  or  in 
hehalf  of,  whether  it  refers  to  the  sacri- 
fice or  to  the  sacrificer.  We  incline, 
though  not  without  some  wavering,  to 
the  former.  As  to  the  actual  usage, 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  making  atone- 
ment is  predicated  both  of  sacrifice  and 
of  the  officiating  priest. 

V.    13.    And  tliou  nhalt  set.      Ileb. 


children  of  Israel :  and  the  Le- 
vites shall  be  mine  ". 

15  And  after  that  shall  the 
Levites  go  in  to  do  the  service 
of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation :  and  thou  shalt  cleanse 
them,  and  offer "  them  for  an 
offering. 

16  For  they  are  wholly  given 


"  Thou  shalt  cause  to  stand,"  i.  e.  thou 
shalt  present,  as  a  token  of  their  being 
given  to  him  and  to  his  sons,  as  in  v. 

19.    See  also  ch.  5  :  16, 18,  30. H  And 

offer  them  {for)  an  offering  'unto  the 
Lordj.  Heb.  "And  thou  shalt  wave 
them  (as)  a  wave-offering."  This  sense 
of  the  original  makes  it  probable  that 
the  true  rendering  is,  "  After  thou  hast 
waved  them  for  a  wave-offering,"  im- 
plying that  they  were  presented  to 
Aaron  and  his  sons  after  having  been 
thus  offered  to  the  Lord.  It  is  doubt- 
less in  allusion  to  this  that  Paul,  in 
writing  to  the  Romans^  says,  "  I  be- 
seech you,  brethren,  by  the  mercies 
of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies 
a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  un- 
to God,  which  is  your  reasonable  ser- 
vice." 

V.  14.  The  Levites  shall  he  mine. 
Chald.  "  Shall  be  ministers  before  me." 
See  Note  on  ch.  16  :  9. 

V.  15.  And  thou  shalt  cleanse  them 
and  offer  them.  Heb.  "Wave  them." 
Gr.  "  Give  them  before  the  Lord."  As 
this  is  evidently  no  new  order  for  their 
cleansing,  the  sense  is  unquestionably, 
"  Thou  having  cleansed  them,  and  offer- 
ed them."    See  vs.  7,  11. 

V.  16.  For  they  {are)  wholly  given 
unto  me.  Heb.  "  For  they  are  Nethinim, 
Nethinim  to  me ;  "  repeated  for  the  sake 
of  emphasis.  On  the  import  of  "  Ne- 
thinim "  see  Note  on  ch.  3 :  9.  Gr.  "  For 
these  are  given  to  me  for  a  present." 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


123 


unto  me  from  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel ;  instead  ^  of  such 
as  open  every  womb,  even  in- 
stead of  the  first-born  of  all  the 
children  of  Israel,  have  I  taken 
them  unto  me. 

17  For  all  the  first-born  ^  of 
the  children  of  Israel  are  mine, 
both  man  and  beast :  on  the  day 
that  I  smote  every  first-born  in 
the  land  of  Egypt  I  sanctified 
them  for  myself. 

18  And  I  have  taken  the  Le- 
vites  for  all  the  first-born  of  the 
children  of  Israel. 

19  And  I  have  given  '  the 

/)c.  3.  12,  45.  J  Et.  13.  2,  1-2-15.     «.  3.  13. 


T[  Instead  of  such  as  open  every 

womh.  Heb.  "Instead  of  the  opening 
of  every  Avomb ; "  on  which  phraseology 
see  Note  on  ch.  3  :  12.  The  ensuing 
phrase,  "first-born,"  is  in  apposition 
with  this  and  explanatory  of  it. 

V.  19.  And  I  have  given  the  Levites 
(as)  a  gift.  Heb.  "  And  I  have  given 
the  Levites  as  Nethinim."  Gr.  "  And 
I  have  given  the  Levites  presented  as  a 
gift."  Being  first  solemnly  set  apart 
and  dedicated  to  the  Lord,  they  are  now 
given  back  by  him  to  the  donors,  teach- 
ing us,  that  whatever  we  give  up  to  the 
Lord  in  the  spirit  of  a  grateful  surren- 
der, will  be  sure  to  be  returned  to  us 

with  interest. ^  To  do  the  service  of 

the  children  of  Israel.  Heb.  "  To  serve 
the  service."  Gr.  "To  do  the  works." 
Vulg.  "  To  serve  me  for  Israel,"  i.  e.  to 
serve  me  in  the  holy  rites  instead  of 
Israel  themselves.  The  service  of  the 
children  of  Israel  is  the  service  which 
they  would  have  been  required  to  per- 
form had  not  the  Levites  been  chosen 
in  their  stead. T[  To  make  an  atone- 
ment. Heb.  lehapper,  to  make  atone- 
ment.     The  insertion  of  the  particle 


Levites  as  a  gift  to  Aaron  and 
to  his  sons  from  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  to  do  the  service 
of  the  children  of  Israel  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
and  to  make  an  atonement  for 
the  children  of  Israel :  that  ' 
there  be  no  plague  among  the 
children  of  Israel,  when  the 
children  of  Israel  come  nigh 
unto  the  sanctuary. 

20  And  Moses,  and  Aaron, 
and  all  the  congregation  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  did  to  the 
Levites  according  unto  all  that 
the    LoKD    commanded    Moses 

«  c.  1.  53.   c  16.  46.   18.  5.    2  Chr.  26.  16. 


"  an "  is  superfluous,  as  the  word  ex- 
presses a  continuous  function.  It 
confirms  the  interpretation  suggested 
above,  v.  12,  that  the  making  atone- 
ment by  the  act  of  sacrificing  was  not 
the  province  of  the  Levites,  but  of  the 
priests.     They  were  to  serve  as  a  kind 

of  perpetual  medium  of  atonement. 

1  That  there  he  no  plague,  etc.  Chald. 
"  No  death."  That  is,  that  the  people 
may  be  secured  from  the  stroke  of  di- 
vine judgments  by  every  thing  being 
done  in  exact  accordance  with  the  pre- 
scribed order,  all  others  except  the 
proper  commissioned  persons  being 
precluded  from  officiating  in  and  about 
the  Tabernacle.  This  plainly  teaches 
that  the  surest  preservation  against  dis- 
astrous visitations  is  a  strict  compliance 
with  the  divine  injunctions.  Germane 
to  this  is  the  case  of  Phineas,  ch.  25  :  7, 
8,  13,  who,  in  slaying  the  ofienders 
"  stayed  the  plague,"  and  is  thereupon 
said  to  have  "  made  an  atonement  for 

the  children  of  Israel." Tf  When  the 

children  of  Israel  come  nigh  unto  the 
sanctuary.  Heb.  el  haJckodesh,  unto  the 
holiness  ;  that  is,  to  the  place  and  to  the 


124 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


concerning  the  Levites,  so  did 
the  children  of  Israel  unto  them. 

21  And  the  Levites  were 
'  purified,  and  they  washed  their 
clothes  ;  and  Aaron  offered " 
them  as  an  offering  before  the 
Lord  ;  and  Aaron  made  an 
atonement  for  them  to  cleanse 
them. 

22  And  after "  that  went  the 
Levites  in  to  do  their  service  in 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 


things  of  holiness,  which  the  Gr.  ren- 
ders pros  hagia,  to  the  Jiolinesses.  The 
danger  incurred  by  the  infraction  of 
this  command  is  impressively  taught, 
Lev.  10  : 1.  1  Chron.  13  :  20. 

V.  21.  And  the  Levites  were  purified. 
Heb.  yithhatte-u,  purified  themselves, 
or,  *'  had  themselves  purified,"  That 
is,  from  sin,  as  the  original  root  signi- 
fies, of  which  the  outward  rite  was  the 
sprinkling  of  sin-water  upon  them,  v.  7. 

H  And  Aaron  offered  them  as  an 

offering.  Heb.  **  Waved  them  (as)  a 
wave-offering."     See   on  v.   12.      Gr. 

"  Gave  them  as  a  gift." '^And  Aaron 

made  an  atonement  for  them  to  cleanse 
them.  Heb.  letaharam,  a  different  word 
from  that  above  rendered  "purified." 
The  term  "  cleanse "  expresses  the  ef- 
fect produced  upon  the  subjects  of  the 
"  atonement,"  which  in  the  first  instance 
involves  the  idea  of  "reconciliation." 
But  in  our  relations  with  the  Most  High, 
we  are  not  to  be  content  with  the  mere 
fact  of  expiation  ;  we  are  to  aim  at  moral 
purification  as  the  ultimate  end  contem- 
plated by  atonement. 

V.  22.  After  that  went  the  Levites  in, 
etc.     In  conformity  with  the  directions 

given  above,  v.  15. Tf   To  do  their 

service.  Heb.  "  To  serve  their  service." 
Gr.  leitourgein  ten  leitourgian  auton,  to 
Uturgize  their  liturgy,  i.  e.  to  minister 


tion  before  Aaron,  and  before  his 
sons :  as  ""  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded Moses  concerning  the 
Levites,  so  did  they  unto  them. 

23  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

24  This  is  it  that  helongeth 
unto  the  Levites  :  from  "  twenty 
and  five  years  old  and  upward 
they  shall  go  in  to  wait  upon 
the  service  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation. 


1 


w  ver.  5,  etc. 


1  Chr.  23.  3,  27. 


their  ministry.     See  Note  on  ch.  4 :  3. 

H  Before  Aaron  and  before  his  sons. 

In  their  presence,  and  by  their  direc- 
tion, just  as  they  themselves  ministered 
"  before  the  Lord." 


The  Age  at  which  the  Levites^  Service 
was  to  commence,  and  the  Period  of 
its  Continuance. 


V.  24.    This  {is  it)  that 
unto  the  Levites.     That  is  to  say,  add 
this  to  what  has  been  already  prescribed 

concerning  them. T[    From  twenty 

and  five  years  old.  Heb.  "  From  a  son 
of  twenty-five  years."  So  also  in  v.  25. 
The  meaning  is,  that  from  this  period 
they  might  enter  upon  their  service, 
and  perform  its  lighter  labors,  such  as 
taking  care  of  the  Tabernacle,  excluding 
strangers  and  the  unclean,  etc.,  but 
were  not  to  assume  the  heavier  duties, 
such  as  loading  or  unloading  the  wag- 
ons, transporting  the  materials,  and  the 
like,  for  this  required  that  they  should 
have  attained  the  age  of  thirty,  as  ap- 
pears from  ch.  4  :  3. T[  They  shall  go 

in  to  wait  upon  the  service.  Heb.  "  lie 
(i.  e.  every  one)  shall  go  in  to  war  Ihe 
warfare  in  the  service."  Upon  this 
phraseology  see  Note  on  ch.  4 : 3,  23. 
Gr.  energein,  to  energize,  to  worh  vigor- 
ously. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


125 


25  And  from  the  age  of  fifty 
years  they  shall  cease  waiting 
upon  the  service  thereof^  and 
shall  serve  no  more  : 

26  But  shall  minister  with 
their  brethren  in  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation,  to  keep  "  the 


1.  53.      18.  4.      1  Chr.  23.  : 


Ezek.  44.  8,  11. 


V.  25.  From  the  age  of  fifty  years. 
Heb.  '*  From  a  son  of  fifty  years."  Pre- 
cisely the  same  form  of  phraseology 
which  occurs  in  the  preceding  verse, 
and  which  is  there  rendered,   "from 

twenty  and  five  years  old." T[  They 

shall  cease  waiting  upon  the  service, 
Heb.  "  He  (i.  e.  every  one)  shall  return 
from  the  warfare  of  the  service ;  "  that 
is,  shall  return  home,  withdrawing  from 
the  service  of  the  Tabernacle.  Gr. 
apostesetai,  shall  stand  away,  withhold 
himself  from,  his  liturgy  {ministry). 
The  verb  occurs  in  the  original  of  Luke 
2  :  37,  where  it  is  said  of  Anna  the 
prophetess,  that  she  "  departed  not  from 
the  temple."  The  import  doubtless  is, 
that  from  this  time  they  were  to  cease 
from  the  hardier  and  heavier  labors  of 
the  sanctuary,  such  as  the  transporta- 
tion, etc.,  though  they  might  still  per- 
form the  lighter  ministrations.  "  That 
which  is  spoken  in  the  law  of  the  Le- 
vites  from  fifty  years  old,  that  '  he  shall 
return,'  etc.,  is  not  meant  but  for  the 
time  that  they  carried  the  Sanctuary 
from  place  to  place,  and  it  is  not  a  com- 
mandment of  force  in  the  generations 
following.  But  in  the  subsequent  ages 
a  Levite  was  not  disallowable  by  years, 
neither  by  blemishes,  but  by  voice; 
when  his  voice  failed  by  reason  of  ex- 
treme old  age,  he  was  disabled  from 
serving  in  the  sanctuary.  And  it  seem- 
eth  to  me  that  he  is  not  disallowable 
save  for  singing  the  song,  but  he  might 
be  of  the  porters." — Maimonides. 

V.  26.  But  shall  minister  with  their 


charge,  and  shall  do  no  service*. 
Thus  shalt  thou  do  unto  the  Le- 
vites  touching  their  charge. 


A 


CHAPTER   IX. 

ND    the    Lord   spake   unto 
Moses  in  the  wilderness  of 


Irethren.  Heb.  "  But  he  shall  minister 
with  his  brethren,"  sing,  for  plur.  as 
above.  This  ministry  is  explained  by 
what  follows  ;  it  consisted  in  "  keeping 
the  charge,"  i.  e.  taking  care  of  the 
Tabernacle,  to  which  they  were  to  serve 

as  a  kind  of  guard. ^  And  sJiall  do 

no  service.  Heb.  "And  shall  not  serve 
the  service ; "  by  which  is  meant,  they 
shall  not  be  required  to  perform  any 
more  hard  service,  their  age  beginning 
to  require  ease  and  rest.  This  is  con- 
firmed by  the  Rabbinical  glosses,  the 
purport  of  which  is,  that  the  service 
here  mentioned  is  the  service  of  bear- 
ing the  holy  things  on  the  shoulders, 
but  they  were  to  keep  the  charge  (cus- 
tody), to  encamp  round  about  the  teni, 
to  sing,  and  to  beware  that  no  stranger 
came  into  the  Tabernacle. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TTie  Passover  again  commanded,  with 
a  special  Qualification. 

V.  1.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses. 
Or,  Heb.  "  The  Lord  had  said,"  for  it  is 
quite  obvious  that  the  transactions  re- 
ferred to  in  the  first  fourteen  verses  of 
this  chapter  took  place  prior  to  the 
numbering  of  the  people  recorded  in 
the  first  two  chapters  of  the  book.  The 
command  for  numbering  ^nd  ordering 
of  the  tribes  there  related  was  given 
on  "  the  first  day  of  the  second  month,^* 
ch.  1 : 1,  2.    This  it  appears  was  issued 


126 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


Sinai,  in  the  first  month  of  the 
second  year  after  they  were  come 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  say- 
ing, 

2  Let  the  children  of  Israel 


"  in  the^>«^  months  But  it  is  no  un- 
usual thing  to  find  such  transpositions 
in  the  sacred  writers.  One  of  the  He- 
brew doctors  observes,  *'  There  is  no 
order  of  former  and  latter  in  the  Law." 
And  Houbigant  says,  "  It  is  enough  to 
know  that  these  books  contain  an  ac- 
count of  things  transacted  in  the  days 
of  Moses,  though  not  in  their  regular 
or  chronological  order."  The  order 
concerning  the  passover  is  recorded 
here  simply  as  an  introduction  to  the 
rule  prescribed  for  such  as  had  been 
prevented,  by  a  particular  cause,  from 
keeping  the  passover  at  the  proper  time. 
The  law  respecting  pollution  by  a  dead 
body  was  given  subsequent  to  the  law 
respecting  the  passover,  and  hence  a 
new  question  arose  which  had  to  be  set- 
tled. It  is  in  connection  with  the  de- 
cision of  this  question  that  the  reference 
to  the  original  institution  occurs.  In 
this  record  we  read,  "  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass,  when  ye  be  come  to  the  land 
which  the  Lord  will  give  you,  accord- 
ing as  he  hath  promised,  that  ye  shall 
keep  this  service."  The  rite  was  in- 
deed once  observed  in  Egypt  on  the 
night  of  their  departure,  but  as  there 
was  no  express  intimation  that  it  was 
to  be  kept  in  the  desert,  a  special  divine 
warrant  would  be  requisite  for  the  pur- 
pose. Such  a  warrant  was  given  on 
this  occasion,  and  from  Josh.  5  :  10-12, 
it  would  appear  that  no  other  passover 
was  celebrated  during  the  whole  period 
of  the  wandering  till  they  had  entered 
the  promised  land. 

V.  2.  Let  the  cJiildren  of  Israel  heep 
the  passover.  Heb.  "  Let  the  children 
of  Israel  make  or  do  the  passover."   On 


also  keep  the  passover  at  hi«  ap- 
pointed season  ", 

3  In  the  fourteenth  *  day  of 


this   month, 


a  Ex.  n.  3.    Deut.  16.  1 


at  even,  ye  shall 

b  2  Chr.  30.  2,  15. 


the  origin  and  import  of  the  term  "  pass- 
over,"  see  Note  on  Ex.  12 :  11 If  At 

his  appointed  season.  That  is,  on  the 
fourteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  in 
memory  of  their  signal  deliverance  from 
Egypt,  as  also  of  their  exemption  from 
the  desolating  judgment  which  befell 
the  first-born  of  that  country.  Gr. 
"  According  to  its  hour."  The  Hebrew 
writers  say  that  the  occurrence  of  the 
Sabbath  on  the  same  day  with  the  sea- 
son of  the  passover  was  not  to  interfere 
with  its  observance. 

V.  3.  In  the  fourteenth  day  of  this 
month.  The  narrative  here  is  retro- 
spective, and  the  "this  month"  desig- 
nated is  the  first  month,  on  which  the 
Lord  issued  the  command,  and  to  which 
the  reader  is  supposed  to  be  carried 

back. '^  At  even.      Heb.  "Between 

the  two  evenings."  That  is,  in  the  af- 
ternoon, between  the  time  of  the  sun's 
beginning  to  decline,  which  was  called 
the  first  evening  and  that  of  his  set- 
ting, which  was  called  the  second.  See 
Note  on  Ex.  12 :  6.  As  the  passover  re- 
ferred to  the  Lord  as  its  substantial 
reality,  so  the  hour  of  its  being  offered 
pointed  forward  to  his  coming  "  in  these 
last  days,"  Heb.  2 : 1,  2,  that  is,  towards 
the  evening  of  the  world,  and  to  the  fact 
of  his  crucifixion  at  the  ninth  hour,  or 
about  three  o'clock,  p.  m. T[  Accord- 
ing to  all  the  rites  of  it,  etc.  Heb.  "  Ac- 
cording to  all  the  statutes  of  it."  Gr. 
"  According  to  the  law  thereof."  That 
is,  according  to  all  the  prescribed  rites 
and  ordinances,  such,  for  instance,  as 
those  mentioned  Ex.  12 :  43-50,  where 
the  very  term  here  rendered  "  rites 
(hukkdh)  occurs,  and  where  the  refer- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


127 


keep  it  in  his  appointed  season : 
according  to  all  the  rites  of  it, 
and  according  to  all  the  cere- 
monies thereof,  shall  ye  keep  it. 

4  And  Moses  spake  unto  the 
children  of  Israel,  that  they 
should  keep  the  passover. 

5  And  *  they  kept  the  pass- 
over  on  the  fourteenth  day  of 
the  first  month,  at  even,  in  the 
wilderness  of  Sinai;  according 
to  all  that  the  Lord  command- 


ence  is  principally  had  to  the  persons 
who  were  to  partake  of  the  passover. 

^  According  to  all  the  ceremonies 

thereof.  Heb.  "According  to  all  the 
judgments  thereof."  The  import  of 
the  term  "judgments"  in  this  connec- 
tion is  not  perfectly  obvious.  It  is  not 
improbably  to  be  understood  of  the  un- 
leavened bread,  bitter  herbs,  and  other 
accompaniments  by  which  it  was  to  be 
distinguished.  In  the  permanent  ob- 
observance  of  the  passover  certain  spe- 
cialities peculiar  to  the  first  institution, 
such  as  the  sprinkling  of  the  door-posts 
with  blood,  taking  it  in  a  standing  pos- 
ture, etc.  were  to  be  excepted. 

Y.  4.  That  they  should  keep  the  pass- 
over.  Heb.  "That  they  should  make, 
or  do,  the  passover,"  as  frequently  be- 
fore. This,  Ainsworth  remarks,  was 
for  the  sanctification  of  the  whole  body 
of  the  people  in  their  own  persons,  as 
the  priests  and  Levites  had  been  sanc- 
tified to  their  several  ministries. 

V.  6.  And  there  were  certain  men  who 
were  defiled  by  the  dead  body  of  a  man. 
Heb.  "  Who  were  unclean  by  the  soul 
of  man  ;  "  a  peculiar  usage  of  the  origi- 
nal, in  regard  to  which  see  the  Note  on 
ch.  5 :  2.  Vulg.  "  Behold  some  who 
were  unclean  by  occasion  of  the  soul 
of  a  man."  The  corresponding  Gr.  is 
^vX'^'>  psyche,  soul,  which  is  also  ren- 


ed  Moses,  so  did  the  children 
of  Israel.  ^ 

6  And  there  were  certain  men 
who  were  defiled ''  by  the  dead 
body  of  a  man,  that  they  could 
not  keep  the  passover  on  that 
day :  and '  they  came  before  Mo- 
ses and  before  Aaron  on  that  day : 

7  And  those  men  said  unto 
him,  We  are  defiled  by  the  dead 
body  of  a  man  :   wherefore  are 


d  c.  5.  -2.     19.  11,  16.   John  18.28. 
19.     c.  27. -'o. 


dered  dead  body.  Persons  thus  defiled 
were  unclean  seven  days.  Lev.  19  :  11, 
were  precluded  access  to  the  sanctuary, 
ch.  5  :  2,  and  were  not  allowed  to  eat  of 
the  holy  things,  Lev.  7  :  20.  In  the 
emergency  that  had  thus  arisen  they 
had  recourse  to  Moses  and  Aaron  for 
directions  wha+  to  do,  as  it  devolved 
upon  them  to  take  cognizance  of  such 
cases,  as  appears  from  the  tenor  of  Lev. 
11 : 1,  2,  etc.  Yet  it  would  seem  that 
Moses  was  mainly  appealed  to,  for  he 
only  answered. 

V.  7.  WTierefore  are  we  kept  bach  ? 
Heb.  lavfiah  niggdra,  wherefore  are  we 
abated,  abridged,  or  made  to  fall  short? 
The  leading  idea  of  the  original  is  that 
of  diminution.,  curtailment,  and  conse- 
quent deprivation.  Yulg.  "  Wherefore 
are  we  defrauded  ?  "  Gr.  "  Shall  we 
therefore  fall  short,  or  fail  ? "  i.  e.  in 
regard  to  the  privilege  of  ofiering,  in 
which  the  original  indicates  a  want  of 
fulness.  The  demand  was  a  reasonable 
one  under  the  circumstances.  Their 
defilement  might  have  been  involunta- 
rily contracted  by  burying  a  dead  body, 
which  was  still  their  duty,  and  why 
should  this  preclude  them  from  partici- 
pating in  religious  rites,  to  which  they 
were  disposed  to  pay  a  due  regard  ?  It 
is  to  be  remembered  that  the  law  ex- 
cluding the  polluted  from  the  camp,  ch. 


128 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


we  kept  back,  that  we  may  not 
offer  an  offeriog  of  the  Lord  in 
his  appointed  season  among  the 
children  of  Israel  ? 

8  And  Moses  said  unto  them, 
Stand  still,  and  I  will  hear  what 
the  Lord  will  command  con- 
cerning you. 

9  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

5  :  2,  had  not  yet  been  enacted,  although 
it  would  seem  that  some  portion  of  the 
people,  from  an  innate  or  anticipative 
impression  of  its  indecorum,  were  dis- 
posed to  debar  them  from  the  privilege. 
But  as  the  command  of  observance  was 
strict  they  found  themselves  in  a  di- 
lemma. If  they  neglected  to  eat,  they 
were  liable  to  judgment ;  if  they  ate  in 
their  present  circumstances,  they  were 
equally  exposed.     What  should  they 

do  ? T[   That  ice  may  not  offer  an 

offering  of  the  Lord.  Heb.  korhan  Ye- 
hovah,  the  gift  of  Jehovah.  So  called 
as  being  commanded  by  the  Lord,  and 
observed  to  his  honor  and  glory,  and 
termed  therefore,  Ex.  12  :  27,  "  the  sac- 
rifice of  the  Lord's  passover."  Gr. 
"  The  gift  of  the  Lord." 

V.  8.  Stand  still.  Heb.  amdu,  stand, 
stay  ;  i.  e.  wait  in  patient  expectation. 
Chald.  "Tarry  till  I  hear."  Yulg. 
"Stay  till  I  consult  the  Lord."  An  in- 
timation of  profound  deference  to  the 
divine  will,  in  vii-tue  of  which  he  would 
venture  upon  no  decision  in  a  doubtful 
case  without  first  consulting  the  Lord 
in  his  appointed  way.  The  Targ.  Jon. 
on  this  place  remarks,  that  the  judges  of 
the  Sanhedrim  "  should  not  be  ashamed 
to  ask  concerning  the  judgment  which 
is  too  hard  for  them  ;  for  Moses,,  who 
was  the  master  of  Israel,  had  need  to 
say,  *  I  have  not  heard.'  " 

V.  10.  If  any  man  of  you  le  unclean. 
Heb.  "  A  man,  a  man,  when  he  shall  be 


10  Speak  untb  the  children 
of  Israel,  saying.  If  any  man  of 
you  or  of  your  posterity  shall, 
be  unclean  by  reason  of  a  dead 
body,  or  he  in  a  journey  afar  off, 
yet  he  shall  keep  the  passover 
unto  the  Lord. 

11  The  fourteenth  ^''  day  of 
the  second  month,  at  even,  they 

/  ver.  3. 


unclean."  The  phrase  "  or  of  your  pos- 
terity "  occurs  in  the  original  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  verse. T[  By  reason 

of  a  dead  body.  Heb.  "  Upon  or  for  a 
soul."  Sea  Note  on  ch.  5  :  2.  Gr.  and 
Chald;  "  By  the  soul  of  a  man,"  i.  e.  of 
a  dead  man,  as  v.  6.  Targ.  Jon.  "  By 
the  pollution  of  a  man  that  is  dead." 
This  specific  case  only  is  mentioned, 
but  all  similar  ones  seem  to  be  included.. 

TI  Or  be  in  a  Journey  afar  of.   Heb. 

"  Away  afar  off."  That  is,  at  such  a 
distance  that  he  could  not  reach  the 
tabernacle  on  the  day  appointed,  or  be- 
yond the  limits  of  his  own  country,  for 
it  appears  from  Dent.  12  :  5,  6.  16  :  2, 
that  the  passover  could  not  be  kept  any 
where  out  of  Judea.  The  Hebrew  doc- 
tors make  the  least  distance  that  could 
be  called  " a  journey  afar  ofi"  to  be 
fifteen  miles. 

Y.  11.  The  fourteenth  day  of  the  sec- 
ond month.  It  was  therefore  established 
by  the  Lord  as  a  standing  ordinance, 
that  all  such  Israelites  as,  at  the  time 
of  the  passover-feast,  were  either  under 
any  legal  defilement,  or  abroad  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  the  Tabernacle, 
or  in  circumstances  which  hindered 
their  attendance  upon  it  at  the  stated 
time,  should  have  a  second  day  appoint- 
ed for  its  observance,  viz.  the  fourteenth 
day  of  the  second  month,  when  it  was 
to  be  celebrated  by  the  parties  concern- 
ed with  the  same  ceremonies  as  it  had 
been  by  the  rest  of  the  nation. TJ  At 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


129 


shall  keep  it,  and  eat  it  with 
unleavened  bread  ^  and  bitter 
herbs. 

12  They  shall  leave  none  ^  of 
it  unto  the  morning,  nor  break ' 
any  bone  of  it :  according  to  all 
the  ordinances  of  the  passover 
they  shall  keep  it. 

13  But  the  man  that  is  clean, 
and  is  not  in  a  journey,  and  for- 
beareth  to  keep  the  passover, 
even  the  same  soul  *  shall  be  cut 
off  from  among  his  people :  be- 
cause he  brought  not  the  offer - 


</  Ex.  M 
John  la.  31 


h  Ex.  12.  10.  i  Ex.  12. 

k  Ex.  12.  15. 


even.  Heb.  "Bet\A^een  the  two  even- 
ings."     See  on  v.  3.      Gr.  "  Towards 

evening." T[  With  unleavened  bread 

and  hitter  Tierbs.    See  Note  on  Ex.  12  :  8. 

Y.  12.  81mII  leave  none  of  it  unto  the 
morninrj.  If  any  were  left  till  then  it 
was  to  be  burnt.    See  Note  on  Ex.  12 : 

10. T[  According  to  all  the  ordinances 

of  the  passover.  Heb.  "  According  to 
the  statute  of  the  passover."  Gr. 
"  According  to  the  law  of  the  passover 
(pascha)."  This  is  to  be  understood 
of  all  the  rites  proper  to  the  offering 
and  bating  of  the  paschal  lamb,  but  not 
to  the  keeping  of  the  seven  days  of  un- 
leavened bread. 

y.  13.  27ie  man  that  is  clean  and  is 
not  in  a  journey,  etc.  Gr.  "  In  a  far 
journey."  This  case  doubtless  implies 
others  of  like  negligence  or  presump- 
tion.  T[    Forheareth.      Heb.    hddal, 

ceasethy  faileth.  Gr.  "Cometh  short." 
Comp.  v.  7,  where  in  the  Sept.  the  same 

word    occurs. T[  Shall  he  cut    off. 

Either  by  the  sentence  of  the  judges,  or 
by  the  judgment  of  heaven.  See  Note  on 
Gen.  17  :  14. Tf  From  among  his  peo- 
ple. Heb.  "  From  his  peoples."  Mean- 
ing the  tribes  of  Israel,  called  the  "  peo- 
ples of  Israel,"  Acts  4  :  27,  where  the 


ing  of  the  Lord  in  his  appoint- 
ed '  season,  that  man  shall  bear 
"'  his  sin. 

14  And  if  a  stranger  shall  so- 
journ among  you,  and  will  keep 
the  passover  unto  the  Lord  •,  ac- 
cording to  the  ordinance  of  the 
passover,  and  according  to  the 
manner  thereof,  so  shall  he  do : 
ye  shall  have  one  "  ordinance, 
both  for  the  stranger,  and  for 
him  that  was  born  in  the  land. 

15  And  on  the  day  that  the 
tabernacle  was   reared  up,  the 


original  is  plural,  though  the  render- 
ing is  singular. ^  Shall  bear  his  sin. 

That  is,  the  punishment  due  to  his  sin. 
See  Lev.  22 :  9. 

V.  14.  If  a  stranger  shall  sojourn 
amx)ng  you.  Gr.  "  If  a  proselyte  come 
unto  you  in  your  land."  Syr.  "  If  one 
shall  dwell  among  you  who  has  been 
converted  unto  me."  The  allusion  is 
to  such  strangers  or  foreigners  as  had 
become  proselytes  to  the  faith  of  Israel, 
and  had  submitted  to  circumcision  ac- 
cording to  the  law  laid  down  Ex.  12  : 
48,  49.  We  are  to  recognize  in  this  a 
pre-intimation  of  the  future  calling  in 
of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Lord's  true 
church. 

Tlie  Manner  in  which  the  Cloudy  Pil- 
lar conducted  the  Movements  of  the 
Most. 

Y.  15.  On  the  day  that  the  tahernacle 
was  reared  up.  Heb.  "  On,  or  in,  the 
day  of  his  (Moses')  rearing  up  the  tab- 
ernacle." This  was  the  first  day  of  ihe 
first  month  of  the  second  year  after 
their  departure  from  Egypt.  This  is 
mentioned  here  as  Moses  is  about  to 
speak  of  the  removal  from  Sinai,  of 
which  the  removal  of  the  cloud,  tha* 


130 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


cloud  covered  "  the  tabernacle, 
namely^  the  tent  of  the  testi- 
mony :  and  at  even  ^  there  was 
upon  the  tabernacle  as  it  were 

0  Ex.  40.  34.         p  Ex.  13.  21.    40.  38.    Neh.  9.  12, 
19.     Ps.  78.  14. 

had  rested  upon  the  Tabernacle  from 
the  day  of  its  first  erection,  was  to  be 
the  signal.  Of  this  cloud,  with  its  sym- 
bolical uses,  see  the  extended  essay  on 
the  "  Shekinah,"  at  the  end  of  the  first 

vol.   of  the  "  Notes  on  Exodus." 

\  The  tent  of  the  testimony.  Heb. 
"  The  cloud  covered  the  tabernacle 
{mishhan,  see  Note  on  Ex.  26  : 1)  to, 
or  for,  the  tent  of  the  testimony ; "  by 
which  we  may  reasonably  understand 
a  distinction  equivalent  to  saying,  that 
over  that  part  of  the  Tabernacle  where 
the  ark  was,  i.  e.  the  Most  Holy  Place, 
the  cloud  rested.  Having  before  hung 
on  high  over  the  camp,  it  now  descend- 
ed and  settled  upon  the  Tabernacle, 
covering  it  as  with  a  garment.  This  is 
confirmed  by  the  Gr.  which  renders, 
**  And  (or  even)  the  house  of  the  testi- 
mony," i.  e.  the  department  of  the  sa- 
cred edifice  where  the  ark,  with  the 
tables  of  testimony,  was  deposited. 
Within  this  holy  recess  the  divine  pres- 
ence was  symbolized  by  another  cloud 
of  more  glorious  aspect  resting  over 
the  mercy-seat.  See  Note  on  Lev.  16:2. 
Gr.  "  The  cloud  covered  the  tabernacle, 

the  house  of  the  testimony." T[  As  it 

were  the  appearance  of  fire.  Heb.  kema- 
reh,  a^  the  appearance,  from  the  root 
raah,  to  see.  The  term  here  employed 
is  the  same  with  that  which  is  rendered 
pattern,  ch.  8  :  4,  when  speaking  of  the 
visionary  model  shown  to  Moses  in  the 
mount,  after  which  he  was  to  construct 
the  Tabernacle  and  its  various  append- 
ages. In  that  case,  it  is  obvious  that 
it  was  no  material  object  which  was 
presented  to  the  outward  eye,  but  some- 
thing spiritual  exhibited  to  the  interior 


the  appearance  of  fire,  until  the 
morning. 

16  So  it  was  alway :  the 
cloud  ^  covered  it  hy  day,  and 
the  appearance  of  fire  by  night. 

q  Deut.  1.  33. 


vision  ;  so  in  the  present  instance  we 
infer  that  the  pillar  of  cloud  was  not  a 
material  substance,  but  something  hav- 
ing the  appearance,  the  seviblance  of  one, 
such  as  the  divine  power  was  compe- 
tent to  produce.  Of  the  precise  nature 
of  that  which  appeared  we  are  altogeth- 
er ignorant,  as  we  are  also  of  that  of  the 
symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  which 
rested  over  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and 
which  was  in  some  way  visible.  It  is 
probable  that  a  very  close  and  accvirate 
investigation  of  the  sense  of  the  several 
original  words  rendered  to  see,  would 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  mental  vision 
is  more  frequently  indicated  in  the  lan- 
guage of  holy  writ  than  we  have  ordi- 
narily supposed.  Consult  2  Kings  6: 
17,  for  the  case  of  Elisha's  servant,  who 
saw  by  spiritual  vision  the  mountain 
covered  by  chariots  and  horses  of  fire. 
The  cloud  here  spoken  of  was  a  dark 
columnar  mass  by  day,  and  a  pillar  of 
fire  by  night  to  the  senses  of  the  Israel- 
ites. It  signified  both  the  presence  and 
protection  of  the  Most  High  in  behalf 
of  Israel. 

v.  16.  So  it  was  alway  :  the  cloud 
covered  it  (by  day.)  The  words  "by 
day  "  are  wanting  in  the  original,  prob- 
ably for  the  reason  that  the  preceding 
term  "  alway "  (Heb.  tumid)  imi^lies 
and  is  generally  rendered  "  day  by  day." 
It  is  also  readily  supplied  from  Ex.  40 . 
38.  The  continuance  of  this  signal  of 
the  divine  favor,  notwithstanding  the 
unworthiness  of  the  people,  is  thus 
gratefully  recorded  by  Nehemiah,  ch. 
9  :  19,  "  Yet  thou  in  thy  manifold  mer- 
cies forsookest  them  not  in  the  wilder- 
ness :  the  pillar  of  the  cloud  departed 


B.  a  1490.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


131 


17  And  when  '  the  cloud  was 
taken  up  from  the  tabernacle, 
then  after  that  the  children  of 
Israel  journeyed  :  and  in  the 
place  where  the  cloud  abode, 
there  the  children  of  Israel 
pitched  their  tents. 

18  At  the  commandment  of 
the  Lord  the  children  of  Israel 
journeyed,  and  at  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord  they  pitched: 


Ex.  40.  36-3?.    c.  10.  11, 


not  from  them  by  day,  to  lead  them  in 
the  way;  neither  the  pillar  of  fire  by 
night,  to  show  them  light,  and  the  way 
wherein  they  should  go." 

V.  17.  And  when  the  cloud  was  taken 
up  froTn,  the  tabernacle.  Heb.  "And 
according  to  the  being  taken  up  of  the 
cloud  from  upon  (or  over)  the  taberna- 
cle."    Gr.  ""Went  up  from  the  tent." 

^  Journeyed.     Heb.  yis-u,  plucTced 

uj),  frequently  rendered  departed,  re- 
moved, set  forward.     On  its  true  import 

see  Note  on  ch.  2  :  9. T[  In  the  place 

where  the  cloud  abode.  Heb.  yishJcon, 
shechinized,  from  the  root  shalcan,  usu- 
ally rendered  to  dwell,  to  abide,  i.  e.  to 
tabernacle,  from  which  comes  Sheehi- 
nah,  a  term  of  profound  significance, 
of  which  see  Xote  on  Ex.  25  :  8.  The 
cloud,  as  the  usual  accompaniment  and 
symbol  of  the  divine  glory,  doubtless 
gave  rise  to  the  prophetic  imagery  in 
which  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  an- 
nounced as  taking  place  "  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven,"  Dan.  7  :  13.  Rev.  1:7.  So 
he  is  also  said  to  be  "clothed  with  a 
cloud,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire>" 

Rev.  10  : 1. T[  Tlie  children  of  Israel 

pitched  their  tents.  Set  up  the  Taber- 
nacle and  encamped  round  about  it, 

V.  18.  At  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord.  'B.eh.lep)i,  at  the  mouth.  Chald. 
"At  the  word  of  the  Lord."  Gr.  "By 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord."     The 


as  long  as  the  cloud  abode  upon 
the  "  tabernacle  they  rested  in 
their  tents. 

19  And  when  the  cloud  tar- 
ried long  upon  the  tabernacle 
many  days,  then  the  children  of 
Israel  kept  the  charge  '  of  the 
Lord,  and  journeyed  not. 

20  And  so  it  was,  when  the 
cloud  was  a  few  days  upon  the 
tabernacle  ;     according    to    the 

s   1  Cor.  10.  1.  t  c.  1.  53.     3.  8.     Zech.  3.  7. 


signs  by  which  the  Lord  makes  known 
his  will  and  his  words,  according  to  the 
language  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  105  :  27, 
"  They  showed  his  signs  among  them 
(Heb.  the  words  of  his  signs),  and  won- 
ders in  the  land  of  Ham."  The  moving 
of  the  cloud  was  the  signal  of  the  divine 
pleasure  that  the  camp  also  should 
move  and  take  up  their  march  to  anoth- 
er station  ;  which  they  did  and  went 
on  as  long  as  the  cloud  moved,  stopping 
when  it  stopped. 

V.  19.  And  when  the  cloud  tarried 
long.  Heb.  "And  in  the  cloud's  pro- 
longing (its  stay)." T[  The  children 

of  Israel  Icept  the  charge  of  the  Lord. 
Heb.  "Observed  the  observation." 
Chald.  "  Kept  the  charge  (or  observa- 
tion) of  the  word  of  the  Lord."  The 
idea  doubtless  is,  that  they  persisted, 
with  the  most  exemplary  patience,  in 
the  observance  of  all  the  prescribed 
rites  and  ceremonies,  without  presum- 
ing to  anticipate  the  divine  order  for 
breaking  up.  They  kept  the  charge  of 
the  Lord  by  obeying  his  will  as  to  their 
movements. 

V.  20.  And  so  it  was,  when  the  cloud 
was  a  few  days  upon  the  tabernacle. 
Heb.  "Days  of  number,"  i.  e.  days 
easily  numbered,  a  Heb.  idiom  for  few 
days.  See  Note  on  Gen.  34  :  SO.  This 
verse  is  to  be  viewed  in  close  connec- 
tion with  the  preceding.    The  purport 


132 


NUMBERS. 


[B;  0.  1490. 


commandment  of  the  Lord  they 
abode  in  their  tents,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord  they  journeyed. 

21  And  so  it  was,  when  the 
cloud  abode  from  even  unto  the 
morning,  and  that  the  cloud  was 
taken  up  in  the  morning,  then 
they  journeyed ;  whether  it  was 
by  day  or  by  night  that  the  cloud 
was  taken  up,  they  journeyed. 

22  Or  whether  it  were  two 
days,  or  a  month,  or  a  year,  that 
the  cloud  tarried  upon  the  tab- 
is,  that  the  obedience  of  the  people  was 
equally  marked  whether  the  cloud  tar- 
ried many  or  few  days  at  any  one  sta- 
tion. In  either  case  they  awaited  pa- 
tiently the  appointed  indication. 

Vs.  21-23.  Whetlier  (it  was)  iy  day  or 
by  niglit.  Night  travelling  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  the  East,  where  the  heat  of  the 

day  is  very  severe. Tl  Two  days,  or  a 

month,  or  a  year.  It  is  obvious  from 
this  that  their  times  of  tarrying  at  the 
different  stations  were  very  unequal. 
At  one  time  they  rested  eighteen  years 
together;  at  another  but  one  day;  at 
another  one  night.  In  this  there  is 
evidently  nothing  capricious  or  imsta- 
ble  to  be  charged  upon  the  people,  as 
their  movements  were  constantly  regu- 
lated by  the  divine  direction,  and  this 
again  was  undoubtedly  governed  by 
reasons  of  infinite  wisdom,  though  not 
expressly  made  known.  The  fact  of 
the  encampings  and  the  removals  of  the 
host  being  thus  controlled  by  the  divine 
dictation  and  guidance,  is  reiterated 
again  and  again  in  these  concluding 
verses.  Maimonides  says  the  reason 
of  this  particularity  is,  that  it  was  de- 
signed to  confute  the  opinions  of  the 
Arabians  and  others  that  the  Israelites 
were  so  long  detained  in  the  wilderness 
— which  the  Arabic  writers  have  termed 


ernacle,  remaining  thereon,  the 
children  of  Israel  abode  "  in 
their  tents,  and  journeyed  not : 
but  when  it  was  taken  up,  they 
journeyed. 

23  At  the  commandment  of 
the  Lord  they  rested  in  the 
tents,  and  at  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord  they  journeyed : 
they  kept "  the  charge  of  the 
Lord,  at  the  '"  commandment  of 
the  Lord  by  the  hand  of  Mo- 


tt  Ex.  40.  3(i,  37. 


the  "Wilderness  of  Wandering" — be- 
cause they  had  lost  their  way,  and  there- 
fore spent  years  in  vaguely  rambling 
over  the  peninsula.  This,  he  observes, 
is  a  very  idle  conceit,  as  the  way  from 
Mount  Horeb  to  Kadesh  Barnea  was  a 
well  known  and  frequented  route,  and 
not  above  eleven  days'  journey ;  so  that 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  they  could 
have  missed  it,  and  far  less  should  have 
wandered  in  a  bewildered  condition  for 
forty  years.  As  the  whole  history, 
however,  of  the  wanderings  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  was 
obviously  intended  to  be  typical  of  the 
varied  experience  of  the  Lord's  people 
in  their  life-journeying  through  the 
world,  so  we  may  regard  these  appar- 
ently zigzag  marches  and  longer  or 
shorter  tarryings  at  different  stations, 
as  pointing  to  that  vast  diversity  of 
states  through  which  the  Lord's  pil- 
grims pass  on  their  way  to  the  heaven- 
ly Canaan.  At  one  time  they  make  a 
brief  pause  or  halt  in  a  particular  state ; 
at  another  they  take  up  a  long  abode  in 
such  a  state,  and  the  plucking  up  the 
stakes  and  loosening  the  cords  of  the 
tents  denote  the  breaking  away  and  dis- 
entanglements  which  occur  when  they 
make  a  transition  from  one  stage  to 
another    of    their   spiritual    progress. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


133 


A 


CHAPTER   X. 

ND    the    Lord   spake 
Moses,  saying, 


unto 


2  Make  thee  two  trumpets  of 

The  conduct  of  the  Israelites  in  thus 
yielding  an  implicit  obedience  to  the 
divine  will  in  this  respect  is  worthy  of 
all  commendation,  and  stands  in  strik- 
ing contrast  with  their  too  frequent 
perverseness  and  rebellion  in  other 
periods  of  their  history.  Howeyer  tedi- 
ous and  irksome  their  travel  or  abid- 
ing, and  however  impatient  of  arriving 
at  the  promised  laud,  yet  they  submit- 
ted themselves  to  the  constant  direction 
of  their  heavenly  Guide,  and  never  pre- 
sumed to  move  but  under  his  conduct. 
The  history  affords  a  lesson  of  univer- 
sal application.  Let  us  ever  defer  to 
divine  guidance,  and  we  shall  not  fail 
to  be  led  in  the  right  way  ;  we  shall  be 
protected  as  under  the  shadow  of  omni- 
potence ;  we  shall  be  relieved  of  a  thou- 
sand anxious  cares  which  will  be  sure 
to  spring  up  in  the  attempt  to  order 
our  own  footsteps  ;  and  we  shall  enjoy 
the  sweet  inward  assurance  that  all 
things  are  working  together  for  our 
good,  as  those  that  love  God  and  put 
their  trust  in  him. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Tlie  making  of  Silver  Trumpets  com- 
manded. 
V.  2.  Make  fhee  two  trumpets  of  sil- 
ver. Heb.  hatzotzerotJi.  The  trumpet 
of  the  Hebrews  was  made  of  metal,  the 
cornet  (Shophar)  of  horn.  See  Lev. 
23  :  24.  Josephus  speaks  of  this  instru- 
ment thus  : — "Moses  was  the  inventor 
of  the  form  of  their  trumpet,  which  was 
made  of  silver.  Its  description  is  this  : 
In  length  it  was  a  little  less  than  a  cu- 
bit.  It  was  composed  of  a  narrow  tube, 


silver :  of  a  whole  piece  shalt 
thou  make  them,  that  thou  may- 
est  use  them  for  the  calling "  of 

a  Is.  1.  13. 

somewhat  thicker  than  a  flute,  but  with 
so  much  breadth  as  was  sufficient  for 
the  breath  of  a  man's  mouth :  it  ended 
in  the  form  of  a  bell  like  common  trum- 
pets. Its  sound  was  called  in  the  He- 
brew tongue,  Asosra." — J.  A.,  B.  III.  c. 
12.  There  were  but  two  of  these  now 
first  made,  as  Aaron  had  but  two  sons 
who  were  priests,  and  by  whom  they 
were  to  be  blown,  v.  8,  viz.  Eleazer  and 
Ithamar,  but  at  a  subsequent  period, 
when  the  Levitical  establishment  had 
become  much  enlarged,  we  read  of  "  a 
hundred  and  twent}'  priests  sounding 
with  trumpets,"  2  Chron.  5 :  12.  Their 
general  uses  were  for  summoning  as- 
semblies and  giving  notice  for  decamp- 
ments and  marches;  and  considering 
the  vast  extent  of  the  encampment, 
some  signal  of  this  kind  must  have  been 
indispensable.  From  Is.  58  : 1.  27  :  13, 
it  is  to  be  inferred  that  the  trumpet 
points  typically  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  as  the  instnmientality  by  which 
sinful   men  are  to  be   called   into   the 

Lord's  kingdom. ■[  Of  a  whole  piece 

shalt  thou  make  them.  Heb.  mikshdh, 
of  hard  or  solid  work.  On  the  true  im- 
port of  this  term,  see  note  on  Ex.  25  : 
31.  Though  there  rendered  "beaten 
work,"  yet  it  undoubtedly  implies  a 
fabric  that  was  cast  instead  of  being 
hammered  into  form.  The  trumpets 
were  cast  in  one  piece  like  the  golden 
candlestick,  which  would  probably  ren- 
der the  sound  more  distinct  and  loud. 

^  For  the  calling  of  the  assemhly. 

This  was  the  first  of  the  special  uses 
to  which  the  trumpets  were  devoted. 
But  inasmuch  as  the  camp  was  of  seve- 
ral miles  extent,  and  as  the  sound  of 
two  trumpets  could  not  be  heard  over 
the  whole  distance,  it  is  probable  that 


134 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


the  assembly,  and  for  the  jour- 
neying of  the  camps. 

'6  And  when  they  shall  blow  * 
with  them,  all  the  assembly  shall 
assemble  themselves  to  thee  at 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation. 

4  And  if  they  blow  hut  with 
one  trumpet^  then  the  princes, 

b  Jer.  4.  5.     Joel  2.  15. 

notice  was  extended  by  progressive  ac- 
clamations from  one  party  to  another 
till  the  utmost  borders  were  reached. 
Compare  with  this  the  language  of  the 
prophet : — "  Blow  the  trumpet  in  Zion, 
sanctify  a  fast,  call  a  solemn  assembly  ; 
gather  the  people,  sanctify  the  congre- 
gation,  Joel  2  :  15,   16. 1   For  the 

journeying  of  the  camps.  Heb.  lemassa, 
for  the  breaking  -up,  from  the  root  be- 
fore indicated,  ch.  2  :  17.  This  was  the 
second  use  of  these  instruments.  If  it 
be  asked,  what  necessity  there  was  for 
the  sounding  of  trumpets  when  the  en- 
campment was  to  be  broken  up,  inas- 
much as  the  removal  of  the  cloud  indi- 
cated the  removal  of  the  host,  we  reply 
that  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  was  not 
to  notify  the  time  of  marching,  but  to 
indicate  the  order  in  which  the  several 
divisions  were  to  move.  Thus,  upon 
the  sounding  of  the  first  signal,  the 
camp  of  Judah  was  to  move  ;  upon  the 
second,  that  of  Reuben  ;  and  so  of  the 
rest.  There  were,  therefore,  three 
things  to  be  observed  in  connection 
with  their  removals : — 1.  The  Lord's 
lifting  the  cloud,  ch.  9  :  18,  22.-2.  The 
sound  of  the  trumpets,  ch.  10  :  2,  5,  6. — 
3.  The  prayer  of  Moses,  ch.  10  :  35. 

V.  3.  And  when  they  shall  blow.  That 
is,  the  priests,  as  expressly  ordered,  v.  8. 
The  Gr.,  however,  has,  "When  thou 
shalt  blow,"  referring  to  Moses,  who 
might  be  said  to  blow  through  the 
priests  whom  he  had  appointed.     The 


ivhich  are  heads "  of  the  thou- 
sands of  Israel,  shall  gather 
themselves  unto  thee. 

5  When  ye  blow  an  alarm  "^^ 
then  the  camps  that  lie  on  the 
east  *  parts  shall  go  forward. 

6  When  ye  blow  an  alarm 
the  second  time,  then  the  camps 
that  lie  on  the  south -^  side  shall 

cEx.  18. 'il.    c  1.  16.         rf  Joel  2.1.         e  c.  2.  3. 
/  c.  2.  10. 


original  term  for  "  blow  "  (tdha)  signi- 
fies primarily  to  drive  forcibly,  to  thrust 
i?i,  as  the  pins  or  stakes  of  a  tent,  a 
dagger,  a  nail,  etc.  ;  hence  also  applied 
to  the  violent  driving  or  impinging  of 
the  wind,  by  which  locusts  are  driven 
into    the    sea,    or    the   breath   into   a 

trumpet. T[    With  them.      That  is, 

with  both  of  them  ;  for  when  but  one 
was  blown,  the  princes  only  assembled, 
V.  4. 

V.  4.  ^  they  bloio  (but)  with  one 
(trumpet.)  The  Vulg.  has  it,  "  If  thou 
sound  but  once;"  but  the  Gr.  better, 
"  If  thou  shalt  sound  with  one,"  as  this 
accords  with  the  Hebrew. 

V.  5.  When  ye  blow  an  alarm.  Heb. 
terudh,  implying  not,  as  in  the  other 
case,  a  long,  even,  and  continuous  blast, 
but  a  broken,  quavering,  and  interrupt- 
ed one,  a  sound  of  a  more  exciting  and 
animating  character,  which  our  trans- 
lators have  not  improperly  expressed 

by   "sounding    an    alarm." T[   The 

camps  that  lie  -upon  the  east  part  shall 
go  forward.  These  were  the  tribes  of 
Judah,  Issachar,  and  Zebulun,  ch,  2 : 
3-7.  The  term  "  camps  "  is  apparently 
employed  to  signify  the  several  distinct 
divisions  that  occupied  the  different 
quarters  round  about  the  Tabernacle. 

V.  6.  On  the  south  side.  This  was 
occupied  by  Reuben,  Simeon,  and  Gad, 
ch,  2  :  10,  It  would  be  reasonable  to 
suppose,  that  after  the  mention  of  the 
camps  on  the  east  and  south,  mention 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


135 


take  their  journey  :  they  shall 
blow  an  alarm  for  their  jour- 
neys. 

7  But  when  the  congregation 
is  to  be  gathered  together,  ye 
shall  blow,  but  ye  shall  not 
sound  an  alarm. 

8  And  the  sons  of  Aaron, 
the  ^  priests,    shall   blow   with 


Chr.  15.  24.     2  Chr.  13.  12. 


would  be  made  in  like  manner  of  those 
on  the  north  and  west ;  but  these  are 
for  some  reason  omitted  in  the  Hebrew, 
though  supplied  as  follows  in  the  Gr., 
"  And  ye  shall  sound  a  third  alarm,  and 
the  camps  pitched  westward  shall  move 
forward ;  and  ye  shall  sound  a  fourth 
alarm,  and  they  that  encamp  toward 
the  north  shall  move  forward."  This 
addition,  however,  has  not  been  ac- 
knowledged by  the  Samaritan,  nor  by 
any  other  of  the  versions  but  the  Coptic. 
Nor  are  there  any  various  readings  in 
the  collections  of  Kennicott  and  De 
Rossi  which  countenance  the  Gr.  in 
supplying  the  desideratum.  Bp.  Pat- 
rick supposes  that  the  omission  in  the 
original  is  virtually  supplied  in  the  en- 
suing clause  : — "  They  shall  blow  an 
alarm  for  their  journeys,"  which  he  un- 
derstands as  equivalent  to  saying  that 
they  shall  blow  a  third  an^fourtTi  alarm 
for  the  moving  of  the  other  two  stand- 
ards. It  is,  however,  an  equally  plau- 
sible interpretation,  that  these  words 
amount  to  no  more  than  a  brief  recapit- 
ulation of  the  order  just  given.  Yet 
the  Vulg.  countenances  the  idea  of  Pat- 
rick : — **  And  after  this  manner  shall 
the  rest  do,  when  the  trumpets  shall 
sound  for  a  march." 

V.  7.  But  when  the  congregation,  etc. 
A  manifest  distinction  between  simply 
blowing  and  blowing  an  alarm  appears 
in  the  language  of  this  verse.  The  na- 
ture of  this  distinction  is  explained 


the  trumpets  ;  and  they  shall 
be  to  you  for  an  ordinance  for 
ever  throughout  your  genera- 
tions. 

9  And  if  ye  go  to  war  *  in 
your  land  against  the  enemy 
that  oppresseth  '  you,  then  ye 
shall  blow  an  alarm  with  the 
trumpets;   and  ye  shall  be  re- 


A  2  Chr.  13.  14. 
Ps.  106.  42. 


t  Judg.  2.  1> 


above,  vs.  3,  5.  The  sound  in  the  one 
case  was  long  and  equable,  in  the  other 
short,  broken,  and  sharp.  Adam  Clarke 
remarks  that  "  from  the  similarity  in 
the  words,  some  suppose  that  the  Heb. 
teruah  was  similar  to  the  Roman  tara- 
tantara,  or  sound  of  their  clarion."  It 
is  possible  that  this  distinction  may  be 
alluded  to  by  Paul,  1  Cor.  14  :  8,  where 
he  says,  "If  the  trumpet  shall  give  an 
uncei-tain  sound,  who  shall  prepare  him- 
self to  battle?  "  that  is,  if  the  milder  and 
gentler  sound  is  given  when  the  rough 
and  broken  one  is  required. 

V.  8.  And  the  sons  of  Aa?'on,  the 
priests,  shall  blow.  The  office  of  blow- 
ing the  trumpets  was  restricted  exclu- 
sively to  the  priestly  order,  probably 
with  a  view  to  intimate  that  the  act  had 
a  typical  reference  to  the  preachers  of 

the  Word  in  subsequent  ages. ^  An 

ordinance  for  ever.  Heb.  "  A  statute  of 
eternity."  The  outward  symbolical  use 
was  to  continue  to  the  coming  of  Christ 
and  the  spiritual,  or  that  which  was  the 
substance  of  the  shadow,  to  abide  ever 
after.  This  would  make  it  an  everlast- 
ing ordinance. 

V.  9.  And  if  ye  go  to  war,  etc.  Heb. 
"  If  ye  come  to  war."  Gr.  "  If  ye  go 
forth  to  war."  But  "  coming"  is  often 
expressed  by  the  term  that  is  rendered 
elsewhere  by  "  going,"  as  Jon.  1 :  3, 
"  And  found  a  ship  going  (Heb.  bddh, 

coming)  to  Tarshish." 1  Against  tlu 

enemy  that  oppresseth  you.    Heb.  "  The 


136 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


membered  *  before  the  Lord 
your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  saved' 
from  your  enemies. 

10  Also  '"  in  the  day  of  your 
gladness,    and  in  your   solemn 


*  Gen.  8.1.  Pb.  106.  4.  136.23.  Z  Luke  1.  70,71. 
m  Lev.  23.  24.  c.  29.  1.  1  Chr.  15.  24.  2  Chr.  5.  12. 
7.  6.   29.  26.  Ezra  3.  10.  Neh.  12.  35.  Ps.  81.  3.    S9.  15. 


distresser  that  distresseth  you."  Gr. 
"  The  adversaries  that  resist  you."  This 
is  to  be  regarded  as  the  third  use  of 
these  instruments,  viz.  to  serve  as  a  sig- 
nal of  war,  of  which  we  read  striking 
instances  in  the  war  of  Israel  against 
the  Midianites,  Num.  31 :  6  ;  and  of  Ju- 
dah  against  Jeroboam,  2  Chron.  13  :  12, 
when  they  said,  "Behold,  God  him- 
self is  with  us  for  our  captain,  and  his 
priests  with  sounding  trumpets  to  cry 
alarm  against  you."  According  to  the 
Hebrew  writers  this  catamity  of  war  is 
to  be  considered  as  including  within  it 
all  other  forms  of  national  judgments : — 
"  As  if  he  should  say,  every  thing  that 
shall  distress  you,  as  famine,  and  pesti- 
lence, and  locusts,  and  the  like;  ye 
shall   cry    out   for   them,    and    sound 

an  alarm." — Maimonides. T[  And  ye 

shall  he  remembered  before  the  Lord  your 
God.  Chald.  "  The  remembrance  of  you 
shall  come  up  for  good  before  the  Lord." 
The  Lord  will  be  merciful  to  you  and 
grant  your  request.  Such  is  the  import 
of  the  divine  remembrance.  See  Note 
on  Gen.  8:1.  It  is  doubtless  to  be  in- 
ferred that  fasting,  prayer,  and  repent- 
ance, were  to  be  practised  on  all  such 
occasions.  That  seasons  of  general  hu- 
miliation were  appointed  of  the  Lord  is 
evident  from  the  language  of  the  pro- 
phet Joel,  in  whose  day  palmer-worms, 
locusts,  canker-worms,  and  caterpillars 
wasted  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and 
drought,  like  fire  and  flame,  burnt  up 
the  pastures  and  trees  of  the  field,  for 
which  the  people  were  exhorted  to  fast 
and  pray,  accompanied  with  Mowing 


days,  and  in  the  beginnings  of 
your  months,  ye  shall  blow  with 
the  trumpets  over  your  burnt- 
offerings,  and  over  the  sacrifices 
of  your  peace-offerings;  that 
they  may  be  to  you  for  a  "  me- 

n  Ex.  28.  29.    Acts  10.  4. 


of  trumpets,  sounding  alarms,  etc.,  Joel 
1:4-20.    2:1-16. 

V.  10.  Also  in  the  day  of  your  glad- 
ness. Gr.  "  In  the  days  of  your  glad- 
ness." Vulg.  "  If  at  any  time  ye  shall 
have  a  banquet."  This  was  the  fourth 
use  of  these  sacred  implements.  Allu- 
sion is  had,  in  the  first  clause,  to  occa- 
sions of  public  rejoicing,  such  as  the 
dedication  of  the  first  temple,  2  Chron. 
5 :  12,  13 ;  to  the  return  from  the  cap- 
tivity and  the  foundation  of  the  second 
temple,  Ezra  3  :  10, 11 ;  and  to  the  "  ded- 
ication of  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,"  Neh. 

12 :  27,  35. T[  And  in  your  solemn 

days.  That  is,  days  of  solemnities,  or 
ordinary  feasts  and  fasts,  such  as  are 
enumerated  in  the  23d  ch.  of  Leviticus, 
or  as  were  subsequently  to  be  appoint- 
ed, ch.   28:11,   14.    Deut.   16:11. 

TI  In  the  beginnings  of  your  months. 
That  is,  on  the  feast  of  new  moons, 
which  were  observed  with  special  sac- 
rifices appointed  by  divine  authority. 
Of  these  see  ch.  28  :  11-14.  Comp.  Ps. 
81 :  3,  "  Blow  up  the  trumpets  in  the  new 
moon,  in  the  time  appointed,  on  our 
solemn  feast  day."  These  seasons  were 
at  first  ushered  in  with  the  sound  of 
trumpets  alone,  but  subsequently  the 
Lord  through  David  and  the  prophets 
ordered  other  instruments  to  be  em- 
ployed, as  psalteries,  harps,  cymbals, 
flutes,  and  timbrels,  2  Chron.  7:6.  16  : 

5,  6.  Ps.  149  :  3. T[  Over  your  lurnt- 

ojferings,  etc.  Examples  of  this  are  re- 
corded 2  Chron.  19:25-28.  5:12,  13. 
As  the  peace-offerings  were  sacrifices 
of  thanksgivings,  it  was  very  suitable 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


137 


morial  before  your  God  :  I  am 
the  Lord  your  God. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  the  second 
month,  in  the  second  year,  that 

that  thej  should  be  accompanied  with 
the  sound  of  the  trumpets  as  a  symbol 

of  holy  hilarity. 1  IJiat  they  may  he 

to  you  for  a  memorial.  That  is,  that 
the  Lord,  by  whose  sovereign  authority 
these  commands  are  given,  may  gra- 
ciously accept  your  oflerings  and  vouch- 
safe the  tokens  of  his  kind  remem- 
brance, when  he  sees  that  his  service 
is  your  delight  and  joy. 

TJie  Removal  of  the  Camp  from  Sinai 
to  Paran. 
V.  11.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
twentieth  day,  etc.  Twelve  months  lack- 
ing ten  days  was  the  period  that  the 
Israelites  had  now  lain  encamped  at  the 
base  of  Mount  Sinai,  when  the  divine 
command  is  given  to  them  to  break  up 
the  encampment  and  set  forward  on 
their  journey  to  the  promised  land. 
The  Samaritan  version  here  introduces 
the  following  words  from  Deut.  1 :  6-8, 
"  The  Lord  our  God  spake  unto  us  in 
Horeb,  saying,  Ye  have  dwelt  long 
enough  in  this  mount;  turn  and  take 
your  journey,"  etc.     We  know  of  no 

authority  for  this  insertion. ^   The 

cloud  was  taken  tip  from  off  the  taber- 
nacle. Heb.  "Was  made  to  ascend." 
This  was  of  course  the  Lord's  own  act, 
signifying  that  it  was  his  good  pleasure 
that  the  people  should  commence  their 
march,  ch.  9  :  17.  But  they  were  not 
left  solely  to  the  indications  of  the  cloud. 
It  was  at  this  time  that  the  words  above 
cited  from  Deut.  1  :  6-8,  were  addressed 
to  them.  Accordingly  the  people  were 
called  both  by  word  and  sign  from  Si- 
nai, the  place  of  bondage,  so  rendered 
by  reason  of  the  Law's  being  there  de- 


the  cloud "  was  taken  up  from  off 
the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony. 
12  And  the  children   of  Is- 
rael took  their  journeys  out  of 


0  Ex.  40.  36,  37.     c.  9. 


livered.  Gal.  4 :  24,  25,  to  the  land  of 
promise  prefiguring  the  state  of  grace 
and  freedom  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Y.  12.  Took  their  journeys.  Heb. 
Took  their  journeys  according  to  their 
journ^yings.  The  original  word  is  the 
common  one  for  breaking  up.  Bp.  Hors- 
ley  renders  it,  "  Decamped  according  to 
their  decampments,"  which  he  under- 
stands to  be  equivalent  to,  "  in  due  or- 
der." Le  Clerc  supposes  it  to  imply, 
slowly,  and  according  to  the  rate  at 
which  so  vast  a  multitude  could  pro- 
ceed. By  another  construction  the  sense 
is  that  they  marched  according  to  the 
journeys  or  stations  which  are  more 
precisely  recounted  ch.  11 :  34,  35.  12  : 
16.  3  :  15,  seqq.  The  reader  must  be 
left  to  choose  between  these  several  sug- 
gestions.    We  incline  to  the  latter. 


The  cloud  rested.    Heb. 


shekinized,  as  above,  ch.  9  :  15-23,  where 
see  Note. %  In  tie  wilderness  of  Fa- 
ran.  Gr.  ^apau,  Pharan,  to  which  cor- 
responds the  modern  Feiran,  the  name 
of  one  of  the  principal  Wadys,  or  val- 
leys, in  the  rocky  region  of  the  Penin- 
sula, although  there  is  no  adequate  evi- 
dence to  prove  that  the  wilderness  of 
Paran  or  Pharan  was  the  same  as  the 
wady  of  Feiran.  Previous  to  reaching 
this  point  they  had  encamped  at  two 
different  stations,  viz.  the  first  at  Kib- 
roth-hattaavah,  ch.  33  :  16,  the  second 
at  Hazeroth,  ch.  11 :  35.  From  v.  33  it 
appears  that  the  station  here  called  Pa- 
ran was  three  days'  journey  from  Sinai. 
As  to  the  exact  localities  of  the  places 
mentioned  here  and  elsewhere  in  the 
narrative  of  the  wanderings,  it  is  scarce- 
ly possible  to  identify  them  with  any  de- 


138 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


the  wilderness  of  Sinai  ^,  and 
the  cloud  rested  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Paran ''. 

13  And  they  first  took  their 
journey  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord  '  by  the 
hand  of  Moses. 


p  Ex.  19.  1.  q  c.  12.  16. 


c.  2.  9-34. 


gree  of  certainty.  We  can  only  avail 
ourselves  of  the  results  of  the  research- 
es of  modern  travellers  by  whom  the 
country  has  been  explored ;  and  even 
these  we  shall  for  the  most  part  rather 
refer  to  than  transcribe  into  our  own 
pages.  Prof.  Robinson's  map  of  the 
Sinaitic  region  will  be  indispensable  to 
the  reader  who  would  gain  an  accurate 
idea  of  the  country  made  so  memorable 
by  the  events  recorded  by  Moses.  It 
appears,  on  the  whole,  that  the  Paran 
here  mentioned  was  the  name  of  an  ex- 
tensive wilderness  tract,  in  which  the 
Israelites  had  several  encampments, 
rather  than  of  one  single  station,  like 
Taberah  or  Hazeroth. 

V.  13.  And  they  first  tooh  their  jour- 
ney, etc.  By  comparing  this  with  ch. 
2  :  9  (on  which  see  Note)  it  would  ap- 
pear that  Horsley's  interpretation  is 
correct,  to  wit,  that  vs.  13  and  14  are 
tantamount  to  each  other,  and  that  the 
literal  rendering  would  be,  "  And  fore- 
most decamped,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  Jehovah  by  Moses  ;  Fore- 
most, I  say,  decamped  the  standard," 
etc.  The  original  word  for  "  first "  in 
the  two  verses  is  precisely  the  same, 
and  if  it  does  not  mean  the  same  in 
both,  it  is  difficult  to  determine  its  true 
sense  in  v.  13.  Boothroyd  renders  it, 
"  Thus,  for  the  first  time,  they  marched 
according  to  the  command  of  Jehovah 
by  Moses."  But  this  is  scarcely  coh- 
sistent  with  Ex.  17  : 1.  The  Gr.,  the 
Vulg.,  and  the  Syriac  agree  with  Hors- 
ley. ^  By  the  hand  of  Moses.     That 


14  In  the  first  place  went  the 
'  standard  of  the  camp  of  the 
children  of  Judah,  according  to 
their  armies  :  aad  over  his  host 
was  Nahshon  the  son  of  Am- 
minadab. 

15  And  over  the  host  of  the 


is,  by  the  ministry  of  Moses  ;  Moses  be- 
ing employed  as  an  intermediate.  It 
was  through  him  that  the  Lord  com- 
municated to  the  people  the  order  of 
their  march  and  the  use  of  the  appoint- 
ed signal.  Moses,  also,  Avhen  the  host 
began  to  move,  uttered  the  invocation 
recorded  in  v.  35.  "  The  reason,"  says 
a  distinguished  commentator,  "  why  to 
speak  by  the  hand  of  any  one  denotes 
by  his  means,  or  mediately,  is,  because 
by  hand  is  signified  power,  thus  by  the 
hand  of  any  one,  vicarious  power,  which 
is  the  same  thing  with  mediately,  for 
what  is  done  mediately  is  done  by  the 
power  of  another  in  himself;  hence  it 
is  that  in  the  Word  this  form  of  speech 
is  adopted,  as  in  the  books  of  the  kings, 
where  mention  is  occasionally  made  of 
the  Word  which  Jehovah  spake  by  the 
hand  of  any  one,  as  which  he  "  sjoake  by 
the  hand  of  Ahijah  the  prophet,"  1  Kings 
14:18.  '^  By  the  hand  of  Ahijah  the 
Shilonite,"  1  Kings  15  :  29.  "  By  tlie 
hand  of  Jehu  the  prophet,"  1  Kings  16  : 
7,  12.  "  By  the  hand  of  Joshua,"  v.  34 
of  the  same  chapter.  "  By  the  hand  of 
Elias,"  1  Kings  17  :  16.  "  By  the  hand 
of  Jonah  the  prophet,"  2  Kings  14 :  25 
V.  14.  In  the  first  ( place)  went  the 
standard  of  the  children  of  Judah.  That 
in  all  things  Judah,  as  the  progenitor 
of  our  Lord,  might  have  the  pre-emi- 
nence.   T[  According  to  their  armies. 

Or,  by  a  more  literal  rendering,  "  The 
standard  of  the  camp  of  the  children  of 
Judah  decamped  at  the  head  of  their 
armies,"  that  is,  of  all  the  tribes,  but 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


139 


tribe  of  the  children  of  Issachar 
tvas  Nethaneel  the  son  of  Zuar. 

16  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Zebulun 
was  Eliab  the  son  of  Helon. 

17  And  the  tabernacle  was 
taken  '  down,  and  the  sons  of 
Gershon  and  the  sons  of  Merari 
set  forward,  bearing  "  the  taber- 
nacle, 

18  And  the  standard  "  of  the 
camp  of  Reuben  set  forward  ac- 
cording to  their  armies  :  and 
over  his  host  was  Elizur  the  son 
of  Shedeur. 

19  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Simeon 
was  Shelumiel  the  son  of  Zuri- 
shaddai. 

20  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Grad  was 
Eliasaph,  the  son  of  Deuel. 

t  c.  1.  51.         u  c.  4.  ■24.     7.  6-8.         v  c.  2.  10-16. 

more  immediately  of  Judah,  Issachar, 
and  Zebulun,  who  constituted  the  first 
grand  division.  As  the  order  in  which 
the  several  divisions  marched  is  mi- 
nutely detailed  in  ch.  2  : 1-31,  it  will  be 
unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  order  here 
recited.  We  shall  therefore  comment 
but  briefly  upon  these  verses. 

V.  17.  And  the  tabernacle  was  taken 
down.  Heb.  Tiurad,  was  made  to  come 
down  or  descend.  That  is,  the  curtains 
were  taken  off  and  the  boards  removed 
from  the  sockets,   and  thus  the  whole 

fabric  taken  down. T[  And  tlie  sons 

of  GersJion,  etc.  They  followed  imme- 
diately after  Judah's  division,  that 
when  they  had  arrived  at  the  camping- 
place  they  might  proceed  at  once  to  set 
up  the  Tabernacle  and  have  it  ready 
against  the  Kohathites  came  up  with 
the  sacred  utensils  with  which  it  was 
to  be  furnished. 


21  And  the  Kohathites  set 
forward,  bearing  the  sanctu- 
ary" :  and  the  other  did  set 
up  the  tabernacle  against  they 
came. 

22  And  the  standard  '  of  the 
camp  of  the  children  of  Ephraim 
set  forward  according  to  their 
armies :  and  over  his  host  was 
Elishama  the  son  of  Ammihud. 

23  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Manas- 
seh  was  Gamaliel  the  son  of 
Pedahzur. 

24  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Benja- 
min ivas  Abidan  the  son  of 
Gideoni. 

25  x\nd  the  standard  "  of  the 
camp  of  the  children  of  Dan  set 
forward,  which  was  the  rere- 
ward  "'  of  all  the  camps  through- 

:.  2.  18-24.  y  c.  2.  25-31. 


V.  21.  Bearing  tlie  sanctuary.  Heb. 
Jiammikdosli,  the  sanctity ,  by  which  is 
undoubtedly  meant  the  sacred  vessels, 
the  ark,  the  candlestick,  the  table,  the 
altar  of  incense,  etc.  Gr.  ra.  ayia,  the 
holy  things.  As  the  term  "  sanctuary  " 
would  naturally  be  regarded  as  synony- 
mous with  "  tabernacle,"  it  is  not  so 
suitable  a  rendering  of  the  original  as 

"holy  things." T[  And  (the  other) 

did  set  up  the  tabernacle,  etc.  That  is, 
the  Gershonites  and  Merarites  before 
mentioned,  v.  17. 

Y.  25.  The  rear-ward  of  all  the  camps. 
Heb.  measseph,  the  gatherer,  or  gather- 
ing host,  equivalent  to  rear-guard.  Gr. 
"  The  last  of  all  the  camps."  See  the 
peculiar  significancy  of  this  word  fully 
explained  in  the  Note  on  Josh,  6  :  9.  It 
was  the  duty  of  the  division  of  Dan, 
which  closed  up  the  rear,  to  see  to  all 
the  feeble,  the  stragglers,  etc.,  which 


140 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


out  their  hosts :  and  over  his 
host  was  Ahiezer  the  son  of 
Ammishaddai. 

26  And  over  the  host  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Asher 
was  Pagiel  the  son  of  Ocran. 

27  And  over  the  host  of 
the  tribe  of  the  children  of 
Naphtali  was  Ahira  the  son  of 
Enan. 

28  Thus  were  the  journeyings 

the  Lord  would  not  suffer  to  be  over- 
looked iu  the  general  movement  of  the 
host. 

V.  28.  TJms  (were)  the  journeyings. 
Heb.  "These  were  the  journeyings." 
That  is,  this  was  the  order  in  which 

their  journeyings  were  conducted. 

T[  When  they  journeyed.  Heb.  "  And 
they  journeyed."  Implying  that  when- 
ever they  journeyed  the  same  order  was 
observed. 

Moiei  Invitation  to  Holah. 
V.  29.  And  Moses  said  unto  Holah, 
the  son  of  Baguel.  As  to  the  real  per- 
son intended  to  be  designated  by  this 
name,  and  his  true  relationship  to  Mo- 
ses, we  have  nothing  positive  to  add  to 
the  considerations  adduced  upon  the 
subject  in  the  Note  on  Ex.  2  :  18,  to 
which  the  reader  is  referred.  It  in- 
volves a  question  which  can  probably 
never  be  determined  with  absolute  cer- 
tainty. Those  who  hold  that  Hobab 
was  the  son  of  Jethro,  instead  of  Jethro 
himself,  which,  on  the  whole,  we  regard 
as  the  most  probable  opinion,  maintain 
that  the  original  word  (^hotMn)  for 
"father-in-law"  may  with  equal  pro- 
priety be  rendered  "brother-in-law," 
or  "  near  relative,"  as  such  seems  to  be 
its  import  in  Judg.  1 :  16.  4  :  11,  to 
which  add  Gen.  It) :  14.  But  the  term 
"father-in-law,"  m  this  connection,  for 
aught  we  see,  may  as  well  be  referred 


of  the  children  of  Israel  accord- 
ing to  their  armies,  when  they 
set  forward. 

29  And  Moses  said  unto  Ho- 
bab, the  son  of  ilaguel  "  the 
Midianite,  Moses'  father-in-law. 
We  are  journeying  unto  the 
place  of  which  the  Lord  said, 
I  *  will  give  it  you  :  come  thou 
with  us,    and  we  will  do   thee 


to  Raguel  (Reuel)  as  to  Hobab,  and  this 
would  assign  to  it  its  usual  meaning. 
It  would  seem,  therefore,  on  the  whole, 
as  most  probable,  that  as  forty  years  had 
elapsed  since  Moses'  connection  with 
this  family  was  formed,  his  father-in- 
law  (Ex.  2  :  18)  Reuel  or  Raguel  (the 
same  word  in  the  original  is  used  in 
both  places)  was  dead,  or  disabled  by 
infirmities,  and  that  the  person  here 
called  Hobab  was  in  fact  the  brother  of 
Zipporah,  consequently  the  brother-in- 
law  of  Moses. T[  Come  thou  with  us, 

and  we  will  do  thee  good.  This  invita- 
tion is  rich  in  practical  suggestions. 
As  Israel  in  the  wilderness  is  a  type 
of  the  Christian  Church  in  its  pilgrim 
state,  and  Canaan  of  the  heavenly  coun- 
try, we  recognize  in  these  words  the 
benevolent  concern  which  every  good 
man  feels  in  behalf  of  his  fellow-men, 
that  they  also  may  be  sharers  iu  the 
blessings  which  he  is  taught  to  antici- 
pate. Christianity  is  the  religion  of 
love ;  and  it  is  impossible  that  one  who 
has  himself  become,  in  his  own  humble 
estimation,  a  partaker  of  the  heavenly 
inheritance,  should  not  earnestly  long 
and  strive  to  enlist  others  in  the  pur- 
suit of  those  incorruptible  treasures 
which  have  become  so  precious  to  him- 
self If  the  Pharisees  could  compass 
sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte,  and 
after  all  render  him  more  a  child  of  hell 
than  before,  shall  Christian  benevolence 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


141 


good  :  for  the  Lord  bath  spoken 
good  '  concerning  Israel. 

30  And  he  said  unto  him,  I 
will  not  go ;  but  I  will  depart 
to  mine  own  land,  and  to  my 
kindred. 


be  a  principle  less  powerful  to  win  heed- 
less souls  from  the  way  of  perdition,  and 
persuade  them  into  the  way  of  peace 
and  life  ?  Such  will  be  the  spontaneous 
prompting  of  every  child  of  the  king- 
dom. Tasting  himself  the  blessedness 
of  living  to  the  Lord,  he  will  ardently 
long  to  bring  all  he  can  to  the  experi- 
ence of  the  same  blessedness.  Espe- 
cially will  he  be  anxious  for  relatives 
and  friends,  that  they  may  join  him  in 
the  journey  to  heaven,  and  he  will  plead 
with  them  by  holding  forth  the  eternal 
good  which  he  trusts  to  reap  at  the  end 

of  his  pilgrimage. 1[  For  the  Lord 

hatJi  spoTcen  good  concerning  Israel. 
Heb.  "  Upon  Israel."  This  is  rendered 
by  Geddes  and  Boothroyd,  "Jehovah 
hath  promised  good  things  to  Israel." 
This  may  be  a  correct  paraphrase,  but 
the  Heb.  has  no  word  signifying  to 
promise,  and  therefore  employs  the 
term  dabar,  to  speak,  to  say. 

Y.  30.  And  he  said  unto  Mm,  I  will 
not  go.  This  appears  not  to  have  been 
a  final  refusal.  From  the  subsequent 
history  there  is  good  reason  to  conclude, 
that  although  he  at  present  declined  the 
urgent  invitation,  and  departed,  accord- 
ing to  his  purpose,  to  his  own  land  and 
kindred,  yet  that  he  afterwards  return- 
ed and  rejoined  the  chosen  people,  and 
either  in  his  own  person,  or  that  of  his 
descendants,  entered  with  them  into  the 
promised  possession.  From  Judg.  1  : 
16.  4:11.  1  Sam.  15:6,  it  is  evident 
that  his  posterity,  under  the  name  of 
"  Kenites,"  had  an  abiding  place  among 
the  tribes  of  Israel,  even  a.s  late  as  the 


31  And  he  said,  Leave  us 
not,  I  pray  thee  :  forasmuch  as 
thou  knowest  how  we  are  to 
encamp  in  the  wilderness,  and 
thou  mayest  be  to  us  instead  of 
eyes'^. 


time  of  Saul.  It  is  always  pleasant  to 
read  the  indications  of  a  return  to  the 
way  of  life  on  the  part  of  those  who 
have  at  one  time  seemed  resolved  to 
forsake  it.  We  hail  with  delight  every 
instance,  where  the  man  who  at  first 
refuses  to  enter  the  vineyard  afterwards 
repents  and  goes. 

V.  31.  Tfiou  mayest  he  to  us  instead 
of  eyes.  "  An  aged  father  says  to  his 
son,  who  wishes  to  go  to  some  other 
village,  '  My  son,  leave  me  not  in  my 
old  age  ;  you  are  now  my  eyes.'  *  You 
are  on  the  look-out  for  me,  your  eyes 
are  sharp.'  It  is  said  of  a  good  servant, 
'  he  is  eyes  to  his  master.' " — Eoberts. 
The  plea  of  Moses  with  Hobab  is  two- 
fold, first,  the  good  he  would  gain  for 
himself,  and,  second,  the  good  he  would 
do  to  Israel.  Every  possible  motive, 
involving  truth,  should  be  employed  to 
win  upon  the  ungodly,  and  induce  them 
to  unite  their  lot  with  the  people  of 
God.  Still,  it  becomes  in  this  case  a 
fair  question,  how  the  services  of  Hobab 
could  be  required  as  a  guide,  when  the 
marchings  and  the  encampings  of  the 
host  were  governed  entirely  by  the 
cloudy  pillar,  as  we  learn  from  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  was  the  fact.  To  this 
it  may  be  replied,  in  the  language  of 
Adam  Clarke,  that  "the  cloud  directed 
their  general  journeys,  but  not  their 
particular  excursions.  Parties  took 
several  journeys  while  the  grand  army 
lay  still."  (See  chs.  13,  20,  31,  32,  etc.) 
Add  to  this,  that  as  the  spots  in  the 
desert  most  suitable  for  the  encamp- 
ment of  so  large  a  body  of  people  might 


142 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


32  And  it  shall  be,  if  thou 
go  with  us,  yea,  it  shall  be,  that 
what   goodness  the  Lord   shall 


not  always  be  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  water,  they  would  naturally  need  such 
a  person  as  Hobab,  a  principal  person 
in  his  tribe,  who  was  perfectly  at  home 
over  the  whole  region  they  were  now 
traversing,  and  who  would  of  course  be 
able  to  direct  them  to  the  watering- 
places,  as  also  to  the  places  where  fuel 
might  be  found,  large  quantities  of  both 
which  would  be  indispensably  requisite 
to  meet  the  demands  of  so  immense  a 
collection  of  men,  women,  and  children. 
This  would  be  the  more  necessary,  as 
from  the  scarcity  of  water  in  those  re- 
gions, the  Arabs  were  in  the  habit  of 
digging  pits  or  cisterns,  which,  when 
they  left,  they  would  close  up  with 
stones  or  sands,  so  that  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  discover  them  again.  These 
hidden  places  Hobab,  as  having  been 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  desert, 
would  be  apt  to  be  better  acquainted 
with,  or  more  easily  able  to  find,  than 
the  stranger  people  who  now  required 
his  services.  It  is  beyond  question, 
moreover,  as  we  have  before  intimated, 
that  a  large  portion  of  the  supplies  of 
cattle  for  sacrifice  were  obtained  from 
the  nomade  tribes  sojourning  along  the 
route  of  the  Israelites,  and  a  resident 
of  the  region  would  be  of  great  service 
in  treating  with  these  people  in  this  be- 
half. In  this  circumstance  we  find,  if 
we  mistake  not,  a  clew  to  the  rendering 
of  the  Gr.  in  the  present  passage,  ese  en 
hemin  prtsbutes,  commonly  translated, 
thou  sltalt  he  an  elder  among  us,  but 
which  we  would  render,  tJiou  shall  he  a 
legate  or  messenger  among  us,  i.  e.  an 
agent,  a  negotiator,  in  managing  this 
kind  of  traffic.  At  the  same  time,  this 
version  need  not  exclude  the  idea  of 
his  acting  as  an  elder  or  counsellor  in 
any  emergencies  that  might  arise,  where 


do  unto  us,  the  same '  will  we 
do  unto  thee. 


Judg.  1.16.    4.11. 


his  experience  and  judgment  might  be 
of  use.  The  following  extract  from  the 
travels  of  Bruce  in  Abyssinia  will  throw 
light  upon  the  general  purposes  an- 
swered by  the  employment  of  guides  in 
desert  countries  : — "  A  hyheer  is  a  guide, 
from  the  Arabic  word  huhhar,  to  inform, 
instruct,  or  direct,  because  they  are 
used  to  do  this  office  to  the  caravan 
travelling  through  the  desert,  in  all  its 
directions,  whether  to  Egypt  and  back 
again,  the  coast  of  the  Red  Sea,  or  the 
countries  of  Sudan,  and  the  western  ex- 
tremities of  Africa.  They  are  men  of 
great  consideration,  knowing  perfectly 
the  situation  and  properties  of  all  kinds 
of  water,  to  be  met  on  the  route,  the 
distances  of  wells,  whether  occupied  by 
enemies  or  not,  and  if  so,  the  way  to 
avoid  them  with  the  least  inconve- 
nience. It  is  also  necessary  to  them  to 
know  the  places  occupied  by  the  si- 
moom, and  the  seasons  of  their  blowing 
in  those  parts  of  the  desert ;  likewise 
those  occupied  by  moving  sands.  He 
generally  belongs  to  some  powerful 
tribe  of  Arabs  inhabiting  these  deserts, 
whose  protection  he  makes  use  of,  to 
assist  his  caravans,  or  protect  them  in 
time  of  danger ;  and  handsome  rewards 
are  always  in  his  power  to  distribte  on 
such  occasions."  Even  the  miraculous 
conduct  of  the  Divine  Providence  does 
not  supersede  human  instrumentality 
when  it  can  be  properly  emplo3^ed,  as 
we  see  in  the  case  of  the  appointment 
of  Judges  at  the  suggestion  of  Hobab's 
father  on  a  former  occasion. 

V.  '62.  The  same  will  tve  do  unto  thee. 
To  which  the  Targ.  of  Jonathan  adds, 
"in  the  division  of  the  land."  Vulg. 
"  We  will  give  thee  what  is  best  of  the 
riches  which  tlie  Lord  shall  deliver  to 
us."     If  we  transfer  this  from  the  lite- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


143 


33  And  they  departed  from 
the  ^  mount  of  the  Lord  three 
days'  journey;  and  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord  went 


/  Ex.  3.  1. 


ral  to  the  spiritual  it  will  imply,  that  in 
the  allotment  of  the  heavenly  inherit- 
ance an  equal  share  shall  fall  to  those 
who  from  being  "  aliens  from  the  com- 
monwealth of  Israel  and  strangers  from 
the  covenants  of  promise"  became 
"  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints  and  of 
the  household  of  God."  Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible for  the  people  of  God  to  hold  out 
any  stronger  inducements  to  their  fel- 
low-men than  the  prospect  of  sharing 
with  them  in  the  blessedness  promised. 

The  Blessing  of  Moses  at  the  Remov- 
ing and  Besting  of  the  Ark. 

Y.  33.  And  they  departed  from  the 
mount  of  the  Lord.  Chald.  "From  the 
mountain  whereon  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
had  been  revealed."  That  is,  Mount 
Horeb,  from   whose   summit  the  Law 

had  been  given  forth. %  Tliree  days' 

journey.  Heb.  "  Three  days'  way." 
This  is  a  repetition  of  what  had  been 

mentioned  before,  vs.  11-13. ^  And 

the  arlc  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  went 
before  them.  It  is  not  clear  that  this 
language  is  to  be  understood  after  the 
exactest  import  of  the  letter.  The  usual 
place  of  the  ark  was  not  in  the  van, 
but  in  the  centre  of  the  host,  which  ar- 
rangement, however,  some  of  the  Jew- 
ish writers  suppose  to  have  been  de- 
parted from  on  this  occasion,  as  it  was 
also  on  another,  viz.  when  the  people 
crossed  the  Jordan  on  their  entrance 
into  Canaan,  Josh.  3 :  6.  But  the  sup- 
position is  not  necessary,  as  the  phrase 
"  went  before  them  "  may  properly  sig- 
nify no  more  than  that  it  was  carried 
conspicuously  in  sight  of  the  people. 


before  ^  them  in  the  three  days' 
journey,  to  search  out  a  resting- 
place  for  them. 

34    And  the    cloud  ^  of  the 


g  Deut. 
.  l-l,  19. 


A  Ex.  13.  -21.  Neh. 


"  The  plain  meaning  seems  to  be,"  says 
Bp.  Patrick,  "  that  the  Lord,  as  their 
king  and  governor,  led  them  by  the 
cloud,  which  was  always  over  the  ark ; 
just  as  a  general  leads  his  army,  though 
he  be  not  in  the  front  of  it,  but  in  the 
midst,  from  whence  he  issues  out  his 

orders." T[  To  search  out  a  resting 

place  for  them.  Chald.  "  To  prepare  a 
place."  Gr.  "To  consider  a  place." 
The  literal  meaning  of  the  original  is 
rest,  instead  of  a  place  of  rest,  but 
these  meanings  are  occasionally  inter- 
changed. Thus  Ps.  132  :  8,  "  Arise,  0 
Lord,  into  thy  7'est,''  i.  e.  thy  place  of 
rest.  Comp.  Gen.  8  :  9.  1  Chron.  28  :  2. 
Mic.  2  :  10.  Zech.  9  : 1.  Should  it  be 
suggested  that  this  was  rather  the  office 
of  the  cloud  than  of  the  ark,  it  is  re- 
plied, that  the  ark  and  the  cloudy  pil- 
lar are  to  be  conceived  as  acting  to- 
gether in  this  matter,  as  the  ark  always 
moved  under  the  column.  The  phrase- 
ology is  anthropomorphic,  or  spoken 
of  the  Lord  after  the  manner  of  men. 
The  term  signifies  properly,  to  search 
by  turning  in  one  direction  and  another, 
as  a  person  in  looking  for  a  lost  article 
turns  round  and  round,  going  several 
times  over  the  same  ground.  Omnis- 
cience, of  course,  has  no  occasion  to 
search,  and  as  to  the  ark  and  the  cloud 
it  could  only  be  said  of  them  metaphor- 
ically. In  like  manner,  the  Most  High 
speaks  in  Ezek.  20  :  6,  of  having  brought 
forth  his  people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt 
into  'a  land  he  had  espied  for  them. 
Comp.  Deut.  1  :  33,  where  the  same 
phraseology  occurs. 

V.  34.  Andthe  cloud  of  the  Lord  {was) 
upon  them  hy  day,  etc.     Chald.  "  The 


lU  NUMBERS. 

Lord  was  upon  them  by  day, 
when  they  went  out  of  the 
camp. 

35  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 

cloud  of  the  glorj  of  the  Lord."  The 
general  fact  here  mentioned  is  still 
more  particularly  stated  Ex.  13  :  21,  22, 
"And  the  Lord  went  before  them  by 
day  in  a  pillar  of  a  cloud,  to  lead  them 
the  way ;  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of 
fire,  to  give  them  light ;  to  go  by  day 
and  night :  He  took  not  away  the  pillar 
of  the  cloud  by  day,  nor  the  pillar  of 
fire  by  night,  from  before  the  people." 
This  cloud  is  said  to  have  been  "  upon  " 
or  "  over"  them,  and  doubtless  in  such 
a  way  as  to  shelter  them  from  the  burn- 
ing rays  of  the  sun.  This  may  be  far- 
ther inferred  from  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist,  Ps.  105  :  3,  "  He  spread  a 
cloud  for  a  covering ;  and  fire  to  give 
light  in  the  night."  At  the  same  time 
it  displayed  itself  in  a  special  manner 
over  the  ark  in  the  form  of  a  column. 
The  analogy  between  the  office  of  the 
cloudy  pillar  in  guiding  the  march  of 
the  Israelites  through  the  wilderness, 
and  that  of  our  Lord  himself  in  conduct- 
ing his  people  in  their  spiritual  pil- 
grimage is  perceptible  from  his  own 
woi'ds,  John  10:2-11,  where  he  com- 
pares himself  to  a  shepherd  calling  his 
sheep  by  name,  and  leading  them  forth, 
causing  them  to  go  in  and  out,  and  to 
find  pasture.     See  also  Is.  4 :  5,  6.  Ps, 

78  :  52. ^  When  the?/  went  out  of  the 

camp.  Heb.  '*  In  their  departure  from 
the  encampment ; "  or  the  places  where 
they  had  temporarily  pitched  their 
tents. 

V.  35.  And  it  came  to  pass  when  the 
ark  set  forward,  that  Moses  said,  etc. 
That  is,  this  was  his  uniform  practice 
on  such  occasions.  This  is  rendered  by 
the  Jenisalem  Targum,  "  And  it  came 
to  pass,  when  the  ark  was  taken  up, 
that  Moses  lifted  up  his  hands  in  prayer, 


[B.  0.  1490. 


the  ark  set  forward,  that  Moses 
said,  Rise  *  up,  Lord,  and  let 
thine  enemies  be  scattered,  and 


and  said.  Rise  now,  0  Word  of  the  Lord, 
in  the  strength  of  thy  power,  and  scat- 
ter the  enemies  of  thy  people." 

T[  Bise  vp.  Lord.  Or,  stand  up,  opposed 
to  sitting  still,  and  equivalent  to  mani- 
festing himself  for  the  help  and  comfort 
of  his  people,  and  for  the  overthrow  and 
destruction  of  his  enemies.  The  Lord's 
apparently  taking  vengeance  upon  his 
adversaries  is  elsewhere  expressed  by 
his  rising  vp  ;  as  Job  31 :  14,  "What 
shall  I  do  when  God  riseth  tip  ?  "  Ps. 
7:6,  "  Arise,  O  Lord,  in  thine  anger, 
lift  up  thyself  because  of  the  rage  of 
mine  enemies."  Comp.  Ps.  10  :  12.  17  : 
13.  44 :  27.  A  striking  parallel  to  this 
occurs  Ps.  68  : 1,  where  the  resurrection 
and  ascension  of  the  Lord  are  mystical- 
ly set  forth,  showing  that  the  words  be- 
fore us  receive  an  ultimate  fulfilment  in 
him.  The  Targ.  of  Onkelos,  or  Chald. 
renders  it,  "  Be  thou  revealed,  0  Lord." 
Targ.  Jon.  "Be  thou  revealed  now,  0 
Word  of  the  Lord,  in  the  strength  of 
thine  anger." T[  And  let  thine  ene- 
mies he  scattered.  The  Chald.,  as  we 
have  seen,  has  here,  "the  enemies  of 
thy  people,"  and  afterwards,  "  those 
that  hate  them,"  implying  that  the  en- 
emies and  persecutors  of  the  Lord's 
people  are  in  effect  his  enemies.  See 
Zech.  2  :  8.  Mat.  25  :  45.  Acts  9  :  4.  Ro- 
senmulier  remarks  in  regard  to  the  ori- 
ginal word  here  rendered  "scattered" 
{phutz),  that  it  properly  denotes  the 
action  of  waters  in  overflowing  their 
banks,  and  is  thence  figuratively  applied 
to  bodies  of  men  rushing  in  impetuous 
crowds  and  pressing  out  of  the  path- 
way on  either  side  like  a  raging  stream 
that  bursts  over  its  banks.  When 
spoken  of  the  dispersion  of  enemies  it 
implies  a  routing  and  discomfiture  that 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


145 


of  the  chosen  people.  Spiritual  warfare 
and  spiritual  rest  are  the  fundamental 
ideas.  Though  predicated  primarily  of 
the  Lord,  jet  they  hold  good  also  of  his 
people,  with  whom  in  all  things  he  is 
most  intimately  conjoined.  ''  The  wel- 
fare and  happiness  of  the  Israel  of  God 
consist  in  the  continual  presence  of 
God  among  them.  Their  safety  con- 
sists not  in  their  numbers,  though  they 
are  tJwnsands,  many  thousands,  but  in 
the  favor  of  God  and  his  gracious  re- 
turn to  them,  and  residence  with  them. 
These  thousands  are  ciphers,  he  is  the 
figure,  and  upon  this  account,  '  Happy 
art  thou,  0  Israel,  who  is  like  unto 
thee,  0  people.' " — Henry. 


let  them  that  hate  thee  flee  be-  CHAPTER    XI. 

fore  thee.  4  ND  "  ivhen  the  people  com- 

36  And  when  it  rested,   he  XX    plained,   it  displeased  the 

said,  Return,  0  Lord,  unto  the  Lord:  and  the  Lord  heard  it; 
many  thousands  of  Israel. 

shall  drive  them  one  way  and  another 
like  the  inundations  of  a  flood.  So, 
when  typically  viewed,  the  language 
suggests  that  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Saviour  is  the  breaking  and 
dissipation  of  the  combined  forces  of  his 
enemies,  according  to  Ps.  68  :  2,  3,  13, 
15,  while  on  the  other  hand  it  is  a 
"  gathering  together  in  one  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God  that  were  scattered  abroad," 
John  11 :  51,  52.  Is.  11 :  10,  11. 

V.  36.  Return,  0  Lord,  unto  the  many 
thousands  of  Israel.  Heb.  '' Ten  thou- 
sand thousands."  Chald.  "Return,  0 
Lord,  dwell  with  thy  glory  among  the 
ten  thousand  thousands  in  Israel."  The 
Heb.  original  omits  the  preposition 
"  unto  "  before  "  the  many  thousands," 
but  it  is  probably  to  be  understood,  the 
Syriac  and  some  other  versions  supply- 
ing it.  A  similar  omission  occurs  Ex. 
4 :  19,  where  "  into  "  before  "  Egypt "  is 
wanting  in  the  original.  It  is  not,  in 
fact,  very  unusual  before  verbs  of  mo- 
tion. Comp.  Hos.  7  :  11,  16,  in  the  ori- 
ginal. The  Gr.  however,  gives  a  differ- 
ent turn  to  the  words,  "And  in  the 
resting  he  said.  Turn  again  (i.  e.  cause 
to  return),  0  Lord,  the  thousands  (and) 
tens  of  thousands  in  Israel."  This  is  a 
possible  construction,  as  the  verb  ren- 
dered "  return  "  (shuh)  is  used  actively, 
though  for  the  most  part  in  such  cases 
followed  by  the  word  "captivity,"  as 
Deut.  30  :  3.  Ps.  14  :  7.  126  :  1.  We 
deem  the  former  preferable.  The  im- 
port of  the  prayer  is,  that  the  Divine 
Presence,  whose  movement  in  the  cloud 
was  a  signal  of  warfare  against  all  ad- 
versaries, would  upon  their  halting  re- 
turn to  its  chosen  rest  and  place,  and 
abide  as  the  safety,  comfort,  and  glory 

7 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  Murmuring  of  the  People  and  its 
Consequences. 
V.  1.  And  {when)  the  people  complain- 
ed, it  displeased  the  Lord.  Or,  accord- 
ing to  Ainsworth,  "  And  the  people  as 
complaining  (i.  e.  murmuiing,  fretting 
themselves)  was  evil  in  the  ears  of  Je- 
hovah." It  may  otherwise  be  rendered, 
"And  the  people  were  (became)  as 
murmuring  evil  in  the  ears  of  Jehovah." 
Thus  the  Gr.  "  The  people  murmured 
evil  things  before  the  Lord."  This  is 
favored  by  Horsley,  who  says,  "  The 
passage  would  be  better  rendered, '  And 
the  people  murmured  wickedly  in  the 
ears  of  Jehovah.'"  So  also  Geddes, 
"  Meanwhile  the  people  began  to  mut- 
ter evil  in  the  hearing  of  the  Lord." 
Or,  finally,  "  And  the  people  were  as 
murmurers,   (which  was)  evil   in  the 


146 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


and  his    anger  *  was    kindled ; 


ears  of  the  Lord."  The  original,  kemi- 
thonenim,  here  rendered  complained 
(lit.  **  were  as  complainers  "),  is  in  a  re- 
flexive conjugation  implying,  as  Luther 
has  it,  that  they  "naade  themselves  im- 
patient." They  allowed  their  feelings 
to  act  inwardly  upon  themselves,  work- 
ing their  own  minds  into  a  restless,  dis- 
contented, murmuring  state,  which, 
however,  was  not  vented  so  much  in 
open  complaints,  as  in  a  certain  half- 
suppressed,  obscure,  and  secret  repin- 
ing and  fretting,  which  is  conveyed  by 
the  force  of  the  original  particle,  S,  k,  as 
it  were.  It  seems  to  be  implied  that  this 
fretfulness  did  not  so  much  express  it- 
self in  the  ears  of  men  as  in  those  of  the 
Lord  himself,  and  though  it  was,  as  it 
were,  but  whispered  or  buzzed  in  his 
ear,  yet  "he  heard  it,"  heard  it  as 
though  most  audibly  and  distinctly  ut- 
tered. All  this  is  in  effect  comprised 
in  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by 
the  original,  but  it  is  obvious  how  inad- 
equate must  be  any  translation  that  does 
not  run  into  a  paraphrase.  No  special 
reason  is  given  by  the  sacred  writer  for 
the  murmuring  on  this  occasion,  but 
one  is  assigned  by  the  Vulg.,  "  There 
arose  a  murmuring  of  the  people  against 
the  Lord,  as  it  were  repining  at  their 
fatigue."  It  may  have  been  that 
their  hearts  were  discouraged  at  being 
obliged  to  take  somewhat  long  and  tire- 
some stages  at  the  outset ;  but  what- 
ever were  the  causes  of  their  discontent, 
we  know  that  they  had  a  thousandfold 
more  occasion  for  thanksgiving  and 
prajse  than  for  disaffection  and  com- 
plaint. But  such  is  human  nature,  of 
which  we  all  partake  more  or  less,  and 
to  which  we  are  prone  to  give  way.  Let 
us  remember,  however,  that  the  Lord 
sees  and  takes  account  of  these  secret 
murmurs  which  are  not  openly  uttered, 


and  the  fire  '  of  the  Lord  burnt 


c  Lev.  10.  2.     2  K. 


and  may  visit  them  openly  as  truly  as 
he  hears  in  secret  and  rewards  openly 
the  prayers  of  the  humble  and  penitent. 

• T[  TJie  jire  of  the  Lord  burnt  among 

them.  Chald.  "  A  fire  from  before  the 
Lord."  Heb.  tibar,  burned,  from  "whence 
was  derived  the  name  of  the  place, 
"  Taberah,"  burning,  where  this  visita- 
tion occurred,  v.  3.  The  current  of 
commentators  here  favor  the  idea  of 
some  literal  and  visible  bursting  forth 
of  fire,  either  from  the  cloudy  pillar  or 
in  a  flash  of  lightning,  which  instantly 
consumed  the  offenders,  as  Nadab  and 
Abihu  were  consumed  by  a  similar 
stroke  of  the  divine  indignation.  Any 
fire  sent  by  the  Lord,  is  a  fire  of  the 
Lord,  and  though  some  think  it  was  a 
fire  wholly  supernatural ;  others  that  it 
was  lightning ;  others  that  it  was  the 
simoom,  or  hot  wind  of  the  desert,  yet 
we  incline  to  a  different  opinion,  and 
take  the  judgment  here  mentioned  to 
be  not  external,  but  internal ;  suppos- 
ing the  fire  spoken  of  to  be  what  Job 
terms  "  a  fire  not  blown,"  or  but  anoth- 
er term  for  any  kind  of  wasting  effect 
of  the  Lord's  displeasure.  In  what  par- 
ticular form  this  was  manifested  it  is 
now  impossible  to  say,  but  it  was  such 
as  to  carry  with  it  a  conviction  of  its 
origin,  and  to  lead  to  implore  earnestly 
its  abatement.  The  Psalmist,  in  allu- 
sion to  this  judgment,  says,  Ps.  78  :  21, 
"Soa^Ve  urns  kindled  against  Jacob, 
and  anger  also  came  up  against  Israel," 
where  we  do  not  recognize  the  import 
of  literal  fire,  any  more  than  when  we 
read  in  the  language  of  the  apostle  that 
"  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  By 
this  we  are  simply  to  understand  that 
he  is  terrible  in  his  judgments  towards 
his  adversaries.  This  view  is  confirm- 
ed, if  we  mistake  not,  by  general  usage. 
Thus,  Ps.  78  :  62,  63,  "  He  gave  his  pec- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


i4r 


among  tliem,  and  consumed 
ihem  that  ivere  in  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  camp. 

2  And  the  people  cried  unto 
Moses,  and  when  Moses  prayed 
unto  the  Lord,  the  fire  was 
quenched. 

pie  over  also  unto  the  sword ;  and  was 
wroth  with  his  inheritance.  ITie  fire 
consumed  their  young  men;  and  their 
maidens  were  not  given  in  marriage." 
Ps.  66  :  12,  "  Thou  hast  caused  men  to 
ride  over  our  heads ;  we  went  througli 
fire,  and  through  water."  Ps.  97  : 3, 
"  A  fire  goeth  before  Mm,  and  burneth 
up  his  enemies  round  about."  In  all 
these  cases  fire  is  but   another  term 

for  divine  judgments. T[  Consmned 

{them  that  were)  in  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  camp.  Heb.  tolcel,  ate,  devoured. 
So  also  the  Gr.  "  Devoured  a  part  of 
the  camp."  The  extremity  of  the  camp 
may  be  mentioned  as  the  part  of  it  oc- 
cupied more  especially  by  the  "  mixt 
multitude,"  v.  4,  with  whom  it  is  prob- 
able the  murmuring  more  particularly 
prevailed.  Bochart,  however,  has  ad- 
duced considerable  evidence  that  the 
original  word  here  rendered  "  the  utter- 
most parts  "  does  not  always  signify  an 
extremity,  but  any  part,  every  part,  in 
all,  throughout.  Probably  the  true  idea 
is,  therefore,  that  the  fire  consumed  some 
in  every  part  of  the  camp. 

V.  2.  TJi'C  fire  was  quenched.  Heb. 
yishka,  sunk,  subsided,  went  out,  from  a 
root  usually  signifying  to  drown,  or  be 
droroned,  which  implies,  of  course,  a 
sinking  into  the  water.  Whatever  the 
precise  form  of  the  judgment  were,  it 
now  received  a  manifest  and  complete 
check  or  abatement  in  consequence  of 
the  intercession  of  Moses. 

V.  3.  And  he  called  the  name  of  the 
place  Taberah.  Or,  "  and  one  called." 
Gr.  "  And  the  name  of  that  place  was 


3  And  he  called  the  name  of 
the  place  Taberah  :  because  the 
fire  of  the  Lord  burnt  among 
them. 

4  And  the  mixed  '^  multitude 
that  was  among  them  fell  a  lust- 

d  Ex.  12.  3S. 


called."  The  station  in  this  case  had 
probably  no  particular  name  before  the 
occurrence  of  the  incident  here  record- 
ed. And  so  in  numerous  other  in- 
stances. 

V.  4.  And  the  mixed  multitude  that 
(was)  among  them  fell  a  lusting.  Heb. 
"Lusted  a  lusting,"  i.  e.  lusted  great- 
ly and  inordinately.  Respecting  this 
"mixed  multitude,"  see  Note  on  Ex. 
12  :  38,  where  a  full  account  is  given  of 
them.  The  original  term  is  but  inade- 
quately rendered  by  this  appellation. 
In  the  former  passage  it  is  ereb  rab, 
a  great  mixture  or  rabble.  Here  it  is 
asaphsooph,  the  collected  or  gathered  peo- 
ple, the  force  of  which  can  only  be  con- 
veyed by  such  strictly  analogous  terms 
as  rif-raf,  or  ruff-scuff.  The  doubling 
of  word-forms  in  the  Heb.,  as  in  other 
Eastern  languages,  intensifies  the  mean- 
ing, and  makes  them  equivalent  to  su- 
perlatives. Thus  adam  signifies  red, 
but  in  Lev.  13  :  19  adamdameth  signifies 
exceeding  red.  So  here  asaphsooph  im- 
plies a  very  large  collection  of  what 
Bochart  calls  "  populi  colluvies  uude- 
cunque  collecta,"  the  dregs  or  scum  of 
the  people  from  every  quarter.  One  of 
the  older  English  versions  (Rogers') 
renders  the  clause,  "And  the  rascal 
people  that  was  among  them  fell  a  lust- 
ing." The  word  denotes  a  mongrel 
horde  of  retainers  or  hangers-on,  who 
from  various  motives  had  followed  the 
sojourning  host  from  Egypt,  and  who, 
having  little  knowledge  of  God  or  in- 
terest in  his  promises,  were  the  first  to 
feel  the  difficulties  and  privations  of 


148 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


ing :    and  the   children   of  Is-    rael  also  wept  again,  and  said, 


the  way,  and  thence  to  fret  and  mur- 
mur.  T[  And  the  children  of  Israel 

also  wept  again,  and  said,  etc.    Heb. 
"  Returned  and  wept."     The  import  of 
"returned"  in  this   connection  is  un- 
doubtedly that  of  changed  their  mind, 
relapsed.     That  is,  they  were  wrought 
upon  by  the  contagious  example  of  the 
mixed  multitude  to  such  a  degree  as  to 
fall  aivayfrom  a  previous  state  of  mind, 
and  involve   themselves  in  the  rebel- 
lious conduct  here  spoken  of    If  we 
take  the  expression  as  it  stands  in  our 
version,  "  wept  again,"  the  inquiry  is 
very  natural.  When  did  they  weep  be- 
fore ?     Nothing  is  previously  said   of 
their  weeping.     But  the  interpretation 
we  suggest  is  abundantly  confirmed  by 
the  usage  of  the  original  term,  of  which 
scores  of  instances  could  be  easily  ad- 
duced.   Let  the  following  serve  as  a 
specimen.    It  will  be  seen  that  the  true 
idea  is  that  of  a  change  of  mind,  which 
in  the  present  instance  is  that  from  a 
better  to  a  worse.     Ps.  78  :  34,  "  When 
he  slew  them,  then  they  sought  him, 
and  they  returned  and  inquired  early 
after  God."    Eccl.  4:1,  "  So  I  returned 
and  considered  all  the  oppressions  that 
are  done  under  the  sun,"  etc.  as  v.  7, 
"Then  I  returned,  and  I  saw  vanity  un- 
der the  sun."     Eccl.  9  :  11,  "  I  returned, 
and  saw  under  the  sun  that  the  race  is 
not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
strong,"    etc.      Is.    19  :  22,   "And  the 
Lord  shall  smite  Egypt :  he  shall  smite 
and  heal  it :  and  they  shall  return  even 
to  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  be  entreated 
of  them,  and  shall  heal  them."     Is.  55  : 
7,  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ;  and 
let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our 
God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 
Mai.  3  :  18,  "  Then  shall  ye  return  and 
discern  between  the  righteous  and  the 


wicked,  between  him  that  serveth  God 
and  him  that  serveth  him  not."     Judg. 
11 :  35,  "  And  it  came  to  pass  when  he 
(Jepthah)  saw   her,   that  he  rent  his 
clothes,  and  said,  Alas,  my  daughter ! 
thou  hast  brought  me  very  low,   and 
thou  art  one  of  them  that  trouble  me  ; 
for  I  have  opened  my  mouth  unto  the 
Lord,  and  I  cannot  go  hack  (Heb.  re- 
turn)."     Ezek.   14 :  6,   "  Therefore  say 
unto  the  house  of  Israel,  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God:    Repent  (Heb.  return)  and 
turn  yourselves  from  your  idols ;  and 
turn  away  your  faces  from  all  your 
abominations."     Ezek.  18  :  30,  "  There- 
fore, I  will  judge  you,  0  house  of  Israel, 
every  one  according  to  his  ways,  saith 
the  Lord  God.     Repent  (Heb.  return) 
and  turn  yourselves  from  all  your  trans- 
gressions ;  so  iniquity  shall  not  be  your 
ruin."     In  all  these  cases  it  is  obvious 
that  the  word  return  is  significant  of  a 
mental  act.     It  implies  a  change  of  sen- 
timents and  views,  or  in  other  words  a 
change  of  state.    Although  in  the  letter 
it  is  the  appropriate  term  for  local  re- 
moval, yet  in  a  more  interior  import  it 
unequivocall}'  designates  a  purely  men- 
tal process.     Viewing  the  words  in  this 
light,  we  can  see  the  ground  on  which 
some  commentators  have  proposed  to 
render  them  by  aversi  sunt,  defecerunt, 
turned  away  in  aversion,  revolted,  i.  e. 
were   subjects   of  a  mental   alienation 
from   the  Lord.     Instead   of  weeping 
compassionately    over    the    disaffected 
multitude,  they  wept  perversely  with 
them,  and  thus  contributed  to  provoke 
the  divine  displeasure.      "A  few  fac- 
tious, discontented,  ill-natured  people, 
may  do  a  great  deal  of  mischief  in  the 
best  societies,  if  great  care  be  not  taken 
to   discountenance  it.      This  Egyptian 
rabble  were  the  disordered  sheep  that 
infected  the  flock,  the  leaven  that  leav- 
ened the  whole  lump." — Henry.    There 


B.  C.  1490.] 


Who  *  shall    give    us    flesh   to 
eat? 

e  1  Cor.  10.  6. 


CHAPTER  XI.  149 

5    We   remember    the    fish. 


was  in  reality  no  lack  of  food  or  water 
for  them  ;  but  they  had  become  dainty  ; 
they  had  taken  a  surfeit  of  the  manna  ; 
their  soul  loathed  "  this  light  food,"  as 
they  slightingly  call  it  on  another  occa- 
sion, and  they  longed  for  the  fish,  the 

flesh,  and  the  vegetables  of  Egypt. 

^  Who  shall  give  us  flesh  to  eat?  That 
is,  0  that  we  had  flesh  to  eat ! — the  ex- 
pression of  a  vehement,  impatient  de- 
sire, mixed  with  a  degree  of  despair. 
Compare  with  this  the  allusions  Ps. 
106:14.  78:18-20.  A  general  clamor 
was  started  of  how  hard  it  was  that 
they  should  be  kept  to  one  kind  of  diet 
till  they  absolutely  loathed  it,  and  re- 
proaches were  cast  upon  their  leader  to 
the  effect  that  he  had  decoyed  them 
from  a  plentiful  country,  where  the  sea 
and  the  river  fed  them  with  a  variety 
of  fish,  and  the  soil  abounded  with  the 
best  of  herbs,  salads,  and  fruits,  all 
which  they  had  exchanged  for  a  miser- 
able, meagre  kind  of  fare,  on  which 
they  were  in  danger  of  famishing.  So 
grossly  does  a  discontented  spirit  not 
only  undervalue  present  comforts,  but 
falsify  the  truth  in  regard  to  one's  con- 
dition. 

V.  5.  We  remember  the  fish,  etc.  They 
stirred  up  and  inflamed  their  lust  by 
studiously  calling  to  mind  the  dainties 
they  formerly  enjoyed  in  Egypt.  But 
even  in  this  they  imposed  upon  them- 
selves, for,  as  Henry  remarks,  "they 
did  not  remember  the  brick-kilns,  and 
the  task-masters,  the  voice  of  the  op- 
pressor, and  the  smart  of  the  whip. 
These  are  forgotten  by  the  ungrateful 

people." Tf  For  nothing.    Heb.  Mn- 

nom,  gratis,  i.  e.  which  cost  them  noth- 
ing but  the  trouble  of  taking.  As  to 
the  great  use  of  fish  as  an  article  of  food 
by  the  Egyptians,  the  fact  is  repeated- 


which    we    did    eat    in   Egpyt 


ly  aflBrmed  by  Herodotus.  They  ate 
them  either  salted  or  dried  in  the  sun 
without  any  other  preparation.  In- 
deed, the  Egyptians  are  the  first  people 
whom  history  mentions  as  curing  any 
kind  of  meat  with  salt  for  preservation. 
The  salt  they  used  was  fossil  salt,  ob- 
tained from  the  African  deserts.  Sea 
salt  was  abhorred  by  them,  probably 
from  some  religious  consideration,  just 
as  the  priests  abstained  entirely  from 
fish,  the  reason  of  which  is  doubtless  to 
be  sought  from  some  ancient  idea  that 
the  spiritual  correspondence  of  fish  ren- 
dered them  unsuitable  as  an  article  of 

diet  to  the  priesthood. ^  The  cucum- 

hers.  Arabia  and  Egypt  produce  abun- 
dance of  cucumbers,  which,  owing  to 
the  mellowing  effects  of  the  sun's  rays, 
are  softer  than  those  with  us,  and  of 
more  easy  digestion.  It  is  said  by  trav- 
ellers that  they  are  eaten  in  the  East  in 

almost  incredible  quantities. 1  Mel' 

ons.  The  water-melon  is  no  doubt  in- 
tended. This  fruit  grows  abundantly 
in  the  Levant  and  Egypt.  It  is  about 
the  size,  and  somewhat  of  the  appear- 
ance of  a  pumpkin.  The  interior  is  a 
pulp  of  blooming  red,  and  rich  in  juice. 
"  A  traveller  in  the  East  who  recollects 
the  intense  gratitude  which  the  gift  of 
a  slice  of  melon  inspired  while  journey- 
ing over  the  hot  and  dry  plains — or  one 
who  remembers  the  consciousness  of 
wealth  and  security  which  be  derived 
from  the  possession  of  a  melon  while 
prepared  for  a  day's  journey  over  the 
same  plains — he  will  readily  compre- 
hend the  regret  with  which  the  He- 
brews in  the  Arabian  desert  looked  back 
upon  the  melons  of  Egypt."  The  fol- 
lowing account  of  the  uses  of  melons  in 
Egypt  is  from  Hasselquist.  "  By  mel- 
ons we  are  probably  to  understand  the 


150 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


i 


freely ;  the  cucumbers,  and  the 


water-melon,  which  the  Arabians  call 
latecJi.  It  is  cultivated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  in  the  rich  clayey  earth 
which  subsides  during  the  inundation. 
This  serves  the  Egyptians  for  meat, 
drink,  and  physic.  It  is  eaten  in  abun- 
dance during  the  season,  even  by  the 
richer  sort  of  people ;  but  the  common 
people,  on  whom  Providence  has  be- 
stowed nothing  but  poverty  and  pa- 
tience, scarely  eat  any  thing  but  these, 
and  account  this  the  best  time  of  the 
year,  as  they  are  obliged  to  put  up  with 
worse  fare  at  other  seasons.  This  fruit 
likewise  serves  them  for  drink,  the  juice 
refreshing  these  poor  creatures,  and 
they  have  less  occasion  for  water  than 
it  they  were  to  live  on  more  substan- 
tial food  in  this  burning  climate." 

Tf  Leeks.  The  original  word  occurs  six- 
teen times,  but  is  nowhere  rendered 
"  leek  "  but  here.  In  one  instance  it  is 
translated  "  herb,"  in  another  "  hay," 
and  in  another  "  a  court ; "  but  in  all 
the  other  instances  it  is  translated 
"  grass."  As  grass,  however,  could  not 
have  been  what  the  Israelites  desired, 
it  is  supposed  by  some  commentators 
that  "greens,"  implying  lettuce,  suc- 
cory, endive,  or  salads  in  general,  is 
what  is  meant.  In  the  uncertainty  that 
obtains  on  this  point  we  give  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  Roberts.  "  To  an 
Englishman  the  loss  of  these  articles 
would  not  give  much  concern,  and  he 
is  almost  surprised  at  the  Israelites  re- 
pining at  their  loss,  as  at  the  loss  of 
great  delicacies.  The  people  of  the 
East  do  not  in  general  eat  flesh,  nor 
even  fish,  so  that  when  they  can  pro- 
cure it  they  consider  it  a  delicacy.  Cu- 
cumbers are  eaten  in  abundance  in  hot 
weather,  and  melons  are  most  delicious 
and  plentiful.  I  have  never  seen  leeks 
in  the  East,  and  I  am  doubtful  whether 


melons,  and  the  leeks,  and  the 
onions,  and  the  garlic : 


they  are  to  be  found ;  but  whether  or 
not,  there  is  much  difference  of  opin- 
ion as  to  the  translation  of  the  word. 
D'Oyly  and  Mant  have  a  quotation  to 
this  effect : — '  Whether  the  following 
word,  rendered  leeTcs,  have  that  signifi- 
cation, may  be  doubted.  Some  think  it 
was  the  lotus,  which  is  a  water  plant, 
a  kind  of  water-lily,  which  the  Egyp- 
tians used  to  eat  during  the  heats  of 
summer.'  In  the  Universal  History, 
(vol.  1.  p.  486,)  it  is  said,  that  those 
'  Egyptians  who  dwelt  in  the  marshes, 
fed  on  several  plants  which  annually 
grow,  particularly  the  lotus,  of  which 
they  made  a  sort  of  bread.'  Of  the 
Arabs  also,  (in  the  same  work,)  it  is 
recorded — *  They  make  a  drink  of  the 
Egyptian  lotus,  which  is  very  good  for 
inward  heat.'  It  has  a  bulbous  root, 
and  is  highly  esteemed  as  an  article  of  3 
food.  As  it  grows  in  tanks,  it  can  only  '' 
be  had  in  the  hottest  weather,  when  the 
water  is  dried  up ;  and  in  this  we  see 
a  most  gracious  provision,  in  allowing 
it  to  be  taken  when  most  required.  Its 
cooling  qualities  are  celebrated  all  over 
India,  and  the  Materia  Medica  says  of 
it,  '  This  is  an  excellent  root,  and  is  also 
prescribed  medicinally,  as  cooling  and 
demulcent.'  The  natives  eat  it  boiled, 
or  in  curry,  or  make  it  into  flour  for 
gruels.  I  am,  therefore,  of  opinion, 
that  it  was  the  lotus  of  Egypt  respect- 
ing which  the  Israelites  were  murmur- 
ing." In  this  opinion  Mr.  Kitto  is  in- 
clined to  concur,  conceding  at  the  same 
time,  that  the  authority  of  the  Septua- 
gint,  which  renders  it  by  prasa,  leeks, 
is  not  easily  disposed  of  He  refers 
to  Scheuchzer  and  others,  "  who  think 
that  the  word  here  denotes  a  plant  of  the 
lotus  kind,  which  grows  very  abundant- 
ly in  the  low  lands  of  Egypt,  and  which 
was  of  very  delicate  taste,  and  held  in 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


151 


6  But  now  ■''our  soul  is  dried 
away  :    there  is  nothing  at  all, 


/  c.  21.  5. 


great  estimation.  They  ate  its  root, 
and  also  made  a  kind  of  bread  with  it. 
Homer  describes  the  lotus  as  the  first 
of  the  plants  that  grew  for  the  pleasure 
of  the  gods.  The  Arabs,  when  they  can 
get  it,  make  with  it  a  drink  which  they 
highly  relish.  In  India,  also,  the  na- 
tives eat  it  boiled,  or  in  curry,  or  make 
it  into  flour  for  gruels." — Pict.  JBihle. 

*l  Onions.     "Whoever  has  tasted 

onions  in  Egypt  must  allow  that  none 
can  be  had  better  in  any  part  of  the  uni- 
verse. Here  they  are  sweet,  in  other 
countries  they  are  nauseous  and  strong ; 
here  they  are  soft,  whereas  in  the  north, 
and  other  parts,  they  are  hard  of  diges- 
tion. Hence  they  cannot  in  any  place 
be  eaten  with  less  prejudice  and  more 
satisfaction  than  in  Egypt.  They  eat 
them  roasted,  cut  into  four  pieces,  with 
some  bits  of  roasted  meat,  which  the 
Turks  in  Egypt  call  Icolab,  and  with  this 
dish  they  are  so  delighted,  that  I  have 
heard  them  wish  they  might  enjoy  it  in 
paradise.  They  likewise  make  soup  of 
them  in  EgA^pt,  cutting  the  onions  in 
small  pieces ;  this  I  think  one  of  the 
best  dishes  I  ever  ate." — Ha-sselquist. 
This  is  confirmed  by  Mr.  Kitto.  "  In 
warm  countries  the  onion  often  consti- 
tutes a  staple  article  of  diet.  The  sun 
has  the  same  mellowing  effect  upon  it 
as  upon  the  cucumber,  so  that  its  sa- 
vor is  more  bland  than  when  grown 
in  this  country,  and  its  use  far  less 
likely  to  affect  the  stomach  with  any 
disagreeable  consequences.  Most  of 
the  people  of  Western  Asia  are  remark- 
ably fond  of  onions.  We  have  known 
poor  Arabs  wait  for  more  than  an  hour, 
till  the   refuse  of  onions  employed  in 

cooking  should  be  thrown  away." 

^I  Garlic.  "  The  original  word  occurs 
but  this  once  in  the  Sci'iptures,  where 


beside   this  manna,  before  our 

eyes. 


it  is  undoubtedly  correctly  rendered. 
Its  botanical  character  is  too  well 
known  to  require  description.  It  is  now 
usually  distinguished  in  the  kitchen- 
garden  by  the  name  of  *  eschalot '  or 
'  shallot.'  A  variety  of  this  plant  cul- 
tivated in  France  is  called  'the  onion 
of  Egypt.'  They  are  eaten  like  onions, 
and  are  peculiarly  agreeable  to  the  pal- 
ate. Garlic  was  so  much  in  request 
among  the  ancients,  that  Homer  makes 
it  a  part  of  the  entertainment  which 
Nestor  served  up  to  his  guest  Machaon. 
It  formed  a  favorite  viand  to  the  com- 
mon people  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans."—P/c^.  Bihle. 

V.  6.  But  now  our  soul  is  dried  away. 
The  8onl  is  often  used  for  the  body,  or 
the  whole  man,  and  as  denoting  that 
principle  which  is  the  seat  of  the  appe- 
tite or  desire  of  meat,  drink,  and  oth- 
er things.  See  "Bush  on  the  Soul" 
passim.  Comp.  Ps.  102  : 4,  where  the 
same  original  word  is  rendered  "  with- 
ered." Also  for  the  souVs  requiring 
food,  etc.  Ps.  78  :  18.  "  In  great  hun- 
ger or  thirst  the  people  say,  '  Our  soul 
is  withered.'  'More  than  this,  sir,  I 
cannot  do  ;  my  spirit  is  withered  with- 
in me.'  '  What !  when  a  man's  soul  is 
withered,  is  he  not  to  complain  ? ' " — 

Roberts. ■[  There  is  notJiing  at  all, 

besides  this  manna,  before  our  eyes. 
Heb.  "  There  is  nothing  at  all ;  only 
our  eyes  are  unto  the  manna."  We  see 
nothing  else,  we  expect  nothing  else, 
but  this  same  monotonous  manna,  of 
which  we  have  become  sick  of  the  sight. 
For  the  eyes  to  "  be  unto  any  one "  is 
to  cherish  hope  and  expectation,  as  Ps. 
25  :  15.  141 :  8.  The  form  of  the  expres- 
sion is  very  peculiar,  and  evidently 
carries  with  it  the  import  of  contempt 
towards  the  Lord's  kind  provision  for 


152 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1490. 


7  And  the  manna  was  as  cori- 
ander-seed, and  the  colour  there- 
of as  the  colour  of  bdellium  ^. 


their  wants.  The  manna  thus  furnished 
was  a  corporeal  nourishment  represent- 
ing that  which  was  spiritual,  and  thus 
serving  as  a  type  of  our  Lord  himself 
according  to  his  own  declaration,  John 
6  :  32,  33,  confirmed  by  Paul,  1  Cor. 
10  :  3,  who  calls  the  manna  "  spiritual 
bread"  because  it  represented  such 
bread.  The  loathing  the  manna,  there- 
fore, and  longing  for  the  luxuries  of 
Egypt,  denoted  the  rejection  of  Christ 
and  the  benefits  of  his  salvation,  the 
true  substance  of  these  Old  Testament 
symbols. 

V.  7.  And  the  manna  was  as  corian- 
der-seed. Not  in  color,  but  in  size  and 
shape.  See  Notes  on  Ex.  16  :  14,  31. 
The  coriander  is  cultivated  mostly  in 
the  south  of  Europe,  and  in  some  parts 
of  England,  on  account  of  its  seeds, 
which  are  required  in  large  quantities 
by  confectioners,  druggists,  and  distil- 
lers. It  is  reared  also  in  gardens  on 
account  of  its  leaves,  which  are  used  in 
soups  and  salads.  The  seeds  are  glob- 
ular, grayish-colored,  and  about  the 
size  of  pepper-corn.  The  taste  and 
smell  are  both  agreeable,  depending  on 
the  presence  of  a  volatile  oil,  which  is 
separated  by  distillation. — This  and  the 
two  following  verses  are  evidently  pa- 
renthetical, being  designed  to  give  such 
an  account  of  the  various  properties 
and  modes  of  preparation  of  the  manna, 
as  to  evince  its  great  value  as  an  article 
of  diet,  and  thus  to  rebuke  the  people 

for  their  light  esteem  of  it. 1[  Aiid 

tJie  color  thereof.  Heb.  "  And  the  eye 
thereof,"  i.  e.  the  aspect  or  appearance, 
as  it  is  rendered  by  the  Chald.  and  the 
Gr.  For  a  similar  usage  in  regard  to 
"  eye,"  see  Ex.  10  :  5,  with  the  explana- 
tory Note.    It  is  there  rendered  "  face," 


8  And  the  people  went  about, 
and  gathered  it,  and  ground  it 
in  mills,  or  beat  it  in  a  mortar, 


— "  the/ace  of  the  earth,"  meaning  the 
visible  surface  of  the  earth.  Lev.  13  : 
55.  Ezek.  1:16.  8:2.  10  :  9. "H  Bdel- 
lium. Heb.  "  Bedolach,"  on  which  see 
Note  on  Gen.  2: 12,  where  we  have  en- 
deavored to  show  that  the  substance 
meant  is  the  'pearl.  The  Gr.  however, 
here  renders  it  crystal. 

V.  8.  And  the  people  went  about,  etc. 
Heb.  "Went  to  and  fro,"  i.  e.  in  the 
way  of  search  and  espial.  The  term  is 
applied  in  some  cases  to  the  act  of  the 
eyes  in  looking  and  exploring  on  one 
side  and  the  other,  and  in  Dan.  12  :  4, 
to  the  perusal  of  a  book,  though  ren- 
dered "  run  to  and  fro."  But  the  true 
idea  is  probably  that  of  turning  over 
pages  back  and  forth,  and  thus  pass- 
ing to  and  fro  through  a  volume.    See 

2  Chr.  10  :  9.  Zech.  4 :  10. T[  Ground 

it  in  millsy  etc.  "  The  eastern  mill 
consists  of  two  circular  stones,  about 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  three 
inches  thick.  The  top  stone  has  a  han- 
dle in  it,  and  works  round  a  pivot,  which 
has  a  hole  connected  with  it  to  admit 
the  corn.  The  mortar  also  is  much 
used  to  make  rice  flour.  It  is  a  block 
of  wood,  about  twenty  inches  high  and 
ten  inches  in  diameter,  having  a  hole 
scooped  out  in  the  centre.  The  pestle 
is  a  stick  of  about  four  feet  long,  made 
of  iron-wood,  having  an  iron  hoop  fixed 
to  the  end." — Roberts.  If  the  manna, 
as  we  are  expressly  informed,  pointed 
typically  to  our  Lord,  we  see  nothing 
absurd  or  unreasonable  in  the  idea  that 
the  grinding  and  beating  it,  and  sub- 
jecting it  to  the  various  processes  here 
mentioned,  shadowed  forth  the  afflic- 
tions through  which  he  was  called  to 
pass  in  being  prepared  to  become  to  us 
the  bread  of  life,  John  6  :  48-51.  Heb. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


153 


and  baked  it  in  pans,  and  made 
cakes  of  it :  and  ^  the  taste  of  it 
was  as  the  taste  of  fresh  oil. 
9  And   when    the   dew  '  fell 


2 :  9,  10.  1  Pet.  3  :  18.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
overlooked  that  the  word  here  rendered 

"  beat " "  beat  it  in  a  mortar  " — is 

the  same  with  that  which  is  applied, 
Is.  53  :  5,  to  the  sufferings  of  our  Lord 
when  he  is  said  to  have  been  '*  bruised 
for  our  iniquities."  It  is  remarkable, 
in  regard  to  the  manna,  that  while  it 
was  so  hard  that  it  could  be  ground  in 
a  mill,  yet  it  was  at  the  same  time  of 
such  a  consistence  that  it  would  melt  in 
the  morning  rays  of  the  sun  if  not  sea- 
sonably gathered. T[   Baked   it   in 

pans.  Or,  boiled  or  cooked  it.  The 
original  is  used  to  signify  baking  in 
2  Sam.  13 :  8,  but  for  the  most  part  it 

denotes  boiling. T[  Made  cakes  of  it. 

Or,  as  Geddes  and  Boothroyd,  "made 
hearth-cakes."      (Rosen,  placentas  sub 

cineritias,  cakes  baked  in  the  ashes.) 

T[  The  taste  of  it  was  as  the  taste  of  fresh 
oil.  Heb.  "As  the  taste  of  the  best 
moisture  of  oil."  That  is,  fresh  oil 
which  has  no  rank  savor.  The  Heb. 
term  leshad  denotes  the  choicest  oily 
humor  in  man's  body,  Ps.  32  :  4,  and  so 
here  it  implies  the  best  and  sweetest 
moisture  of  oil.  It  had  also,  we  learn, 
the  taste  of  "  wafers  with  honey,"  Ex. 
16  :  31.  The  Gr.  here  translates  it  "  wa- 
fers of  oil,"  and  the  Chald.  "  paste  or 
oil-cakes."  It  was  therefore  pleasant 
and  wholesome  food,  and  the  taste  of 
oil  and  honey  points  to  that  sweet  spir- 
itual relish  which  the  soul  perceives  in 
feeding  upon  Christ  as  the  true  manna 
from  heaven. 

V.  9.  And  when  the  dew  fell  upon  the 
camp,  etc.  Heb.  "Descended."  Pool 
and  Ainsworth,  by  comparing  Ex.  16  : 
13,  14,  suppose  there  was  a  double  fall 

7* 


upon  the  camp  in  the  night,  the 
manna  fell  upon  it. 

10  Then  Moses  heard  the 
people  weep  throughout  their 
families,  every  man  in  the  door 


of  dew,  and  that  the  manna  was  imbed- 
ded, as  it  were,  between  the  two  layers, 
whence  it  is  called.  Rev.  2  :  17,  "  hidden 
manna."  But  this  suggestion  takes  for 
granted  that  the  final  clause,  "  the  man- 
na fell  upon  it,"  implies  the  falling  of 
the  manna  upon  the  dew,  whereas,  it 
may  as  properly  mean  that  it  fell  upon 
the  camp,  which,  it  must  be  remember- 
ed, covered  a  vast  extent  of  ground- 
ten  or  twelve  miles  square  at  least.  It 
is  probable  that  the  true  idea  is  con- 
veyed by  the  Yulg.  which  renders  the 
verse,  "And  when  the  dew  fell  in  the 
night  upon  the  camp,  the  manna  also 
fell  with  it."  In  the  morning,  when  the 
sun's  rays  began  to  act,  the  dew  would 
naturally  be  exhaled,  and  the  manna, 
as  a  residuum,  would  remain  spread 
over  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It  is  in- 
deed said  in  the  parallel  account  in  Ex- 
odus (16  :  13)  that  "  in  the  morning  the 
dew  lay  round  about  the  host,"  but  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  this  must  be  un- 
derstood with  some  kind  of  qualifica- 
tion, as  otherwise,  those  whose  tents 
were  pitched  near  the  centre  of  the 
camp  would  have  had  several  miles  to 
travel  every  morning  to  obtain  it.  We 
may  reasonably  suppose  that  in  a  re- 
gion so  broken  and  rocky,  the  host 
would  encamp  more  or  less  in  groups, 
and  the  manna  might  fall  "  round  about" 
the  camping  ground  of  these  several 
groups,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  fall 
over  the  whole  extent  of  the  camp,  just 
as  it  is  evident  the  quails  did  when 
they  were  sent  in  such  numbers  by  the 
Lord  previous  to  the  first  fall  of  the 
manna,  Ex.  16  :  13. 
V.  10.    Moses  heard  the  people  weep 


154 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


of  his  tent :  and  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  was  kindled  ^'  greatly ; 
Moses  also  was  displeased '. 

11  And  Moses  said  unto  the 
Lord,  Wherefore  hast  thou  af- 
flicted thy  servant  ?  and  where- 
fore have  I  not  found  favour  in 

k  ver,  1.     Is.  5.  25.  /  Ps.  139.  il, 

througlwut  their  families.  Heb.  "By, 
or  according  to,  their  families ;  "  from 
which  it  would  appear  that  the  spirit 
of  disaflfection  had  spread  very  exten- 
sively among  the  people. \  Every 

man  in  the  door  of  his  tent.  Therefore 
openly,  and  not  covertly,  as  would  have 
been  the  case  had  they  indulged  their 

murmurs  within  doors. T[  Moses  also 

was  displeased.  Heb.  "  And  in  the  eyes 
of  Moses  (it  was)  evil."  He  had  done 
for  the  people  the  best  in  his  power,  and 
as  he  could  do  nothing  without  the  di- 
vine appointment,  he  could  not  but  feel 
extremely  vexed  in  view  of  the  ungrate- 
ful conduct  of  the  people.  Acting  all 
along  for  the  Lord,  he  would  naturally 
feel  with  him  in  the  present  provocation. 
V.  11.  Wherefore  hast  thou  afflicted 
thy  servant?  That  is,  wherefore  hast 
thou  suffered  thy  servant  to  be  afflict- 
ed ? — recognizing  a  providential  per- 
mission, which  is  the  only  way  that  the 
Lord  ever  afflicts  any.  He  is  often  said 
in  Scripture  to  do  what  he  does  not 
prevent  being  done,  what  he  wisely 
allows.  Still,  though  we  can  sympa- 
thize in  the  grievances  of  Moses,  we 
cannot  justify  the  tone  of  his  remon- 
strances in  what  follows.  It  is  to  be 
observed  that  the  literal  rendering  of 
this  clause  is,  "Why  hast  thou  done 
evil  to  thy  servant  ?  "  The  evil,  how- 
ever, which  is  to  be  attributed  to  the 
Lord,  is  not  the  evil  of  sin,  but  merely 
the  evil  of  trouble  and  affliction  with 
which  he  sees  fit  to  exercise  the  graces 
of  his  people.     Comp.  Jer.  18 :  8.   Is. 


thy  sight,  that  thou  layest  the 
burden  of  all  this  people  upon 
me? 

12  Have  I  conceived  all  this 
people  ?  have  I  begotten  them, 
that  thou  shouldest  say  unto 
me,  Carry  "*  them  in  thy  bosom, 


45 :  7.  Amos  3  :  6. H  Wherefore  have 

I  not  found  favor  in  thy  sight,  etc. 
Why  heardest  thou  not  my  prayer  of 
deprecation  when  I  so  earnestly  be- 
sought thee  to  excuse  me  from  being 
placed  at  the  head  of  this  people  ?  Ex. 
3:11.  4:10. 

V.  12.  Have  I  conceived  all  this  peo- 
ple? Chald.  "Am  I  the  father  of  all 
this  people  ?  Are  they  my  sons  ?  "  Are 
they  my  children,  that  I  should  be 
charged  with  the  responsibility  of  sup- 
plying all  their  wants? T[  Have  I 

begotten  them?  Or,  Heb.  "Have  I 
brought  them  forth  ?  "  Both  terms  are 
perhaps  more  intrinsically  appropriate 
to  the  mother,  although  in  spiritual 
generation  the  distinctive  functions  of 
father  and  mother  seem  not  to  be  al- 
ways very  clearly  marked.  Thus  Paul 
says,  1  Cor.  4 :  15,  "  Ye  have  not  many 
fathers ;  for  in  Christ  Jesus  have  I  be- 
gotten you  through  the  Gospel."  But 
in  Gal.  4  :  19,  he  says,  "My  little  chil- 
dren, of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again, 
until  Christ  be  formed  in  you."  The 
wording,  however,  of  the  entire  verse 
seems  intended  to  describe  the  office  of 

a  nursing  father. T[   Carry  them  in 

thy  hosom.  That  is,  carefully,  tenderly, 
lovingly.  This  Moses  might  be  said  to  do 
in  an  inferior  sense,  but  how  infinitely 
far  does  he  come  short  therein  of  Him 
of  whom  it  is  said.  Is.  40  :  11,  "  He  shall 
feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd :  he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  car- 
ry them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently 
lead  those  that  are  with  young." 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


155 


as  a  nursing  father  "  bearetli  the 
sucking  child,  unto  the  land 
which  thou  "  swarest  unto  their 
fathers  ? 

13    Whence  ^  should  I  have 
flesh  to  give  unto  all  this  peo- 


n  Is.  49. 
p  Mat.  15. 


1  Th.  2.  7. 


,  13.  15. 


^  As  a  nursing  father  heareth  the  suck- 
ing child.  Strikingly  indicative  of  the 
mildness,  gentleness,  and  love  which 
should  characterize  rulers,  and  espe- 
cially rulers  in  the  church.  Is.  49  :  23, 
"  And  kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fa- 
thers, and  queens  thy  nursing  mothers." 
So  also  the  apostle,  1  Thes.  2  :  7,  11, 
"  We  were  gentle  among  you,  even  as 
a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children :  we 
exhorted,  and  comforted,  and  charged 
every  one  of  you,  as  a  father  doth  his 
children."  Accordingly,  Ainsworth 
cites  from  Maimouides  the  following 
rule  relative  to  the  deportment  of  the 
governors  of  the  church: — "It  is  not 
lawful  for  a  man  to  govern  with  state- 
liness  over  the  congregation,  and  with 
haughtiness  of  spirit,  but  with  meek- 
ness and  fear.  And  every  pastor  that 
bringeth  more  terror  upon  the  congre- 
gation than  is  for  the  name  of  God,  he 
shall  be  punished,  and  shall  not  see 
himself  to  have  a  wise  son.  It  is  not 
lawful  for  him  to  govern  with  contempt- 
uous carriage,  although  they  be  the 
common  people  of  the  land;  neither 
may  he  tread  upon  the  heads  of  the 
holy  people  ;  (for)  although  they  be  un- 
learned and  base,  they  are  the  sons  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  (are) 
the  armies  of  the  Lord,  who  brought 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  by  great 
might  and  by  strong  hand;  but  he  must 
bear  the  toil  of  the  congregation  and 
their  burden,  as  Moses,  our  master,  of 
whom  it  is  said,  '  As  a  nursing  father 
beareth  the  sucking  child.'  "  The  Tar- 
gum  of  Jon.  for  "nursing  father"  has 


pie?  for  they  weep  unto  me, 
saying,  Grive  us  flesh,  that  we 
may  eat. 

1-i  I  ^  am  not  able  to  bear  all 
this  people  alone,  because  it  is 
too  heavy  for  me. 

15    And   if  thou   deal   thus 

q  Ex.  18.  18.     Dan.  1.  9-1-2. 


"pedagogue,"  the  term  used  by  Paul 
in  speaking  of  the  Law ;  Gal.  3  :  24, 
"  The  law  was  our  school-master  to  bring 
us  to  Christ." 

Y.  13.  Whence  should  I  have  flesh  to 
give  unto  all  this  people  ?  Even  if  the 
flocks  and  herds  should  afford  a  supply 
to  a  part  of  the  host,  they  would  by  no 
means  be  sufficient  for  all.  This  is  in- 
deed a  becoming  acknowledgment  on 
the  part  of  Moses,  of  his  inability  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  people,  but  it 
has  the  air  of  implying  that  the  Lord 
expected  him  to  do  it,  for  which  he  had 
no  sufficient  grounds.  So  far,  then,  it 
savored  of  infirmity,  and  was  open  to 
rebuke.  The  Lord,  however,  dealt  very 
graciously  with  him,  as  appears  from 

the   sequel. 1  For  they  loeep  unto 

me.  Heb.  "  They  weep  upon  me."  Tne 
phraseology  is  the  same  with  that  Judg. 
14  :  16,  "  And  Samson's  wife  wejit  he- 
fore  him."  Heb.  "Wept  upon  him," 
It  implies  an  importunate  pressing  or 
bearing  down  upon  one  with  urgent 
solicitations. 

V.  14.  lam  not  able  to  bear  all  this  peo- 
ple alone.  "  Had  the  work  been  much 
less,  he  could  not  have  gone  through  it 
in  his  own  strength ;  but  had  it  been 
much  greater,  through  God  strength- 
ening him  he  might  have  done  it." — 
Henry. 

V.  15.  And  if  thou,  deal  thus  with 
me.  If  thou  still  leavest  me  to  bear  the 
whole  of  this  burden.  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  word  "thou"  here  addressed 
to  the  Most  High  is  in  the  original  in 
the  feminine  instead  of  the  masculine 


156 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490. 


with  me, '  kill  me,  I  pray  thee, 
out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found  fa- 
vor in  thy  sight ;  and  let  me  not 
see  my  wretchedness. 


.  4.    Jonah  4.  3. 


16  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Gather  unto  me  seventy* 
men  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  whom 
thou  knowest  to  be  the  elders 


gender — at  instead  of  attdh.  A  similar 
usage  occurs  Deut.  5  :  27,  where  the 
people,  terrified  with  the  divine  majes- 
ty in  the  delivery  of  the  Law,  said  unto 
Moses,  "  Speak  thoio  (Heb,  at)  unto  us." 
The  reason  of  the  peculiarity  is  mere 
matter  of  conjecture.  The  Rabbins  say 
it  was  owing  to  a  special  trepidation 
and  confusion  which  interfered  with  dis- 
dinct  utterance.  Kennicott  and  others 
suppose  an  error  in  the  manuscripts. 

"We  must  leave  it  undetermined. 

T[  JiJill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  hand. 
That  is,  forthwith,  immediately.  ''  Out 
of  hand''  is  an  old  English  phrase, 
equivalent  to  "  outright."  The  original 
for  "kill"  is  reduplicated,  "  killing  kill 
me,"  in  order  to  express  more  forcibly 
the  vehemence  of  the  desire.  It  is  as 
if  he  should  say,  I  shall  take  it  as  the 
greatest  kindness  if  thou  wilt  at  once 
remove  me  from  the  world — an  expres- 
sion of  impatience  which  cannot  be  jus- 
tified even  in  view  of  the  sorest  trials  to 

which  he  was  subjected. H  Let  me 

not  see  my  wretchedness.  Heb.  "Let 
me  not  see  my  evil."  That  is,  let  me 
not  live  to  become  a  miserable  creature. 
To  "  see  good  "  is  to  enjoy  it ;  to  "  see 
evil "  is  to  sufier  it.  So  also  to  "  see 
death  "  is  to  die,  Ps.  50 :  23.  89  :  49.  91 : 
16.  Luke  2  :  26.  Comp.  the  speech  of 
Elijah,  1  Kings  14  :  4.  We  feel  for  the 
vexations  of  Moses,  but  we  recognize  at 
the  same  time  his  infirmity  in  asking 
for  release  from  his  troubles  in  such  a 
disorderly  way.  His  language  is  prob- 
ably equivalent  to  that  used  in  Ex.  32  : 
32,  "  Blot  me  out  of  the  book  which  thou 
hast  written,"  but  is  susceptible  of  a 
more  favorable  construction  than  is 
often  put  upon  it;  q.  d.  "Lord,  if  thy 


decree  against  this  people  may  not  be 
reversed  ;  if  justice  demand  their  utter 
extermination  ;  let  my  eyes  be  first 
closed  in  peace.  Subject  me  not  to  the 
severe  mortification  of  surviving  all  my 
nation,  and  of  enduring  the  insults  and 
scorn  of  our  enemies.  In  mercy  take 
me  first  out  of  the  world,  where  I  should 
only  lead  a  life  of  sorrow  and  regret, 
heavier  than  death  itself."  The  oppo- 
site meaning  which  some  would  elicit 
from  the  words  may  be  thus  express- 
ed : — "  Lord,  grant  the  pardon  of  this 
people  to  the  prayers  of  thy  servant, 
who  would  rather  submit  to  everlasting 
misery  than  fail  to  obtain  his  request." 
The  sentiment  implied  in  this  language 
finds  no  warrant  either  in  the  letter  or 
the  spirit  of  the  teachings  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

TJie  Appointment  of  seventy  Elders  as 
Assistants  to  Moses. 
V.  16.  Gather  unto  me  seventy  men 
of  the  elders  of  Israel.  Chald.  "  Gather 
before  me."  Targ.  Jon.  "  Gather  in  my 
name  seventy  worthy  men."  We  read 
no  rebuke  of  Moses  on  this  occasion, 
for  although  his  conduct  was  faulty,  yet 
the  Lord's  forbearance  was  such  that 
he  was  willing  to  pass  by  his  otience  as 
far  as  any  outward  manifestation  was 
concerned.  The  inward  reproach  of 
his  own  conscience  he  might  still  be 
left  to  feel.  It  is  a  matter  of  considera- 
ble debate  among  commentators,  wheth- 
er this  body  of  seventy  elders  was  one 
of  mere  occasional  creation  and  tempo- 
rary duration,  or  whether  it  was  hence- 
forward perpetual,  and  the  same  in  fact 
with  the  Sanhedrim  or  great  national 
council  of  the  Jews,  of  which  we  read 


B.  C.  1490.J 


CHAPTER  XI. 


157 


of  the  people,  and  officers  over    them ;  and  bring  them  unto  the 


in  the  New  Testament.  The  Jewish 
writers  generally,  and  many  Christian 
writers  of  eminence  are  of  the  latter 
opinion.  The  former  appears,  howev- 
er, the  more  probable  hypothesis,  as  no 
mention  is  made  of  the  existence  of 
such  a  council  in  all  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  this  silence  cannot  well  be 
accounted  for  consistently  with  the  ac- 
tual existence  of  such  a  body.  Add  to 
this,  that  the  Sanhedrim  was  a  judicial 
institution  having  control  of  matters  of 
justice  and  cases  of  appeal.  The  pres- 
ent appears  to  have  been  simply  a  kind 
of  senate  formed  to  aid  Moses  in  bear- 
ing the  burdens  and  responsibilities  of 
the  station  to  which  he  was  elevated, 
and  which  we  can  easily  apprehend 
must  have  been  extremely  arduous  and 

onerous. ^  Whom  tJiou  knoivest  to 

be  the  elders  of  the  people.  That  is,  men 
of  mature  age,  of  grave  and  exemplary 
deportment,  of  ripened  wisdom,  who 
would  know  how  best  to  use  the  author- 
it}'  committed  to  them  ;  men  who  should 
be  elders  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.  It 
is  evident  from  Ex.  24 : 1,  that  there  was 
already  existing  a  class  of  persons  call- 
ed "  elders,"  and  that  out  of  these  a  se- 
lection was  to  be  made  on  the  present 

occasion. TI  And  oncers  over  them. 

Heb.  soterauv,  his  oncers,  the  same  as 
the  soteriyn  mentioned  Ex.  5  :  6,  on  which 
see  Note.  Targ.  Jon.  "  That  had  been 
set  over  them  in  Egypt ; "  as  if  their 
sufferings  there  in  behalf  of  their  breth- 
ren had  entitled  them  to  this  distinc- 
tion. "  Among  the  persons  that  appear 
in  the  Israelitish  Diet,  besides  those  al- 
ready mentioned,  we  find  the  soterim, 
or  scribes.  They  were  different  from  the 
judges;  for  Moses  had  expressly  or- 
dained (Deut.  16  :  18)  that  in  every  city 
there  should  be  appointed,  not  only 
judges,  but  soterim  likewise.  It  is  very 
certain  that  Moses  had  not  originally 


instituted  these  oflBcers,   but    already 
found  them  among  the  people  while  in 
Egypt.    For  when  the  Israelites  did  not 
deliver  the  required  tale  of  bricks,  the 
soterim  were  called  to  account,  and  pun- 
ished, Ex.  5  :  6-14.      Now,  as  satar  in 
Arabic,  signifies  to  tvrite  ;  and  its  deriv- 
ative, mastir,  a  person  whose  duty  it  is 
to  keep  accounts,  and  collect  debts,  I  am 
almost   persuaded   that   these  soterim 
miast  have  been  the  oflBcers  who  kept 
the  genealogical  tables  of  the  Israelites, 
with  a  faithful  record  of  births,  mar- 
riages, and  deaths ;  and,  as  they  kept 
the  rolls  of  families,  had,  moreover,  the 
duty  of  apportioning  the  public  burdens 
and  services  on  the  people  individually. 
An  office  exactly  similar,  we  have  not 
in  our  governments,  because  they  are 
not  so  genealogically  regulated  ;  at  least 
we  do  not  institute  enumerations  of  the 
people  by  families.     But  among  a  peo- 
ple whose  notions  were  completely  clan- 
nish, and  among  whom  all  hereditary 
succession,  and   even   all  posthumous 
fame,  depended  on  genealogical  regis- 
ters, this  must  have  been  an  office  fully 
as  important  as  that  of  a  judge.     In 
Egypt,  the  Levites  had  not  yet  been 
consecrated  and  set  apart  from  the  rest 
of  the  tribes ;  there,  of  course,  the  sote- 
rim must  have  been  chosen  either  out 
of  every  family,  or,  perhaps,  merely  ac- 
cording to  the  opinion  entertained  of 
their  fitness  for  the  oflfice.     In  the  time 
of  the  kings,  however,  we  find  them 
generally  taken  from  the  tribe  of  Levi, 
1  Chron.  23  :  4.    2  Chron.  19  :  8-11.   34 : 
13.     This  was  a  very  rational  proced- 
ure, as  the  Levites  devoted  themselves 
particularly  to  study  ;  and  among  hus- 
bandmen   and  unlearned  people,  few 
were  likely  to  be  so  expert  at  writing, 
as  to  be  intrusted  with  the  keeping  of 
registers   so  important.     Add  to  this, 
that  in  later  times,  the  genealogical  ta- 


158 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
that  they  may  stand  there  with 
thee. 

17    And  '  I  will  come  down 

tver.  25.    Gen.  11.  5.     18.21.     Ex.  19.  20. 

bles  were  kept  in  the  temple.  We  find 
these  soterim  mentioned  in  many  other 
passages  besides  those  quoted  above. 
In  Num.  11 :  16,  they  are  the  persons 
of  respectability  from  among  whom  the 
supreme  senate  of  Seventy  is  chosen. 
In  Deut.  1 :  15,  mention  is  made  of  sote- 
rim appointed  by  Moses  in  the  wilder- 
ness, although  the  people  had  previously 
had  such  magistrates  in  Egypt ;  most 
probably  he  only  filled  the  places  of 
those  who  were  dead.  In  Deut.  20 :  5, 
we  see  them  charged  with  orders  to 
those  of  the  people  that  wei-e  selected 
to  go  to  war ;  which  is  perfectly  suited 
to  my  explanation  of  the  nature  of  their 
office.  In  Deut.  29  :  10,  31 :  28,  Josh. 
8  :  33,  23  :  2,  we  find  them  as  represent- 
atives of  the  people  in  the  Diets,  or 
when  a  covenant  with  God  is  entered 
into.  In  Josh.  1 :  10,  they  appear  as 
the  officers  who  communicated  to  the 
people  the  general's  orders  respecting 
military  affairs  ;  and  this,  again,  corre- 
sponds to  the  province  of  muster-mas- 
ters. In  2  Chron.  26  :  11,  we  have  the 
chief  soter,  under  whose  command  the 
whole  army  stands  after  the  general,  if 
indeed  he  himself  be  not  so.  In  1  Chron. 
27  : 1,  the  name  of  the  office  alone  is  men- 
tioned."— Michaelis. Tf  Bring  them 

unto  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation. 
Heb.  "  Take  them  unto  the  tabernacle." 
That  they  might  there  be,  as  it  were, 
consecrated  to  the  Lord  in  the  most 
public  manner,  so  that  there  should  be 
no  doubt  among  the  people  as  to  their 

authority. ^   That  they  may  stand 

there  with  thee.  Heb.  ve-hithyatzebu, 
and  they  shall  make  themselves  to  stand, 
they  shall  present  themselves.  The  He- 
brew writers  give  a  peculiar  emphasis 


and  talk  with  thee  there  :  and  I 
will  take  of  the  spirit "  which  is 
upon  thee,  and  will  put  ii  upon 
them ;  and  they  shall  hear  the 

u  2  K.  2.  9,  15.     Is.  44.  3.     Joel  2.  i%. 


to  the  phrase  "with  thee"  in  this  con- 
nection, as  if  it  imported  that  they  were 
to  be  men  of  like  wisdom,  weight,  and 
estimation  with  Moses,  though  in  an 
inferior  degree. 

V.  17.  I  will  come  down.  Chald.  "I 
will  reveal  myself."  Targ.  Jon.  "  I  will 
reveal  myself  in  the  glory  of  my  majes- 
ty." From  V.  25  it  appears  that  this 
revelation  or  descent  was  in  connection 
with  the  cloudy  pillar,  which  might 
have  been  at  the  same  time  lowered 
somewhat  nearer  to  the  surface  of  the 

earth. T[  And  talk  with  thee  there. 

It  is  clear  from  what  follows  that  the 
Lord,  in  the  symbol  of  his  presence, 
came  down  and  communed  with  Moses, 
according  to  his  promise,  but  what  he 

said  is  not  made  known. T[  And  I 

will  take  qf  the  spirit  which  is  upon  thee, 
and  will  put  it  upon  them.  Heb.  dtzalti, 
I  will  separate,  set  apart,  keep,  reserve, 
of  the  spirit  which  is  upon  thee,  etc. 
That  is,  he  would  endow  them  with  the 
same  spirit  of  government,  or  with  those 
gifts  of  wisdom,  judgment,  counsel, 
coui'age,  etc.,  which  were  bestowed  up- 
on Moses,  though  not  to  the  same  de- 
gree. They  were  to  be  partners,  but 
not  equals,  in  the  divine  donation. 
"Spirit"  is  often  used  for  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  or  spiritual  gifts  {charisma- 
ta), for  "there  are  diversities  of  gifts, 
but  the  same  Spirit."  So  "spirits"  is 
used  to  denote  spiritual  gifts,  1  Cor. 
12 :  4,  "  The  spirits  of  the  prophets  are 
subject  to  the  prophets."  The  commu- 
nication of  the  spirit  of  Moses  to  the 
seventy  elders  does  not  imply  any  dim- 
inution as  it  respected  him.  The  Jew- 
ish writers  illustrate  the  matter  by  say- 
ing that  "Moses  in  that  hour  was  like 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


159 


burden  of  the  people  with  thee, 
that  thou  bear  it  not  thyself 
alone. 


to-morrow,  and  ye  shall  eat  flesh : 
for  ye  have  wept  in  the  ears ""  of 
the   Lord,  saying.  Who  shall 


18  And  say  thou  unto  the  peo-    give  us  flesh  to  eat  ?  for  it  ivas 
pie,  Sanctify "  yourselves  against  \  well  with  us  in  Egypt :  there- 


unto the  lamp  that  was  left  burning  on 
the  candlestick  (in  the  sanctuary) ;  from 
which  all  the  other  lamps  were  lighted, 
yet  the  light  thereof  was  not  lessened  a 
whit."  In  point  of  strict  truth,  how- 
ever, there  was  not  any  thing  actually 
taken  from  Moses.  It  is  merely  the 
language  of  appearance,  founded  upon 
the  similarity  of  the  phenomena.  In 
like  manner  it  is  said  that  the  Lord 
God  formed  Adam  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  not  that  he  was  really  so  form- 
ed, for  in  the  original  it  is,  he  "  formed 
him  dust  of  the  ground,"  that  is,  to  be 
of  the  same  material  with  the  dust,  so 
that  when  he  died,  he  might  be  said  to 
be  resolved  into  it.  So  the  spiritual 
gifts  evinced  by  these  elders  were  of 
the  same  kind  with  those  of  Moses,  and 
therefore  they  are  said  to  be  taken  from 
him.  The  inference  is  very  plain,  that 
divine  gifts  and  qualifications  are  in- 
dispensable for  those  who  are  called  to 
act  as  leaders  and  superintendents  in 
the  Lord's  church,  and  that  those  who 
are  not  possessed  of  these  qualifications 

are    not  called. T[  And  they  shall 

hear  the  'burden  of  the  people  with  thee. 
Heb.  "  They  shall  bear  with  thee  in  the 
burden."  The  preposition  "  in,"  how- 
ever, does  not  afiect  the  sense,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  usage  in  Ezek.  18  :  19, 
20,  "  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniqui- 
ty of  the  father,"  where  the  literal  ren- 
dering is,  "  shall  not  bear  in  the  iniqui- 
ty of  the  father."  The  allusion  is  to 
the  complaint  of  Moses  in  vs.  11,  14, 
and  an  assurance  given  that  the  men 
now  selected  shall  take  part  in  the  bur- 
densome cares  and  fatigues  growing 


out  of  the  government  of  an  unruly 
people. 

V.  18.  Sanctify  yourselves  against  to- 
morrow. Chald. "  Prepare  yourselves." 
On  the  import  of  this  phrase  see  Note 
on  Ex.  19  :  10.  It  denotes  prepara- 
tion in  the  sense  of  superinducing  upon 
their  minds  a  state  of  devout  reflection, 
and  external  abstinence  from  whatever 
would  interfere  with  the  sanctity  which 
they  were  then  required  to  study.  So, 
to  "  sanctify  a  war,"  as  in  Jer.  6:4.  51 : 
28.  Joel  3  :  9,  is  to  engage  in  a  war  with 
holy  motives,  to  enter  into  it  in  such  a 
state  of  mind,  have  such  an  eye  to  the 
divine  glory,  that  it  should  be  a  conse- 
crated war.  Alas !  how  totally  unlike 
the  great  mass  of  wars  that  have  been 
waged  among  men !  The  reason  why 
this  sanctification  was  now  command- 
ed probably  was,  that  if  they  duly  re- 
pented of  the  sin  of  their  rebellion,  and 
thus  approached  the  Lord  in  a  humble 
and  contrite  frame,  the  promised  flesh 
might  not  prove  a  judgment  and  a  curse 
to  them,  but  a  lawful  comfort  and  lux- 
ury. Otherwise  the  command,  "  Sanc- 
tify yourselves  "  would  be  equivalent  to, 
"  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  0  Israel ; " 
i.  e.  in  a  way  of  judgment,  and  not  of 

mercy. ^  Ye  have  wept  in  the  ears 

of  the  Lord.  The  parallel  clause  in  v. 
20  is,  "  ye  have  wept  before  "  the  Lord, 
as  the  Chald.  also  renders  it  here.  All 
unreasonable  complaints  and  murmur- 
ings,  though  vented  ostensibly  against 
the  Lord's  ministers,  or  addressed  to  no 
one  in  particular,  are  in  reality  uttered 
towards  the  Lord  himself,  and  come  up 
into  his  ears. T[  Hie  Lord  will  give 


160 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490 


fore  the  Lord  will  give  you  flesh, 
and  ye  shall  eat. 

19  Ye  shall  not  eat  one  day, 
nor  two  days,  nor  five  days,  nei- 
ther ten  days,  nor  twenty  days; 

20  But  even  a  whole  month, " 
until  it  come  out  at  your  nos- 

y  Ps.  78.  29.     106.  15. 

you  flesh,  and  ye  shall  eat.  This  was  in- 
deed a  compliance  with  the  desires  of  the 
people,  but  of  the  same  nature  with  that 
which  is  spoken  of  at  a  subsequent  peri- 
od, when  he  is  said  to  have  "  given  them 
a  king  in  his  anger."  A  significant  al- 
lusion to  this  kind  of  indulgence  occurs 
also,  Ps.  106  :  16,  "  He  gave  them  them 
their  request,  but  sent  leanness  into 
their  souls."  The  prayers  of  the  wick- 
ed may  be  answered,  but  in  such  a  way 
that  nothing  shall  be  more  to  be  dread- 
ed. The  divine  promises  to  the  evil  are 
virtual  threatenings. 

V.  19.  Ye  shall  not  eat  one  day,  nor 
Uvo  days,  etc.  As  they  did  about  a  year 
before,  Ex.  16  :  12, 13,  when  the  people 
had  been  thus  feasted  for  one  day. 

V.  20.  Until  it  come  out  at  your  nos- 
trils. Denoting  a  nausea  and  surfeit. 
"What  does  this  mean?  Is  it  not  a 
figurative  expression,  to  show  that  they 
were  to  eat  till  fully  satisfied  ?  Bishop 
Patrick  says,  '  Till  you  be  glutted  and 
cloyed  with  it.'  Is  it  not  a  striking 
illustration  that  this  figure  of  speech  is 
used  at  this  day  to  convey  the  same 
meaning?  A  host  says  to  his  guests, 
'  Now  friends,  eat  moohamattam,  to  the 
nose,'  literally,  to  eat  till  they  are  full 
up  to  the  nose.  '  0,  sir,  how  can  I  eat 
any  more?  I  am  full  to  the  nose,  I 
have  no  more  room.'  Of  a  glutton,  it  is 
said,  '  That  fellow  always  fills  up  to  the 
nose!^" — Roberts.  Bp.  Patrick's  note 
is  this  : — "  Till  you  be  glutted  with  it, 
and  vomit  it  up  so  violently,  that  it  shall 
come  not  only  out  at  your  mouth,  but 


trils,  and  it  be  loathsome  unto 
you :  because  that  ye  have  de- 
spised the  Lord  which  is  among 
you,  and  have  wept  before  him, 
saying.  Why  came  we  forth  out 
of  Egypt  ? 

21  And  Moses  said.  The  peo- 
ple, among  whom  I  am,  are  six 


at  your  nostrils."  This  is  perhaps 
somewhat  favored  by  the  original  zdra, 
in  the  ensuing  clause,  which  several  of 
the  versions  render,  "  in  dispersionem," 
for  a  scattering,  deriving  it  from  zdrah, 

to  he  diffused,   or  spread   abroad. 

T[  And  it  be  loathsome  unto  you.  Heb. 
"  And  it  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  loath- 
ing." Gr.  "It  shall  be  unto  you  for  a 
cholera  (ets  x^^^P^-^),  which  Hesychius 
defines  as  a  violent  disorder  of  the  bow- 
els. The  effect,  we  may  presume,  to 
have  been  what  we  should  now  express 
by  cholera  morbus.  Chald.  "  It  shall  be 
unto  you  for  an  offence."  "What  a 
righteous  thing  it  is  with  God  to  make 
that  loathsome  to  men  which  they  have 
inordinately  lusted  after.  God  could 
make  them  despise  flesh  as  much  as 
they   had    despised   manna." — Henry. 

T[  Because  that  ye  have  despised  the 

Lord.  Heb.  meastem,  contemptuously 
refused,  or  set  at  nought.  Chald,  "  Ye 
have  rejected  the  Word  of  the  Lord." 
Gr.  "Ye  have  disobeyed  the  Lord." 
The  word  in  the  Heb.  is  the  same  with 
that  which  occurs  1  Sam.  8:7,  "  For 
they  have  not  rejected  thee,  but  they 
have  rejected  me."  It  is  a  serious  re- 
flection that  our  complaining  of  the  di- 
vine dispensations  amounts,  in  the 
Lord's  sight,  to  a  positive  contempt  of 

him. If  Which  is  among  you.     That 

is,  by  the  visible  symbol  of  his  pres- 
ence. Chald.  "  Whose  divine  majesty 
dwells  among  you."  Their  sin,  there- 
fore, was  a  kind  of  spiritual  lese-majesty. 
N ."iX.  The  people  among  whom  I  {am^ 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


161 


hundred '  thousand  footmen ;  and 
thou  hast  said,  I  will  give  them 
flesh,  that  they  may  eat  a  whole 
month. 


are  six  hundred  tAotisand,  etc.  That  is, 
so  many  who  were  able  to  carry  arms  ; 
which,  by  a  fair  proportion,  would  re- 
quire of  the  aged,  of  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  the  mixed  multitude,  enough 
to  make  a  grand  total  of  near  three  mil- 
lions of  people.  In  view  of  the  de- 
mands of  such  an  immense  host,  the 
faith  of  Moses  seems  to  have  wavered. 
Either  from  the  discomposure  of  his 
spirit  by  reason  of  the  affronts  of  the 
people,  or  from  a  fear  that  they  might 
be  commanded  to  feed  upon  the  cattle 
required  for  sacrifice,  or  from  sheer  in- 
credulity, he  is  prompted  to  inquire 
how  it  can  be  possible  that  so  many 
mouths  should  be  fed  with  flesh  for  a 
whole  mouth  together.  All  the  cattle 
we  have,  says  his  unbelief,  will  come 
short  of  the  requirement,  and  all  the 
fish  of  the  Red  Sea  would  be  insuflBcient 
for  it. 

Y.  22.  Shall  all  the  Jish  of  the  sea  he 
gathered  together  for  them  ?  That  is, 
gathered  together  in  shoals.  Harmer's 
note  on  this  passage  is  worthy  of  being 
transcribed.  "  When  Moses  mentioned 
Israel's  being  fed  with  fish,  collected 
from  the  Red  Sea,  he  seems  to  have 
supposed  something  of  an  extraordina- 
ry kind ;  but  analogous  to  what  had 
happened  to  several  people,  in  small 
companies,  not  any  thing  miraculous. 
In  answer  to  the  divine  declaration,  Mo- 
ses proposed  a  difliculty  in  accomplish- 
ing this  promise,  in  the  natural  course 
of  things,  not  as  imagining  it  could  not 
be  done  by  a  miracle ;  he  could  not  but 
know,  that  he  that  rained  down  manna, 
could,  by  a  miracle,  gorge  them  with 
flesh;  but  in  the  common  course  of 
things,  or  in  the  natural,  though  more 


22  Shall "  the  flocks  and  the 
herds  be  slain  for  them,  to 
suffice  them  ?  or  shall  all  the 
fish  of  the  sea  be  gathered  to- 

a  2  K.  7.  2.     Mark  8.  4.      John  6.  7,  9. 


unusual  operation  of  Providence,  could 
it  be  brought  about  ?  That  was  what 
puzzled  Moses.  Some  flocks,  and  a  few 
oxen,  they  had  with  them  for  the  so- 
lemnities of  sacrifice;  but  could  a  part 
of  them,  with  any  addition  that  might 
be  procured  from  the  people  on  the 
skirts  of  the  desert,  be  sufficient  to  sup- 
port them  a  whole  month?  Fish  might 
be  obtained  from  the  Red  Sea,  from 
which,  it  seems,  they  were  not  very 
distant,  but  could  it  be  expected  they 
would  come  in  such  numbers  to  the 
shore,  within  their  reach,  as  fully  to 
satisfy  the  cravings  of  their  appetites, 

day  after  day,  for  a  whole  month  ? 

'  We  remember  the  fish  we  did  eat  in 
Egypt  freely,'  was  a  part  of  their  moan, 
Num.  11 :  5.  If  Moses  knew  what  the 
common  people  of  Egypt  now  know, 
and  which  their  sages  in  ancient  days 
must,  at  least,  have  remarked,  he  could 
be  no  stranger  to  that  change  of  place 
that  may  be  observed  as  to  fish,  and  their 
crowding  together  at  certain  times ;  and 
to  some  such  a  natural,  but  surprising 
and  unknown  occurrence,  as  to  the  in- 
habitants of  this  sea,  the  words  of  Mo- 
ses seem  to  point :  '  Shall  the  flocks  and 
herds  be  slain  for  them  ?  ...  or  shall  all 
the  fish  of  the  sea  be  gathered  togeth- 
er,' by  some  natural  impulse,  to  this 
place,  for  a  month  or  more,  which  none 
of  us  have  had  any  notion  of,  nor  re- 
ceived any  information  about,  to  sufice 
them  ?    Such  is,  I  apprehend,  the  spirit 

of  these  words." ^  To  suffice  them. 

Heb.  u-mAtzd  Idhem,  and  shall  one  find 
for  them?  For  parallel  instances  of 
this  usage,  see  Josh.  17  :  16.  Judg.  21 : 
14,  with  my  Note  upon  each  passage. 
The  remark  of  Philip,  John  6  :  7,  9,  im- 


162 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


getlier     for     them,     to    suffice 
them  ? 

23  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Is*  the  Lord's  hand  wax- 
ed short  ?  thou  shalt  see  now 
whether '  my  word  shall  come  to 
pass  unto  thee  or  not. 

24  And  Moses  went  out,  and 


b  Is.  50.  2.     59.  1. 


Ezek.  12.  25.     ':4.  14. 


plies  a  similar  staggering  of  faith: — 
"Two  hundred  pennyworth  of  bread  is 
not  sufficient  for  them  (the  great  multi- 
tude) that  every  one  of  them  may  take 
a  little."  In  both  cases,  however,  the 
doubts  were  soon  silenced. 

V.  23.  7s  the  Lord's  Jiand  waxed  short  ? 
Gr.  "  Shall  not  the  Lord's  hand  be  suffi- 
cient?" Chald.  "  Shall  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  be  hindered  ?  "  Hand,  by  a  well 
known  figure  of  speech,  is  often  used  as 
significant  of  power,  as  being  the  in- 
strument by  which  power  is  put  forth 
(Deut.  32  :  36.  Josh.  4  :  24.  8  :  20),  while 
the  original  term  for  shortened  implies 
that  which  is  lessened  or  scanted,  and  is 
thus  rather  applicable  to  what  the  hand 
signifies  than  to  the  hand  itself.  In 
Mic.  2:7,  it  is  spoken  of  the  Lord's 
Spirit — ■'■'■  Is  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  strait- 
ened (Heb.  shortened)  .^"  but  for  the  most 
part,  as  here,  the  word  is  predicated  of 
the  Lord's  hand.  Thus,  Is.  59  : 1,  "  Be- 
hold, the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened, 
that  it  cannot  save."  Is.  50  :  2,  "  Is  my 
hand  shortened  at  all,  that  it  cannot  re- 
deem ?  or  have  I  no  power  to  deliver  ?  " 
where  the  latter  clause  explains  the 
former.  "  Even  true  and  great  believ- 
ers sometimes  find  it  hard  to  trust  God 
under  the  discouragements  of  second 
causes,  and  '  against  hope  to  believe  in 
hope.'  Moses  himself  can  scarcely  for- 
bear saying,  '  Can  God  furnish  a  table 
in  the  wilderness  ? '  when  this  was  be- 
come the  common  cry.  No  doubt  this 
was  his  infirmity." — Henry. 


told  the  people  the  words  of  the 
Lord,  and  gathered  the  seventy 
men  of  the  elders  of  the  people, 
and  set  them  round  about  the 
taberhacle. 

25  And  the  Lord  came  down 
'^  in  a  cloud,  and  spake  unto  him, 
and  took  of  the  spirit  that  was 


V.  24.  And  Moses  went  out.  But 
whether  from  his  own  tent  or  the  sanc- 
tuary is  uncertain.  The  Targ.  Jon.  ren- 
ders it,  "  He  went  out  from  the  tent  of 
the  Shekinah,"  into  which  it  may  be 
supposed  he  had  gone  to  pour  out  his 
prayers  into  the  Lord's  bosom.  He  no 
doubt  "went  out"  also  in  the  person 
of  the  emissaries  who  were  dispatched 
to  various  parts  of  the  camp  to  gather 
in  the  seventy  elders,  and  as  they  were 
convened  at  the  Tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation, the  presumption  is  that  it 
was  thence  that  Moses  is  said  to  have 
gone  out.     The  place  of  their  congress 

was  the  place  of  his  egress. \  Set 

them  rpund  alout  the  tabernacle.  Heb. 
"  Made  them  to  stand."  All  important 
assemblies  were  wont  to  meet  at  the 
Tabernacle.     Comp.  ch.  27  :  2. 

V.  25.  And  the  Lord  came  down  in 
a  cloud.  Or,  perhaps  better,  "in  the 
cloud."  The  manifestation  in  this  case 
was  no  doubt  similar  to  that  mention- 
ed Ex.  33  :  9,  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
Moses  entered  into  the  tabernacle,  the 
cloudy  pillar  descended,  and  stood  at 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  and  (the 
Lord)  talked  with  Moses,"  where  see 
my  Note.     Comp.  also  Ps.  99  :  7,  "  He 

spake  to  them  in  the  cloudy  pillar." 

^  Wlien  the  spirit  rested  upon  them,  they 
prophesied.  Heb.  yithnabhe-u,  were 
made  or  impelled  to  prophesy,  the  Hith- 
pael,  or  reflexive  conjugation  having 
here  the  same  signification  as  the  Niphal 
or  passive,  except  that  in  the  Hithpael 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


163 


upon  him,  and  gave  it  unto  the 
seventy  elders  :  and  it  came  to 
pass,  that,  when  '  the  spirit  rest- 


1  Sam.  10.  5,  6,  etc. 


the  idea  is  more  distinctly  of  an  impul- 
sive power  within  the  subject,  and  the 
Niphal  of  one  without.  It  is  therefore 
peculiarly  applicable  to  that  state  of 
possession,  ov  spiritual  excitation,  which 
prompts  extraordinary  utterances.  Pro- 
phesying, in  this  sense,  was  one  of  the 
special  gifts  or  operations  of  the  Lord's 
Spirit  in  its  illapse  upon  the  minds  of 
men.  The  usual  word  for  prophet  in 
the  original  Hebrew  is  ndhi,  which  is 
really  of  a  passive  import,  implying  one 
who  speaks  from  a  divine  impulse,  and 
utters  things  entirely  beyond  the  scope 
of  his  own  unassisted  ability.  He  is  not 
so  much  a  speaker  as  one  spoken  through. 
Thus  it  is  said,  Joel  2  :  29,  "  Upon  the 
handmaids  in  those  days  I  will  pour  out 
my  Spirit,"  that  is.  Acts  2  :  18,  "  I  will 
pour  out  my  Spirit,  and  they  shall  pro- 
phesy J^  So  Acts  19 :  6,  "  And  when 
Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  on  them;  and  they 
spake  with  tongues,  and  prophesied.^^ 
In  like  manner,  when  Saul  was  anoint- 
ed king,  it  was  said  to  him,  1  Sam.  10 : 
6,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come 
upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt prophesy,  and 
shalt  be  turned  into  another  man."  Ac- 
cordingly it  is  added,  v.  10,  "  And  the 
Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,  and  he 
prophesied."  The  term  evidently  is  not 
restricted  to  the  sense  o^ foretelling  fu- 
ture events,  but  implies  also  any  kind 
of  utterance  prompted  by  a  divine  in- 
fluence, and  especially  the  unfolding 
the  meaning  of  the  sacred  Word.  Thus 
Paul,  1  Cor.  14  :  3,  "  He  ihoX  prophesieth 
speaketh  unto  men  to  edification,  and 
exhortation,  and  comfort."  Analogous 
to  the  elders  here  appointed  were  the 
"helps  and  governments,"  spoken  of 
by  Paul  (1  Cor.  12  :  28)  as  established 


ed  upon  them,  they  prophesied, 
and  did  not  cease. 

26   But  there  remained  two 
of  the  men    in  the   camp,  the 


in  the  early  Christian  church. ^  And 

did  not  cease.  Heb.  loydsaphu,  did  not 
add,  that  is,  did  not  continue  to  prophe- 
sy in  that  manner  after  that  day.  In  like 
manner  it  is  said,  Deut.  5  :  22,  that  God 
pronounced  the  ten  commandments, 
and  "  added  no  more  "  (Heb.  Jo  ynsijph), 
by  which  is  to  be  understood,  that  he 
spake  no  more  to  the  people  in  that 
peculiar  manner.  So  also  it  is  said  of 
Saul,  1  Sam.  10  :  13,  "  And  when  he  had 
made  an  end  of  prophesying,  he  came," 
etc.  The  gift  indicated  was  probably 
designed  to  be  of  merely  temporary  du- 
ration. Gr.  **  And  they  added  no  more." 
And  Sol.  Jarchi,  a  noted  Jewish  com- 
mentator says,  "They  did  not  add;" 
i.  e.  they  "  prophesied  not  save  that  day 
only."  This  would  be  suflBcient  to  af- 
ford an  attestation  that  they  were  moved 
by  a  divine  impulse,  and  this  testimony 
it  was  important  the  people  should  have. 
With  this  coincides  the  comment  of 
Theodoret,  "  The  seventy  did  not  pro- 
phesy beyond  this  day,  because  God 
promoted  them  not  to  prophesy,  but  to 
govern,  which  St.  Paul  also  reckons 
among  other  gifts  bestowed  upon  Chris- 
tians," 1  Cor.  12  :  26.  It  is,  however, 
to  be  remarked,  that  this  rendering  is 
not  uniform.  The  Chald.  exhibits  a 
sense  directly  opposite, — "  And  they 
ceased  not,"  and  this  is  the  sense  adopt- 
ed by  our  translators,  unless  indeed  we 
suppose  with  Patrick  that  the  true  idea 
which  they  attached  to  the  phrase  is, 
"  They  did  not  cease  all  that  day  while 
they  stood  round  about  the  tabernacle." 
After  all,  a  shade  of  doubt  as  to  the 
genuine  import  of  the  phrase  will  still 
hang  over  it. 

V.  26.  But  there  remained  two  {of  the) 
men  in  the  camp.   That  is,  two  out  of  the 


164 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


name  of  the  one  was  Eldad, 
and  the  name  of  the  other  Me- 
dad  :  and  the  spirit  rested  upon 
them ;  and  they  were  of  them 
that  were  written,  but  went  not 
out  unto  the  tabernacle :  and 
-'^  they  prophesied  in  the  camp. 
27  And  there  ran  a  young 
man,  and  told  Moses,  and  said, 

/  Jer.  36.  5,  6. 

seventy  elders  before  designated.  This, 
however,  does  not  appear  in  the  word- 
ing of  the  original  Hebrew,  which  has 
simply,  "And  there  remained  two 
men."  To  intimate  the  true  sense  our 
translators  have  inserted  the  words 
"  of  the  "  before  "  men."  The  reason 
of  their  withholding  themselves  from 
the  meeting  at  the  Tabernacle  is  not 
stated,  but  whatever  it  were,  the  cir- 
cumstance gave  occasion  for  a  manifes- 
tation of  the  Lord's  good  pleasure,  with 
which  we  should  not  otherwise  have 
been  favored.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  as  Saul,  when  the  appointment  was 
about  to  be  made,  withdrew  and  '*  hid 
himself  among  the  stuff,"  so  the  per- 
sons here  mentioned  were  kept  back  by 
a  similar  reserve  or  repugnancy.  But 
the  Lord  by  his  Spirit  found  them  out, 
and  the  divine  influence  soon  showed 
its  effects  upon  them.  Though  among 
"  them  that  were  written,"  that  is,  de- 
signated, nominated,  for  the  purpose, 
yet  refusing  to  come  they  were  seized 
•with  the  spirit  of  prophecy  and  gave 
vent  to  it  in  the  midst  of  the  camp. 

V.  28.  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun, 
the  servant  of  Moses,  {one)  of  his  young 
men,  answered,  etc.  Heb.  mibhehoorauv, 
of  Ms  chosen  ones.  It  is  probable  he 
was  one  of  the  "  able  men  "  whom  Mo- 
ses chose  at  the  suggestion  of  Jethro 
to  preside  over  certain  classified  por- 
tions of  the  people,  Ex.  18  :  25.  The 
term  there  employed  is  yibhar, 


Eldad  and  Medad  do  prophesy 
in  the  camp. 

28  And  Joshua  the  son  of 
Nun,  the  servant  of  Moses,  one 
of  his  young  men,  answered 
and  said,  My  lord  Moses,  forbid 
^  them. 

29  And  Moses  said  unto  him, 
Enviest    thou    for   my    sake  ? 

g  Luke  9.  49.    John  3.  26. 


and  mihhehoor,  chosen,  is  from  the  same 

root. Tf  My  lord  Moses,  forbid  them. 

Targ.  Jon.  "My  lord  Moses,  request 
mercy  from  before  the  Lord,  and  forbid 
them  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  Joshua, 
it  would  seem,  spoke  from  a  commend- 
able zeal  for  the  honor  of  Moses,  but 
rashly  and  precipitately.  He  no  doubt 
thought  that  these  men's  prophesying 
or  teaching  in  the  camp  tended  to  make 
those  gifts  common,  and  thus  disparage 
Moses  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  ;  or,  he 
may  have  thought  the  proceeding  was 
schismatic,  as  being  calculated  to  divert 
the  people  from  the  Tabernacle,  the 
appointed  place  of  meeting,  where  the 
rest  of  the  seventy  elders  were  assem- 
bled. The  prompting  under  which  he 
acted  seems  to  have  been  very  similar 
to  that  which  moved  the  disciples  in 
forbidding  one  to  cast  out  devils  in 
Christ's  name  because  he  followed  not 
with  them,  Luke  9  :  49,  50.  Mark  9  :  50. 
And  it  would  appear  from  the  answer 
both  of  Moses  and  of  our  Lord,  that 
some  degree  of  jealousy  rested  in  the 
heart  of  Joshua,  as  well  as  of  the  disci- 
ples. 

V.  29.  Enviest  thou  for  my  sake? 
Rather,  "Art  thou  jealous,  or  zealous, 
for  my  sake  ?  "  This  is  the  force  of  the 
original  term  which  is  employed  to  sig- 
nify a  fervent  or  highly  excited  state 
of  jealous,  envious,  or  indignant  feel- 
ing. Moses  knew  the  men  better,  and 
was  aware  of  the  true  source  of  their 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


165 


Would  ^  God  that  all  the  Lord's 
people  were  prophets,  and  that 
the  Lord  would  put  his  spirit 
upon  them ! 

30  And  Moses  gat  him  into 


A  1  Cor.  14.  5. 


inspiration;  consequently  he  designed 
to  administer  a  gentle  rebuke  to  Joshua 
for  giving  way  to  too  earnest  a  spirit 
of  zealous  or  jealous  regard  for  his  hon- 
or. He  intimates,  therefore,  that  the 
number,  be  it  ever  so  great,  of  those 
who  were  possessed  of  such  extraordi- 
nary endowments  was  so  far  from  being 
a  source  of  uneasiness  to  him  that  he 
rejoiced  in  it,  and  heartily  wished  there 
were  more  of  them.  We  derive  from 
the  words  of  Moses  the  practical  inti- 
mation that  we  are  not  secretly  to  grieve 
at  the  gifts,  graces,  or  usefulness  of 
others;  that  we  are  not  to  be  unduly 
excited  at  the  weaknesses  or  intirmities 
of  others ;  and  that  we  are  not  to  be 
forward  to  condemn  and  silence  those 
that  differ  from  us,  as  if  they  did  not 
follow  the  Lord  because  they  do  not  fol- 
low him  with  us.  "Shall  we  reject 
those  whom  Christ  hath  owned,  or  re- 
strain any  from  doing  good  because 
they  are  not  in  every  thing  of   our 

mind?" — Henry. ^f   Tliat  the  Lord 

•would  put  hu  spirit  vpon  them.  That 
is,  the  gifts  of  his  spirit.  Chald.  "  His 
spirit  of  prophecy."  Paul,  in  like  man- 
ner, wished  that  all  the  church  could 
*'  prophesy,"  saying,  "  Follow  after 
charity,  and  desire  spiritual  gifts,  but 
rather  that  ye  may  prophesy,"  1  Cor. 
14:1. 

V.  30.  And  Moses  gat  himself  into 
the  camp.  Heb.  "  Was  gathered ; "  im- 
plying that  he  and  the  elders,  now 
brought  under  a  special  influence  from 
above,  were  moved  as  in  a  kind  of  pas- 
sive way,  to  convey  themselves  from 
the  Tabernacle  into  the  midst  of  the 


the  camp,  he  and  the  elders  of 
Israel. 

3 1  And  there  went  forth  a  wind 
from  the  Lord,  and  brought ' 
quails  from  the  sea,  and  let  ihem 

i  Ex.  16.  13.    Ps.  78.  -26-29.     105.  40. 


camp,  there  to  enter  immediately  upon 
the  administration  to  which  they  had 
been  called.  The  original  word  is  the 
same  with  that  which  is  applied,  ch. 
12 :  14,  15,  to  Miriam,  and  rendered  in 
the  one  case  "  received  in,"  and  in  the 
other  "  brought  in." 

J7ie  Quails  brought. 
V.  31.  And  there  went  forth  a  wind 
from  the  Lord.  Heb.  ve-ruah  ndsa, 
and  a  ivind  broke  vp  /  that  is,  was  let 
forth  with  violence,  as  seems  to  be  im- 
plied by  the  use  of  a  term  which  is  or- 
dinarily applied  to  the  striking  of  tents 
preparatory  to  departure,  which  was 
usually  executed  no  doubt  with  very 
considerable  dispatch.  The  word  for 
"  wind"  is  the  same  with  that  employ- 
ed above  to  signify  "  spirit,"  and  there 
may  have  been  an  allusion  intended  to 
the  contrast  between  the  spiritual  iii- 
fluence  imparted  to  the  elders  on  this 
occasion,  and  that  violent  inflation  from 
the  Lord  which  brought  on  the  quails, 
and  thus  spent  itself  eventually  upon 
the  people.  The  same  word  occurs  in 
relation  to  the  same  event,  Ps.  78  :  26- 
28,  "He  caused  an  east  wind  to  bloxo 
(Heb.  yissa)  in  the  heaven :  and  by  his 
power  he  brought  in  the  south  wind.  He 
rained  flesh  also  upon  them  as  dust,  and 
feathered  fowls  like  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea :  and  he  let  it  fall  in  the  midst  of  their 
camp,  round  about  their  habitations." 
The  Lord,  even  in  working  miracles, 
does  not  always  dispense  with  the  use  of 
means.  He  could  easily  have  command- 
ed the  appearance  of  the  quails  without 
the  agency  of  the  wind,  but  it  seemed 


166 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


fall  by  the  camp,  as  it  were  a    day's  journey  on  this  side,  and 


good  to  his  wisdom  to  make  one  physi- 
cal power  subordinate  to  another. 

T[  And  brought  quails  from  the  sea. 
That  is,  from  across  the  sea,  or  from 
the  direction  of  the  sea,  not  out  of  the 
waters.  They  came  from  the  African 
side  of  the  Red  Sea.  Heb.  seldv,  a  term 
which  Bochart  traces  to  shdldh,  which 
signifies  to  live  peacefully,  or  to  abound, 
because  in  warm  countries  no  bird  is 
more  abundant.  It  is  more  probable, 
however,  that  the  Hebrew  name  refers 
to  the  foolish  and  ruinous  security  in 
which  the  quail  is  known  to  indulge. 
When  she  lights  upon  a  field  abound- 
ing in  grain,  she  resigns  herself  to  the 
power  of  appetite  without  fear  or  suspi- 
cion. Absorbed  entirely  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  moment,  she  betrays  her- 
self with  her  incessant  singing,  and  is 
easily  enticed  into  the  snare  of  the  fowl- 
er. The  Israelites,  in  feeding  upon 
them,  showed  a  similar  recklessness, 
and  as  Ephraim  is  compared  by  the 
prophet,  Hos.  7  :  11,  to  "  a  silly  dove 
without  heart,"  i.  e.  without  under- 
standing, so  may  they  be  compared  to 
"  a  silly  quail  without  heart."  "  These 
birds,"  says  Kitto,  "  as  well  as  the  way 
of  taking  and  preparing  them,  must 
have  been  well  known  to  the  Israelites 
while  in  Egypt.  At  the  proper  season 
these  migratory  birds  resorted  to  Egypt 
in  such  vast  flocks,  that  even  the  dense 
population  of  Egypt  was  unable  to  con- 
sume them  while  fresh,  but  they  salted 
and  dried  great  quantities  for  future 
use.  It  is  still  the  same  in  those  coun- 
tries ;  and  modern  travellers,  on  wit- 
nessing the  incredible  numbers  of  these 
birds,  have  expressed  their  conviction 
that,  as  the  text  describes,  such  a  suit- 
able wind  as  the  Almighty  sent,  could 
only  have  been  necessary  to  furnish 
even  the  great  Hebrew  host  with  a 
sufficient  supply  of  quails  to  last  for  a 


month." — Pict.  Bible.  Ludolph,  in  his 
History  of  Ethiopia,  who  is  followed  by 
Saurin,  Bp.  Patrick,  and  others,  endeav- 
ors to  make  out  that  the  original  term 
denotes  locusts  instead  of  quails,  but 
the  current  of  authority  goes  decidedly 
in  favor  of  the  latter  rendering.  The 
following  considerations  serve  to  con- 
firm it.  (1.)  The  term  seldv  nowhere 
else  in  the  sacred  volume  signifies  the 
locust,  nor  does  the  root  from  which  it 
comes  favor  this  interpretation,  for  no 
creature  is  more  restless  than  the  locust. 
Besides,  the  creature  which  in  one  pas- 
sage is  called  seldv  is  called  oph,  bird, 
in  another ;  but  the  latter  term  properly 
denotes  the  fowls  of  heaven  and  not 
winged  insects.  Ps.  78  :  27,  "  He  rained 
flesh  also  upon  them  as  dust,  sinA  feath- 
ered foivls  (Heb.  oph  canaph,  fowl  of 
wing)  like  as  the  sand  of  the  sea." 
(2.)  It  does  not  appear  that  insects  are 
ever  called  in  Scripture  oph  canaph. 
Canaph  properly  signifies  a  wing,  which 
may  be  contracted  or  expanded,  for  the 
purpose  of  covering  and  protecting  the 
body ;  which  does  not  seem  to  accord 
with  the  wings  of  insect  tribes.  (3.)  On 
the  hypothesis  of  Ludolph,  it  may  be 
considered  as  an  inexplicable  circum- 
stance that  Moses,  in  a  country  swarm- 
ing with  locusts,  did  not  seem  to  think 
of  them,  when  he  asked  with  surprise : 
"  The  people  among  whom  I  am,  are  six 
hundred  thousand  footmen ;  and  thou 
hast  said,  I  will  give  them  flesh,  that 
they  may  eat  a  whole  month.  Shall  the 
flocks  and  the  herds  be  slain  for  them 
to  suffice  them?  or  shall  all  the  fish  of 
the  sea  be  gathered  together  for  them 
to  suflice  them  ?  "  Moses  knew  that 
the  innumerable  swarms  of  locusts 
which  devour  the  land  of  Egypt  and 
the  surrounding  countries,  were  the 
sport  of  every  wind,  and  that  a  steady 
gale  could  waft  as  many  into  the  desert, 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


167 


as  it  were  a  day's  journey  on 
the  other  side,  round  about  the 

as  would  suffice  all  the  thousands  of  Is- 
rael. Why  then  did  he  not  mention  the 
locusts,  and  present  his  supplication  for 
a  favorable  breeze  ?  This  circumstance 
cannot  be  accounted  for,  but  on  the 
supposition  that  locusts  were  not  the 
object  of  their  desire,  nor  in  the  con- 
templation of  Jehovah.  We  rest,  there- 
fore, in  the  conclusion,  that  quails  and 
not  locusts  are  intended  by  the  sacred 

writer. *\\    Let  {them)  fall  by    the 

camp.  Heb.  yittash,  he  spread  abroad, 
diffused.  The  word  occurs  1  Sam.  30: 16, 
"  And  when  he  had  brought  him  down, 
behold  they  (the  company)  were  spread 
abroad  (Heb.  netushim)  upon  all  the 
earth,  eating,  and  drinking,  and  danc- 
ing," etc. T[  A  day's  journey.     Heb. 

"  The  way  of  day."  And  so  in  the 
next  clause.  The  phrase  is  somewhat 
ambiguous,  as  we  are  not  informed 
whether  the  day's  journey  means  the 
space  over  which  an  individual  could 
travel  in  one  day,  in  which  case  it  would 
be  much  greater — or  the  whole  army 
could  traverse,  which  would  be  much 
less.  If  the  journey  of  an  individual  is 
intended,  it  might  be  about  thirty  miles ; 
but  if  the  sacred  historian  refers  to  the 
whole  army,  a  third  part  of  this  space 
is  as  much  as  they  could  march  in  one 
day  in  the  sandy  desert,  under  a  verti- 
cal sun.  In  the  opinion  of  Bochart, 
this  immense  cloud  of  quails  covered  a 
space  of  at  least  forty  miles'  diameter ; 
for  a  day's  journey  is  at  least  twenty 
miles.  Ludolph  thinks,  it  ought  to  be 
reduced  to  sixteen  miles ;  and  others, 
to  half  that  number,  because,  Moses  re- 
fers to  the  march  of  Israel  through  the 
desert,  encumbered  with  their  women 
and  children,  their  flocks  and  herds,  and 
the  baggage  of  the  whole  nation  ;  which 
must  have  greatly  retarded  their  move- 
ments, and  rendered  the  short  distance 


camp,  and  as  it  were  two  cubits 
high  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 


of  eight  miles  more  than  sufficient  for 
a  journey  of  one  day.  It  is  equally 
doubtful,  whether  the  distance  men- 
tioned by  Moses,  must  be  measured 
fiom  the  centre  or  from  the  extremities 
of  the  encampment;  it  is  certain,  how- 
ever, that  he  intends  to  state  the  count- 
less numbers  of  these  birds  which  fell 

around  the  tents  of  Israel. ^  And 

as  it  were  two  cubits  {high)  -upon  the 
face  of  the  earth.  The  first  impression 
produced  by  these  words  would  un- 
doubtedly be,  that  the  quails  fell  in 
such  abundance  that  they  were  actually 
heaped  up  on  the  surface  of  the  earth 
to  the  height  of  two  cubits.  But  the 
Hebrew  admits  of  another  rendering, 
which  we,  with  Mr.  Kitto,  are  inclined 
to  adopt,  especially  as  it  has  the  sanc- 
tion of  Jarchi,  a  Jewish  commentator : 
— "  They  flew  so  high  as  against  a 
man's  heart,  that  he  was  not  fatigued 
in  getting  them,  either  by  reaching 
high  or  stooping  low."  So  also  the 
Yulg.  "And  they  flew  in  the  air  two 
cubits  high  above  the  ground."  But 
more  to  the  purpose  is  the  following 
note  from  the  "Pictorial  Bible."  "  As 
we  understand,  it  would  seem  that  the 
birds  were  so  exhausted,  or  rather  they 
were  so  strictly  kept  by  the  Divine 
power  within  the  limit  of  a  day's  jour- 
ney from  the  camp,  that  even  when 
roused  or  attempting  flight,  they  could 
not  rise  more  than  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  were  thus  easily  caught  by 
nets  or  by  the  hand,  ...  In  support 
of  the  view  we  have  been  led  to  take, 
we  may  add,  that  if  the  birds  had  lain 
two  cubits  deep  upon  the  ground,  the 
far  greater  part  of  them  must  have  been 
dead  before  they  could  have  been  col- 
lected, and  would  therefore  have  been 
unfit  for  food,  since  the  Israelites  could 
eat  nothing  that  had  died  of  suflfoca- 


k  Ex.  16.  36. 


168  NUMBERS.  [B.  0.  1490. 

32  And  the  people  stood  up  all  1  ered  the  quails :  he  that  gathered 
that  day,  and  all  ihat  night,  and  least  gathered  ten  ^  homers :  and 
all  the  next  day,  and  they  gath- 

tion,  or  the  blood  of  which  had  not  been 
poured  out." 

V.  32.  And  the  people  stood  up  all 
that  day,  etc.  Rather,  "  rose  up  "  (Heb. 
ydlcom) ;  that  is,  they  engaged  earnestly 
in  the  work,  and  were  intent  upon  gath- 
ering the  fowls  for  thirty-six  hours.  This 
is  not  unfrequently  the  import  of  the  ori- 
ginal term. T[  He  that  gathered  least 

gathered  ten  homers.  Or,  "  ten  heaps," 
as  the  original  word  ho^ner  is  properly 
distinguished  from  omer,  a  much  small- 
er measure,  and  from  hamor,  an  ass,  or 
the  load  that  was  commonly  laid  upon 
that  animal.  But  some  writers  make 
it  equal  to  the  cor,  which  is  more  than 
double  the  weight,  and  is  the  common 
load  of  a  camel.  But  it  was  not  neces- 
sary that  every  one  should  gather  ten 
camel  loads  of  quails  ;  for  God  had 
promised  his  people  flesh  for  a  month, 
and  would  have  fulfilled  his  promise 
had  he  bestowed  on  every  individual 
the  third  part  of  a  cor,  or  camel's  bur- 
den. The  truth  of  this  assertion  will 
appear,  when  it  is  considered,  that 
every  Israelite  received  for  his  daily 
subsistence,  an  omer  of  manna,  which 
is  the  tenth  part  of  an  ephah.  But  an 
ephah  is  the  tenth  part  of  a  cor  ;  and 
by  consequence,  a  cor  contains  an  hun- 
dred omers.  If  then,  an  omer  is  suffi- 
cient for  one  day,  a  cor  must  be  suffi- 
cient for  an  hundred  days,  that  is,  for 
more  than  three  months.  Hence,  if 
every  Israelite  gathered  ten  cors  of 
quails,  they  collected  thirty  times  more 
than  God  had  promised.  Bochart  en- 
deavors to  remove  this  difficulty,  by 
observing,  that  Moses,  in  this  verse, 
speaks  only  of  the  heads  of  families, 
leaving  out  of  his  enumeration,  the 
women,  children,  and  slaves.  But  it 
is  evident,  that  Moses  did  not  use  the 


word  people,  in  this  restricted  sense; 
for  he  states,  that  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
was  kindled  against  the  people  that 
gathered  the  quails.  Dissatisfied,  there- 
fore, with  this  solution,  Bochart  pro- 
poses another  with  which  he  is  better 
pleased :  The  ten  ho7ners  are  not  ten 
cors,  but  ten  heaps  /  for  in  this  sense, 
the  word  is  sometimes  used.  Thus,  in 
the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk,  ch.  3 :  15, 
homer  signifies  a  heap  of  many  waters ; 
and  in  the  book  of  Exodus,  ch.  8 :  14,  a 
heap  of  frogs,  Onkelos  and  other  in- 
terpreters accordingly  render  it  in  this 
passage,  ten  heaps.  If  this  be  admit- 
ted, Moses  has  not  determined  the  quan- 
tity of  these  birds  which  every  one  gath- 
ered ;  but  only  says,  that  every  one  at 
least  gathered  ten  heaps,  that  is,  by  a 
familiar  phrase  among  the  Hebrews,  a 
very  great  number;  for  ten  is  often 
used  in  Scripture  for  many.  This  ver- 
sion ought,  perhaps,  to  be  preferred, 
both  on  account  of  what  has  been  al- 
ready stated,  and  because  the  cor  is  a 
measure  of  corn,  not  of  flesh.  The 
view  now  given  is  of  some  value ;  for 
if  every  Israelite  gatheied  ten  cors  of 
quails,  the  number  of  these  birds  must 
have  been  so  great  as  to  exceed  all  be- 
lief. But  it  has  been  shown,  that  in- 
stead of  ten  cors,  an  Israelite  did  not 
collect  and  use  the  third  part  of  one. 
It  is  not  meant  to  limit  the  power  of 
God  ;  but  surely  no  violence  should  be 
oflered  to  human  belief,  by  requiring 
more  from  it,  than  God  has  revealed 
in  his  word.  The  quantities  collected 
must  have  been  at  any  rate  immense, 
and  give  new  force  to  the  language  of 
the  Psalmist,  Ps.  78:27,  "He  rained 
flesh  upon  them  as  dust,  and  feathered 
fowls  like  as  the  sand  of  the  sea."  In 
indulging  themselves  in  feasting  upon 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


169 


they  spread  theyn  all  abroad  for 
themselves  round  about  the  camp. 
33  And  while  '  the  flesh  was 
yet  between  their  teeth,  ere  it 
was  chewed,  the  wrath  of  the 
Lord  was  kindled  against  the 
people,  and  the  Lord  smote  the 
people  with  a  very  great  plague. 


this  new  luxury  it  is  evident  that  their 
appetites  scarce  knew  bounds.  The 
consequence  was  what  might  be  antici- 
pated ;  they  ate  to  surfeiting,  and  the 

surfeiting  was    fatal. T[  And   they 

spread  {them)  all  abroad  round  about 
the  camp.  Heb.  "  Spread  for  them- 
selves a  spreading."  Evidently  imply- 
ing that  they  were  thus  spread  in  order 
to  be  dried  in  the  sun  for  preservation. 
''This  is  the  first  indication  in  Scrip- 
ture of  animal  food  being  prepared  so 
as  to  be  preserved  for  future  occasions. 
Our  earliest  information  concerning  the 
Egyptians  describes  them  as  salting  and 
drying,  for  future  use,  great  quantities 
of  hsh  and  fowl.  A  nomade  people,  as 
the  Hebrews  were  when  they  went 
down  to  Egypt,  never  think  of  any  such 
process,  even  at  the  present  day.  It  is 
therefore  natural  to  conclude  that  they 
learnt  this  simple  and  useful  art  from 
the  Egyptians.  We  are  disposed  to 
conclude  with  Calmet  (in  his  note  on 
the  place),  that  the  Hebrews  salted 
their  quails  before  they  dried  them. 
"We  have  here,  then,  the  earliest  indi- 
cation of  processes,  the  benefits  result- 
ing from  which  have  become  so  diflfused 
and  familiar,  that  it  costs  an  effort  of 
recollection  to  recognize  them  as  bene- 
fits."—Picz!.  Bible. 

V.  33.  Ere  it  was  chewed.  Heb.  terem 
yiJcMreth,  ere  it  tvas  cut  of ;  which 
Pool  and  others  understand  of  the  sup- 
pi}^  of  quails — before  it  ceased  at  the  end 
of  the  month.     Thus  Joel  1:5,"  Howl, 

8 


34  And  he  called  the  name  of 
that  place  Kibroth-hattaavah ; 
because  there  they  buried  the 
people  that  lusted. 

35  And  the  people  journeyed 
'"from  Kibroth-hattaavah  unto 
Hazeroth ;  and  abode  at  Haze- 
roth. 


all  ye  drinkers  of  wine,  because  of  the 
new  wine ;  for  it  is  cut  off  (Heb.  nih- 
rath)  from  your  mouth,"  that  is,  taken 
away,  made  to  cease.  So  also  the  Vulg. 
"As  yet  the  flesh  was  between  their 
teeth,  neither  had  that  Jcind  of  meat 
failed."  Yet  the  present  rendering  is 
admissible,  though  not  we  think  quite 
so  probable,  as  the  term  nowhere  else 
occurs  in  the  sense  of  chewing.  The 
Psalmist  thus  alludes  to  this  portion  of 
the  sacred  history  : — "  So  they  did  eat, 
and  were  well  filled :  for  he  gave  them 
their  own  desire  ;  they  were  not  estran- 
ged from  their  lusts.  But  while  the  meat 
was  yet  in  their  mouths,  the  wrath  of 
God  came  upon  them,  and  slew  the  fat- 
test of  them,  and  smote  down  the  chosen 
men  of  Israel ;  "  where  it  is  observable, 
that  the  original  word  for  "chosen" 
(bahurim)  is  the  same  with  that  ren- 
dered "  young  men,"  v.  19. 1[  The 

Lord  smote  the  people  with  a  very  great 
plague.  Heb.  "Smote  with  a  very 
great  smiting."  "  With  a  very  great 
slaughter." — Cov.,  Mat.  The  term 
"plague"  in  our  translation  is  of  very 
indefinite  import,  equivalent  to  stroke 
or  judgment.  It  was  doubtless  some 
kind  of  bodily  disease  or  pestilence,  the 
legitimate  effect  of  their  surfeit.  As 
Attersoll  remarks,  "their  sweet  meat 
had  sour  sauce." 

V.  34.  And  he  called  the  name  of 
that  place  Kibroth-hattaavah.  That  is, 
"  graves  of  lust."  Yulg.  "  Sepulchres 
of  concupiscence."     There  is  a  distinct 


170 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

AND  Miriam  and  Aaron  spake 
against  Moses  because   of 

allusion  to  the  term  in  Ps,  78 :  29,  SO, 
"  So  they  did  eat,  and  were  well  filled  ; 
for  he  gave  them  their  own  desire  (Heb. 
taavatham) ;  they  were  not  estranged 
from  their  lust  (Heb.  mittaavdtham).^' 
The  words  *'  he  called"  may  be  render- 
ed impersonally  "  one  called,"  i.  e.  the 
name  of  the  place  was  called.  That  is 
to  say,  The  name  of  the  place  was  made 
a  memorial  of  the  sin  and  the  punish- 
ment by  which  it  was  distinguished. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Sedition  of  Miriam  and  Aaron 
against  Moses,  and  its  Consequences. 

V.  1.  And  Miriam  and  Aaron  spahe 
against  Moses.  Heb.  "  And  Miriam 
spake  and  Aaron."  The  form  of  the 
expression  implies  that  Miriam  took 
the  lead  in  the  disaffection,  which  is 
confirmed  by  the  fact,  that  she  and  not 
Aaron  was  smitten  with  the  plague  of 
leprosy,  v.  10.  Here  also,  as  in  the 
case  of  our  first  parents,  the  woman 
was  the  first  in  the  transgression.  The 
sin  recorded  in  the  previous  chapter 
was  a  sin  of  the  bodily  appetites  break- 
ing out  among  the  lower  orders  of  the 
people ;  the  sin  here  mentioned  was  a 
sin  of  ambition  and  vainglory  originat- 
ing with  the  chief  personages  of  the 
host,  for  these  three  held  the  pre-emi- 
nence among  the  people.  Mic.  6  : 4, 
"  For  I  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  redeemed  thee  out  of  the 
house  of  servants ;  and  I  sent  before 
thee  Moses,  Aaron,  and  Miriam."  It  is 
of  course  impossible  to  determine  pre- 
cisely the  grounds  of  this  disaffection, 
for  although  his  marriage  with  an  Ethi- 


the  Ethiopian  woman  "whom  he 
had  married  :  for  he  "  had  mar- 
ried an  Ethiopian  woman. 


opian  woman  was  the  ostensible  occa- 
sion, yet  from  the  next  verse,  it  would 
seem  that  they  mainly  found  fault  with 
Moses'  imdue  assumptions  as  the  Lord's 
messenger.  The  suggestion  is  not  very 
improbable  that  some  resentment  was 
felt  on  account  of  Aaron's  not  having 
been  consulted  in  the  choice  of  the  sev- 
enty elders,  and  also  from  the  fact  that 
Moses  was  wont  to  advise  with  his 
wife's  relations,  Jethro  and  Hobab,  on 
important  emergencies  ;  for  which  rea- 
son Miriam  had  now  stirred  up  a  quar- 
rel, wherein  not  daring  to  assail  him  in 
person,  they  make  his  marriage  with 
one  of  a  foreign  race  the  pretence  for 
their  rebellious  conduct.  "  The  unkind- 
ness  of  our  friends  is  sometimes  a  great- 
er trial  of  our  meekness  than  the  malice 

of  our  enemies." — Henry. Tf  Because 

of  the  Ethiopian  woman  whom  he  had 
married.  Heb.  "  Because  of  the  wom- 
an the  Cushite."  And  thus  it  is  ren- 
dered by  most  of  the  oriental  versions, 
while  the  Sept.,  Vulg.  and  Gr.  Vers, 
adopt  the  term  Etliiopian.  "  Cushite  " 
comes  from  Cush,  the  son  of  Ham.  The 
name  is  applied  in  Scripture  not  only 
to  a  portion  of  Africa,  but  to  a  part  of 
Arabia  also,  which  is  explained  by  the 
descendants  of  Cush  having  left  their 
name  in  certain  regions  where  they  so- 
journed some  time  prior  to  their  final 
passage  into  Africa.  It  is  a  difficult 
point  to  determine  whether  by  this 
Cushite  woman  is  to  be  understood  Zip- 
porah,  or  another  whom  he  had  mar- 
ried subsequent  to  Zipporah's  death. 
If  it  were  Zipporah,  how  can  we  sup- 
pose that  after  Moses  had  been  married 
to  her  for  forty  years,  the  union  should 
have  been  brought  up  as  the  ostensible 
ground  of  the  present  quarrel  ?   We  are 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


171 


2  And  they  said,  Hath  the 
Lord  indeed  spoken  only  by 
Moses  ?    hath    he    not   spoken 

on  the  whole  inclined  to  the  opinion 
that  it  was  another  woman  of  Cushite 
origin  who  is  here  alluded  to,  and  that 
the  whole  transaction  was  ordered  or 
overruled  with  reference  to  a  typical 
bearing,  which  is  distinctly  recognized 
in  the  commentaries  of  several  of  the 
early  Christian  fathers,  viz.  that  Moses 
should  stand  as  a  type  of  Christ,  Aaron 
of  the  Jewish  priesthood,  Miriam  of 
the  Jewish  synagogue  or  body  of  the 
people,  and  the  Ethiopian  or  Cushite 
woman  of  the  Gentile  church  espoused 
by  faith  to  the  Lord.  This  view  is  en- 
tirely consistent  with  the  general  typi- 
cal tenor  of  the  Old  Testament,  wherein 
so  many  gospel  mysteries  are  shadowed 
forth.  The  Jews,  as  is  well  known,  re- 
sented the  adoption  of  the  church  of 
the  Gentiles,  the  mystical  Ethiopian  or 
black  bride  of  the  Lord,  of  whom,  how- 
ever, it  is  said  in  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
ch.  1:5,  "I  am  black,  but  comely,  0 
ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,"  so  that  we 
are  not  required  to  understand  by  blach 
an  unsightly  or  repulsive  hue,  as  if 
Moses  had  married  a  negress,  but  sim- 
ply one  of  that  complexion  which  was 
common  among  the  natives  of  the  Ara- 
bian peninsula,  and  which  is  probably 
to  be  witnessed  in  the  swarthy  counte- 
nances of  the  tribes  that  rove  over  that 
region  at  the  present  day.  It  is  re- 
markable that  the  Chald.  translates 
the  passage,  "  Because  of  the  beautiful 
woman  whom  he  had  married ;  for  he 
had  married  a  beautiful  woman."  The 
commentators  are  all  at  a  loss  to  ac- 
count for  this  version,  and  we  share 
ourselves  in  their  perplexity,  unless  it 
may  be  in  some  way  based  upon  mysti- 
cal grounds.  We  may  remark,  in  this 
connection,  that  Josephus,  Philo,  and 
others,  take  the  woman  here  spoken  of 


*also  "by  us?  And  the  Lord 
heard '  it. 

b  Ex.  15.  20.  Mic.  6.  4.  c  c.  11.  1.  Ps.  94.  7-9. 
Is.  37,4.     Ezek.  35.  12,  13. 

to  be,  not  Zipporah,  but  another  whom 
he  subsequently  married.  Indeed,  it  is 
not  easy  to  satisfy  one's  self  on  what 
ground  Zipporah  should  have  been 
termed  an  Ethiopian  or  Cushite  unless 
it  were  certain  that  the  specific  territory 
of  Midian,  where  she  was  born,  was 
also  called  after  Cush,  of  which  we 
doubt  if  there  is  sufficient  evidence  to 

establish  the  fact. Tj  For  Tie  Jiadmar- 

ried  an  Etidopian  woman.  Heb.  "  Had 
taken,"  i.  e.  to  wife,  or  had  married. 
This  is  often  the  distinctive  sense  of  the 
original,  as  1  Chron.  2  :  19,  21.  2  Chron. 
11 :  20.  Neh.  6  :  18.  10  :  30.  Perhaps 
the  case  of  Moses  in  this  instance  may 
be,  in  some  respects,  paralleled  by  that 
ot  Hosea,  ch.  1  :  2,  3. 

V.  2.  Hath  the  Lord  indeed  spohen 
only  hy  Mosea?  The  original  is  still 
more  emphatic.  "  Hath  the  Lord  in- 
deed spoken  only  by  Moses  alone  ?  "  It 
is  observable,  also,  that  the  Heb.  phrase 
for  "  by  Moses"  (he-Mosheh)  may  be  ren- 
dered "  in  Moses,"  implying  an  inward 
revelation  by  the  Spirit.  It  is,  howev- 
er, variously  rendered  by  the  versions, 
"through  Moses,"  "to  Moses,"  and 
"  with  Moses."  Rosenmuller  supposes 
the  sense  to  be,  that  iuasmuch  as  they 
also  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  divine  rev- 
elations they  could  perceive  that  he  had 
entered  into  this  marriage  against  the 
will  of  the  Lord,  and  solely  by  the  im- 
pulse of  his  own  mind,  and  consequently 

that  they  did  right  to  condemn  it. ■ 

^  Hath  he  not  spohen  also  hy  us  ?  Or, 
Heb.  "in  us,"  as  David  says,  "The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  hy  me  ("<",  hiy 
in  me)  and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue." 
The  drift  is,  are  we  not  prophets  as  well 
as  he  ?  For  this  character  is  predicated 
both  of  Aaron  and  Miriam,  Ex.  4 :  15, 16. 
15-20.  Mic.  6  : 4.    They  would  intimate 


172 


KUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490. 


3  (Now  the  man  Moses  was 
very  meek  above  all  the   men 

that  Moses  had  mixed  and  debased  the 
holy  seed,  which  they  had  not  done. 
As  if  they  should  say,  Why  should  he 
take  all  power  to  himself  and  appoint 
elders  as  he  pleases,  without  consulting 
us?  Is  he  alone  acquainted  with  the 
mind  of  God  ?  Are  we  not  also  equal 
sharers  in  that  honor?  But  surely  if 
they  were  endowed  as  they  claim  with 
a  prophetical  spirit  equal  to  that  of  Mo- 
ses, how  could  they  fail  to  be  aware 
that  the  whole  matter  had  been  ordered 
by  the  immediate  direction  of  the  Lord 
himself,  and  that  Moses  was  merely  a 
servant  for  carrying  out  his  mandates. 
Their  murmuring,  therefore,  was  evi- 
dently not  so  much  against  Moses  as 

against  the  Lord. Tf  And  the  Lord 

Jieard  it.  That  is,  took  notice  of  their 
words  and  of  their  deportment  towards 
Moses.  It  is  not  absolutely  necessary 
to  suppose  that  this  language  was  ut- 
tered orally,  although  the  presumption 
is  that  it  was;  but  from  ch.  11 : 1,  we 
learn  that  the  Lord  is  said  to  Tiear  what 
merely  passes  in  the  thoughts  without 
being  expressed  in  words.  It  is  a  rich 
source  of  comfort  to  a  good  man  that 
the  reproaches  of  his  enemies  come  to 
the  ears  of  the  Most  High  before  they 
do  to  his  own,  even  before  they  are 
uttered. 

V.  3.  Now  the  man  Moses  was  very 
meek,  etc.  Heb.  dndv,  Gr.  -npavs,  Lat. 
mitissimus,  all  implying  the  quality  of 
m,eelcness,  gentleness,  fatient  endurance, 
etc.  It  comes  from  a  root  signifying  to 
afflict,  to  humble,  to  depress,  to  oppress, 
and  Adam  Clarke  and  some  others  are 
inclined  to  take  the  word  in  this  con- 
nection as  equivalent  to  depressed  or 
afflicted,  that  is,  by  reason  of  the  op- 
pressive burden  laid  upon  him  in  the 
care  and  government  of  the  people,  and 
because  of  their  ingratitude  and  rebel- 


which  were  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.) 


lion  towards  him.  In  this  case  the 
drift  of  Moses  is  not  to  laud  himself, 
but  simply  to  advert  to  the  grievous 
trials  of  his  situation.  It  is  known  to 
the  Hebrew  scholar  that  that  language 
exhibits  the  two  forms  IDS'  dnav,  and 
IDS'  dni,  of  which  the  former  is  usually 
rendered  m^eelc,  humble,  poor,  while  the 
latter  is  rendered  poor,  afflicted,  hum- 
hie,  lowly,  needy.  It  is  evident,  there- 
fore, that  there  is  an  intimate  relation 
between  the  two  words  and  that  one  is 
easily  interchangeable  with  the  other. 
Accordingly  we  may  admit  on  safe 
grounds  that  the  idea  of  affliction  is  in- 
volved in  that  of  meelcness,  which  the 
usage  of  the  original  sufficiently  con- 
firms. Thus  the  Heb.  dni,  Zech.  9  :  9, 
"  Behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee  : 
he  is  just,  and  having  salvation  ;  lowly, 
and  riding  upon  an  ass,"  is  rendered 
by  -rrpavs,  meeh.  Mat.  21 :  5,  showing 
that  dni  and  dndv  are  interchanged  by 
the  sacred  writers.  Luther  renders  by 
"  geplagter,"  plagued,  vexed,  harassed, 
annoyed.  It  is  supposed  that  by  this 
interpretation  the  credit  of  Moses  is 
saved  on  the  score  of  modesty ;  for  how, 
it  is  asked,  could  a  good  and  wise  man, 
like  Moses,  pass  such  an  encomium  upon 
himself?  "  Let  another  praise  thee, 
and  not  thine  own  mouth  ;  a  stranger, 
and  not  thine  own  lips."  So  abhorrent, 
indeed,  is  this  language  conceived  to  be 
to  all  just  ideas  of  the  character  of  Mo- 
ses, that  many  judicious  expositors 
have  supposed  that  the  passage  was  not 
written  by  Moses,  but  inserted  by  some 
other  hand  in  after  times ;  a  suggestion 
apparently  favored  by  the  fact  that  the 
clause  is  parenthetical,  and  the  sense 
of  the  context  complete  without  it,  as 
also  that  the  peculiar  expression  "  the 
man  Moses"  nowhere  else  occurs.  It 
may  be  remarked,  however,  that  the 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTEK  Xn. 


173 


4  And  ^  the  Lord  spake  sud- 
denly unto  Moses,  and  unto 
Aaron,  and  unto  Miriam,  Come 

d  Ps.  76.  9. 

encomium,  as  it  stands,  seems  to  be  ex- 
torted from  Moses  as  a  necessary  vindi- 
cation of  himself  from  unjust  reproach 
rather  than  volunteered  from  a  princi- 
ple of  vainglory  or  overweening  self- 
conceit.  In  a  somewhat  similar  vein 
Paul  occasionally  speaks  of  himself  in 
view  of  injurious  aspersions  cast  upon 
him  (2  Cor.  11  :  10,  23.  12  :  11,  12).  It 
is  urged  by  objectors,  that  even  admit- 
ting the  words  to  have  proceeded  from 
the  pen  of  Moses,  they  are  hardly  sus- 
tained by  what  we  elsewhere  learn  of 
his  character,  which  in  several  instan- 
ces discovered  traits  quite  the  reverse 
of  meekness,  evincing  in  fact  a  peculiar 
irascibility.  But  we  think  it  will  be 
found  in  these  cases  that  whatever  ex- 
citement he  manifested  was  merely  the 
working  of  a  commendable  zeal  for  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  which  is  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  the  most  genuine  meek- 
ness. Every  man  ought  to  be  stirred 
up  to  a  holy  indignation  when  God  is 
oflFended  and  dishonored.  We  may  say, 
too,  that  the  penmen  of  holy  writ  are 
not  to  be  held  amenable  to  precisely  the 
same  rules  as  are  prescribed  to  other 
writers,  for  they  were  guided  by  a  di- 
vine influence  in  which  their  personali- 
ty was  in  a  great  measure  sunk ;  and 
as  they  were  oftentimes  moved  to  pro- 
claim their  own  faults  and  infirmities, 
we  see  nothing  indecorous  in  their 
sometimes  using  the  language  of  self- 
commendation,  when  it  is  clear,  from 
the  whole  tenor  of  their  writings,  that 
they  were  not  prompted  by  self-com- 
placency, that  they  were  superior  to  the 
praises  or  reproaches  of  men,  and  were 
in  fact  mere  organs  through  whom  an- 
other power  than  their  own  acted.  The 
passage  before  us,  therefore,  may  be 


out  ye  three  unto  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation.  And  they 
three  came  out. 


regarded  rather  as  the  testimony  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  respecting  Moses,  than  as 
Moses'  testimony  respecting  himself. 
And  may  not  the  omniscient  Spirit  tes- 
tify in  this  case  ?  Who  will  presume  to 
deny  the  truth  of  the  statement  ?  To 
all  which  we  may  add,  that,  taken  in 
the  connection  in  which  they  stand,  the 
words  may  be  considered  as  offering  a 
reason  why  Moses  took  no  notice  of  the 
charges  brought  against  him,  commit- 
ting himself  to  the  protection  of  the 
Lord,  who  heard  the  aspersions  cast 
upon  his  servant,  and  who  took  his 
vindication  into  his  own  hands.  Ac- 
cordant with  this  is  the  rendering  of  the 
Vulg.,  "And  when  the  Lord  heard  this 
(for  Moses  was  a  man  exceeding  meek 
above  all  men  that  dwelt  upon  the 
earth),  immediately  he  spoke  to  him, 
and  to  Aaron  and  Mary,"  etc.  This 
implies  that  Moses  was  a  man  of  so 
much  meekness  and  resignation,  that 
he  forbore  to  act  in  the  matter,  and 
calmly  relinquished  every  thing  to  the 
divine  direction. 

V.  4.  And  the  Lord  spaJce  suddenly, 
etc.  Thus  showing  the  severity  of  his 
displeasure,  which  brooked  no  delay, 
and  precluding  every  intimation  that 
Moses  had  first  complained  to  God  and 
sought  revenge.  Thus  the  Lord  shows 
himself  to  be  a  "  swift  witness  "  against 
evil-doers.  Comp.  Ps.  50  :  19-21.  "  The 
more  silent  we  are  in  our  own  cause, 
the  more  is  God  engaged  to  plead  it." — 

Henry. H    Come  out  ye    three,   etc. 

The  order  was  doubtless  given  by  some 
direct  communication  to  the  parties. 
They  were  all  three  summoned  as  in  a 
judicial  manner  to  appear  before  the 
Lord,  and  from  the  style  of  the  sum- 
mons it  might  have  seemed  that  they 


174 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


5  And  the  Lord  came  down 
*  in  the  pillar  of  the  cloud,  and 
stood  in  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle, and  called  Aaron  and 
Miriam :  and  they  both  came 
forth. 

6  And  he  said,  Hear  now  my 

e  c.  11.  25. 

were  all  equally  guilty,  but  the  sequel 
soon  made  it  apparent  that  the  innocent 
will  be  separated  from  offenders  when- 
ever the  Lord  rises  to  judgment. 

V.  6.  And  the  Lord  came  down  in 
the  pillar  of  the  cloud.  Chald.  "  And 
the  Lord  revealed  himself."  The  pil- 
lar of  cloud  which  usually  rested  over 
the  Tabernacle,  and  more  especially 
over  the  Most  Holy  Place,  here  removed 
itself,  and  together  with  the  indwelling 
Shekinah  descended  and  took  its  sta- 
tion at  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle. 

And  they  both  came  forth.  But  from 
whence?  From  their  own  tents,  or 
from  the  Tabernacle  ?  Not  the  latter, 
for  they  were  ordered,  v.  4,  to  come 
"  unto  "  the  Tabernacle,  but  not  **  into" 
it.  But  if  it  be  understood  of  Moses' 
or  any  other  tent,  it  is  stated  already, 
V.  4,  that  "  they  three  came  out."  Our 
inference  therefore  is  that  the  coming 
forth  of  Aaron  and  Miriam,  in  the  pres- 
ent case,  was  merely  an  advancing  or 
coming  forward  from  whatever  place 
they  may  have  been  occupying  at  the 
moment,  perhaps  from  the  midst  of  a 
surrounding  crowd. 

V.  6.  If  there  be  a  prophet  among  you. 
Heb.  im  yihyeh  nebiakem,  if  there  shall 
be  a prop}(£t-of-you,  having  the  pronoun 
suffixed  instead  of  separate.  Chald.  **  If 
there  shall  be  prophets  to  you."  Gr. 
"  If  there  shall  be  a  prophet  of  you  to 
the  Lord."  That  is,  if  a  prophet,  or  a 
class  of  prophets,  shall  be  a  distinguish- 
ing appendage  of  you,  the  people,  as  a 
body,  then  I  will  make  known  myself, 
etc.    The  language  does  not  truly  inti- 


words :  If  there  be  a  prophet 
among  you,  /  the  Lord  will 
make  myself  known  unto  him  in 
a  vision  ^,  and  will  speak  unto 
him  in  a  ^  dream. 

7  My  servant  Moses  is  not 

/  Gen.  15.  1.  46.  2.  Job  33.  15.  Ezek.  1.  1.  Luke 
l.ll.'2i.  Acts  10.  11,  17.  ijGen.31.  n.  1  K.  3.  5. 
Job  33.  15. 


mate  any  doubt  of  the  fact  of  there  be- 
ing prophets  among  them,  but  the  Lord 
would  have  it  understood  that  he  did 
not  communicate  his  mind  to  all  alike, 
but  with  such  a  diversity  as  to  consti- 
tute a  remarkable  distinction  between 
Moses  and  others.  On  the  import  of 
the  term  "  prophet,"  see  Note  on  Gen. 
20  :  7. 1[  (/)  the  Lord  will  make  my- 
self hnown  unto  him  in  a  vision,  {and) 
will  speak  unto  him  in  a  dream.  The 
phraseology  in  the  original  is  peculiar 
from  the  absence  of  the  personal  pro- 
noun "  I,"  although  it  is  clear  from  the 
grammatical  forms  that  our  present 
reading  is  correct.  "In  a  vision." 
Chald.  *'  In  visions."  The  original  ma- 
rdh  is  a  derivative  from  the  root  rddh, 
to  see,  and  is  for  the  most  part  rendered 
sight  or  appearance.  It  does  not,  like 
"  dream,"  necessarily  imply  a  state  of 
sleep,  but  rather  a  state  of  trance  or 
ecstasy  which  might  come  upon  a  man 
while  fully  awake,  and  in  which,  by 
means  of  a  peculiar  opening  of  the  spir- 
itual senses,  he  was  made  to  see  various 
objects  or  scenes  that  stood  forth  ob- 
jectively to  his  view,  and  which  were 
replete  with  an  inner  significancy.  Im- 
ages and  forms  were  exhibited  to  the 
percipient  power  of  the  mind,  but  un- 
accompanied by  any  voice.  Dreams, 
on  the  other  hand,  occurred  in  sleep, 
and  by  divine  operation  were  made  a 
medium  of  communications  from  heav- 
en.  T[    Will  speak  unto  him,  in  a 

dream.     Or,  Heb.  edabber  bo,  will  speak 
in  him. 
V.  7.   My  servant  Moses  is  not  so. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


175 


so,  who  is  faithful  ^  in  all  mine 
house '. 

8    With    him   will   I    speak 

AHeb.  3.  2,  5.  .'  1  Tim.  3.  15.     1  Pet.  2.  4,  5. 

That  is,  the  same  conditions  do  not  hold 
in  regard  to  Moses.  Mv  mind  and  will 
are  not  made  known  to  him  bj  either 
of  the  two  methods  above  mentioned. 
He  is,  therefore,  if  any  thing,  more  than 
a  prophet,  having  the  prerogative  of  a 
much  higher  kind  of  intercourse  with 
heaven  than  is  accorded  to  any  other 

person. ^    WTio  is  faithful  in  all 

mine  liouse.  That  is,  in  all  my  church, 
for  that  such  is  the  import  of  the  ex- 
pression is  clear  from  1  Tim.  3 :  15, 
"  That  thou  mayest  know  how  thou 
oughtest  to  behave  thyself  in  the  house 
of  God,  wldch  is  the  church  of  the  liv- 
ing God.'"  Chald.  "  In  (or  among)  all 
my  people."  Targ.  Jon.  "In  all  the 
house  of  Israel  my  people."  The  ori- 
ginal for  "faithful"  is  neeman,  from 
aman,  denoting fnnness,  stability ,  reli- 
ability. It  occurs  1  Sam.  3  :  20,  "  And 
all  Israel,  from  Dan  even  to  Beer-sheba, 
knew  that  Samuel  was  est-ahlished  (Heb. 
neeman)  to  be  a  prophet  of  the  Lord." 
Hence  in  the  present  form  fidelity  or 
trvsttcoitliiness.  Moses  was  more  espe- 
cially reputed  faithful  from  the  fiict  of 
his  doing  nothing  of  himself,  or  of  his 
own  motion,  but  only  as  required  of  the 
Lord.  To  this  passage  the  language  of 
the  apostle,  Heb.  3  : 1-6,  has  a  direct 
reference  : — "  Wherefore,  holy  breth- 
ren, partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling, 
consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest 
of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus  ;  who 
was  faithful  to  him  that  appointed  him, 
as  also  Moses  was  faithful  in  all  his 
house.  For  this  man  was  counted  wor- 
thy of  more  glory  than  Moses,  inasmuch 
as  he  who  hath  builded  the  house  hath 
more  honor  than  the  house.  For  every 
house  is  builded  by  some  man  ;  but  he 
that  built  all  things  is  God.     And  Mo- 


mouth  *  to  mouth,  even  appar- 
ently, and  not  in  dark  speech- 
es ;    and  the  similitude  of  the 

*  Ex.  33.  11.     Deut.  34.  10. 

ses  verily  was  faithful  in  all  his  house, 
as  a  servant,  for  a  testimony  of  those 
things  which  were  to  be  spoken  after ; 
but  Christ  as  a  son  over  his  own  house ; 
whose  house  are  we,  if  we  hold  fast  the 
confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope 
firm  unto  the  end." 

V.  8.  With  him  will  I  speah  mouth 
to  mouth.  That  is,  openly,  plainly,  fa- 
miliarly, and  without  the  intervention 
of  any  medium.  He  shall  have  free  and 
frequent  access  to  me  ;  I  will  speak  to 
him  as  one  friend  speaketh  to  another ; 
and  he  shall  be  permitted  to  consult  me 
on  all  needful  occasions  without  reserve 
or  perturbation.  All  which  will  be 
evident  tokens  of  a  privilege  in  which 
my  faithful  servant  is  to  have  no  com- 
petitor.     See  this  language  explained 

in  the  Note  on  Ex.  33  :  11. ^  Even 

apparently.  Heb.  u-mareh,  and  {ac- 
cording to)  appearance,  the  same  word 
as  occurs  v.  6,  and  implying  that  vis- 
ionary representations,  such  as  the  pat- 
[  tern  of  the  Tabernacle,  would  be  one  of 
;  the  features  of  revelation  granted  him. 

T[  And  not  in  dark  speeches.     Heb. 

I  ve-lohehidoth,  and ?iotby  enigmas.  Ains- 
worth  remarks  that  the  term  in  the  ori- 
ginal implies  shatpness,  and  intimates 
the  necessity  of  sharpness  of  wit  both 
1  in  propounding  and  expounding  such 
1  enigmatical   or  parabolical   sayings  as 
I  are  intended  by  it,  i.  e.  something  con- 
j  veyed  in  figurative  language  designed 
1  to  exercise  the  ingenuity  of  the  hearer 
or  reader.     Its  usage  may  be  seen  in 
the  following  examples;  Judg.  14:12, 
13,  etc.    "  And  Samson  said  unto  them, 
I  will  now  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  you, 
etc.    And  they  said  unto  him.  Put  forth 
thy  riddle,  that  we  may  hear  it."    Ezek. 
17  :  2,  3,  "  Son  of  man,  put  foi"th  a  rid- 


176 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


Lord  shall  he  behold :    where- 1  to   speak    against    my  servant 
fore  then  were   ye   not  '  afraid    Moses  ? 


I  2  Pet.  '2.  10. 


die,  and  speak  a  parable  unto  the  house 
of  Israel ;  and  say,  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
God,  A  great  eagle  with  great  wings, 
long-winged,  full  of  feathers,  which  had 
divers  colors,  came  unto  Lebanon,"  etc. 
Aben  Ezra,  in  explaining  the  difference 
between  mareh,  appearance,  and  Mdah, 
riddle  or  parable,  says  that  the  model 
of  the  Tabernacle  shown  to  Moses  on 
the  mount  was  a  specimen  of  the  for- 
mer, and  the  parable  of  the  great  eagle 
with  great  wings  of  the  latter.  All  dark 
and  hidden  doctrine  is  called  also  by  the 
same  original  term,  as  Ps.  49 :  4,  "I 
will  incline  mine  ear  to  a  parable;  I 
will  open  my  dark  saying  upon  the 
harp."  This  passage  when  quoted 
Mat.  13  :  35,  for  dai'h  sayings  has  Jcek- 
rummena,  hidden  tilings ;  and  Paul 
thus  incidentally  throws  light  upon  it, 
1  Cor.  13  :  12,  "  And  now  we  see  through 
a  glass  darldy  (Gr.  en  ainigmati,  in  a 
riddle),  but  then  face  to  face,"  This  is 
virtually  the  same  distinction  as  that 
announced  here  between  the  vision  of 

Moses  and  that  of  other  prophets. 

Tf  And  the  similitude  of  the  Lord  shall 
he  'behold.  Heb.  temunath,  liheneas, 
image.  Gr.  "And  he  hath  seen  the 
glory  of  the  Lord."  The  precise  idea 
intended  to  be  conveyed  in  these  words 
is  not  obvious.  Comparing  the  passage 
with  Dent.  4  :  12,  15,  it  is  evident  that 
Moses  was  to  be  empowered  to  see 
something  of  the  Divine  manifestation 
which  the  people  were  not,  for  it  is 
said,  "  The  Lord  spake  unto  you  out  of 
the  midst  of  the  fire ;  ye  heard  the  voice 
of  the  words,  but  saw  no  similitude ; 
only  ye  heard  a  voice."  A  similitude, 
however,  of  some  kind  Moses  was  priv- 
ileged to  behold,  although  the  privilege 
is  to  be  understood  in  a  sense  which 
shall  not  conflict  with  declarations  like 


the  following :  Ex.  33  :  20,  "  For  there 
shall  no  man  see  me,  and  live."  John  1 : 
18,  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time ; 
the  only-  begotten  who  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him." 
John  6  :  37,  "  Ye  have  neither  heard  his 
voice  at  any  time,  nor  seen  his  shape." 
Col.  1:15,  "Who  is  the  image  of  the 
invisible  God."  1  Tim.  6 :  16,  "  Whom 
no  man  hath  seen,  or  can  see."  In  all 
these  passages  we  suppose  the  seeing 
denied  is  seeing  the  Lord  as  he  is  in  his 
essence,  to  which  no  created  being  is 
competent.  "  Similitude,"  therefore,  as 
the  opposite  of  this  must  imply  some- 
thing which  could  be  seen,  though  not 
perhaps  with  the  natural  eye.  Sol. 
Jarchi  remarks  of  the  term  in  its  pres- 
ent connection,  that  it  denotes  "  the 
sight  of  God's  back  parts,"  mentioned 
Ex.  33 :  20-23,  to  our  Note  on  which 
we  would  especially  refer  the  reader,  as 
the  subject  is  treated  at  length.  Prob- 
ably we  approach  the  nearest  to  the 
true  idea  of  the  language  when  we  sup- 
pose that  the  " similitude  of  the  Lord" 
here  spoken  of  does  in  fact  point  to 
Christ,  as  the  '■'■image  of  the  invisible 
God,"  as  the  "  express  image  of  his 
person,"  and  who  was  pleased  thus  by 
anticipation  to  reveal  himself  in  some 
shaded  but  intelligible  manner  to  the 
spiritual  perception  of  Moses.  If  it  be 
said  that  similar  precursive  manifesta- 
tions were  made  to  other  prophets  be- 
sides Moses,  our  reply  is,  that  our  Lord 
in  those  cases  manifested  himself  in  the 
person  of  an  angel,  and  they  knew  not 
that  it  was  any  more  than  an  angel, 
whereas  Moses  was  enabled  to  recog- 
nize the  Lord  himself  in  the  angel. 

1[  Wherefore  then  were  ye  not  afraid  to 
speak  against  my  servant  Moses  ?  Heb. 
"  To  speak  against  my  servant,  against 


B.  C.  1490.]  CHAPI 

9  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord 
was  kindled  against  them  ;  and 
he  departed. 

10  And  the  cloud  departed 


a  mofe  emphatical  form  of 
expression.  A  similar  phraseology  oc- 
curs elsewhere.  Gen.  21 :  10,  *'  The  son 
of  this  bond-woman  shall  not  be  heir 
w^th  my  son,  (even)  with  Isaac."  2  Sam. 
7  :  23,  "  What  nation  in  the  earth  is  like 
thy  people,  (even)  like  Israel?"  Sol. 
Jarchi  thus  comments  on  the  words : — 
"He  saith  not,  'Against  my  servant 
Moses  ; '  but  *  against  my  servant, 
against  Moses;'  against  my  servant, 
though  he  werejiot  Moses ;  against  Mo- 
ses, for  though  he  were  not  my  servant, 
(yet)  it  were  meet  ye  should  fear  before 
him  ;  how  much  more  seeing  he  is  my 
servant." 

V.  9.  And  he  departed.  That  is,  with- 
drew the  standing  token  of  his  gracious 
and  glorious  presence  by  removing  the 
cloudy  pillar  from  its  station  at  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle.  This  was  done 
in  a  hasty  manner,  without  waiting  to 
hear  any  answer  that  they  might  be 
disposed  to  make.  It  is  well  known 
what  a  significant  mark  of  our  displeas- 
ure it  is  when,  having  rebuked  a  party 
for  some  aggravated  offence,  we  turn 
abruptly  away,  giving  no  opportunity 
for  a  reply.  "  The  removal  of  God's 
presence  from  us  is  the  sorest  and  sad- 
dest token  of  his  displeasure  against  us. 
Woe  unto  us  if  he  depart ;  and  he  never 
departs,  till  we  by  our  sin  and  folly 
drive  him  from  us." — Henry. 

V.  10.  And  the  cloud  departed  from 
off  the  tabernacle.  Targ.  Jon.  "  The 
cloud  of  the  glory  of  the  divine  presence 
of  the  Lord."  That  is,  it  not  merely  re- 
ceded from  its  temporary  station  at  the 
door  of  the  Tabernacle,  but  it  reared 
itself  aloft  to  even  a  greater  height 
than  usual  above  the  sacred  edifice. 

8* 


:r  xil 

177 

from    off  the 

tabernacle ; 

and, 

behold, 

Miriam 

became 

lep. 

rous  "', 

white 

as 

snow  : 

and 

m  Deut. 

24.9.     2K 

5.  27 

2  Chr.  26.  19-21 

Tf  And  hehold  Miriam  {became)  leprous, 
{white)  as  snow."  The  rendering  would 
perhaps  be  more  emphatic  by  omitting 
the  italics, — "  The  cloud  departed,  and, 
behold,  Miriam  leprous  as  snow  ! " 
This  was  the  worst  and  most  incurable 
kind  of  leprosy,  as  we  learn  from  Ex. 
4 :  6.  2  Kings  5  :  27,  and  those  who  were 
afiiicted  with  it  were  excluded  the  camp 
as  unclean,  Lev.  13  : 2,  on  which  see 
Note.  Chazkuni,  a  Jewish  writer,  says 
that  the  leprous  condition  of  Miriam 
was  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  with- 
drawal of  the  cloud : — "  It  is  not  the 
way  of  the  earth  that  holiness  should 
stay  in  an  unclean  place."  The  judg- 
ment in  this  case  fell  upon  Miriam  as 
she  was  doubtless  first  in  the  transgres- 
sion ;  and  it  is  clear  from  Deut.  24 :  9, 
where  the  law  of  Lev.  13,  concerning 
leprosy  is  rehearsed,  that  it  was  calcu- 
lated and  designed  to  make  a  deep  im- 
pression on  the  minds  of  the  parties 
and  the  people  : — "  Remember  what  the 
Lord  thy  God  did  unto  Miriam  by  the 
way,  after  that  ye  were  come  forth  out 
of  Egypt."  Aaron's  exemption,  notwith- 
standing his  sin,  was  probably  owing  to 
his  repentance,  as  intimated  in  the  en- 
suing verse.  "Miriam  was  stricken, 
Aaron  escaped,  both  sinned ;  his  priest- 
hood could  not  rescue  him,  the  great- 
ness of  his  dignity  did  but  add  to  the 
heinousness  of  his  sin  ;  his  repentance 
freed  him.  I  wonder  not  to  see  Aaron 
free,  while  I  see  him  penitent;  this 
very  confession  saved  him  before  from 
bleeding  for  idolatry,  which  now  pre- 
serves him  from  leprosy  for  his  envious 
repining.  The  universal  antidote  for 
all  the  judgments  of  God  is  our  hum- 
ble repentance." — JBp.  Hall. TF  And 


178 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


Aaron  looked  upon  Miriam, 
and,  behold,  she  was  leprous. 
11  And  Aaron  said  unto  Mo- 
ses, Alas,  my  lord,  I  beseech 
thee,  lay  not  the  sin  upon  us, 
wherein  we  have  done  foolish- 


Aai'on  looTced  upon  Miriam,  etc.  Heb. 
va-yiphen,  and  turned  towards.  Bp. 
Patrick  takes  the  phrase  as  implying 
that  Aaron  "  looked  upon  "  Miriam  with 
a  view  to  judge  of  the  nature  of  the 
disease  according  to  the  law  contained 
Lev.  13  :  2,  etc.  which  makes  it  the  duty 
of  the  priest  to  inspect  carefully  the  in- 
dications betokening  leprosy.  But  we 
find  on  recurrence  to  that  chapter  that 
the  term  for  "  look  "  is  invariably  maA, 
to  see,  and  in  no  case  panah,  which 
occurs  here.  We  conclude,  therefore, 
that  nothing  more  is  intended  in  the 
present  passage  than  to  intimate,  that 
Aaron  simply  looked  upon  or  turned 
his  attention  to  his  sister,  and  saw  with 
amazement  that  she  was  covered  with 
the  marks  of  the  most  inveterate  lep- 
rosy. 

V.  11.  Alas,  my  lord,  I  leseech  thee, 
etc.  As  much  as  to  say,  Have  pity  up- 
on us,  miserable  wretches.  He  suppli- 
cates Moses  as  his  superior,  and  hum- 
bly begs  his  pardon,  at  the  same  time 
deprecating  the  imputation  of  the  sin 
which  he  sincerely  acknowledges  and 
bewails.  Thus  it  is  that  those  who 
exalt  themselves  shall  be  abased,  that 
those  who  vilify  the  servants  of  God 
shall  often  be  constrained  to  seek  their 
help.  Many  who  in  their  health  and 
pride  have  despised  and  reproached 
a  faithful  minister  of  God,  have  often, 
in  sickness  or  affliction,  been  glad  to 
send  for  him  and  avail  themselves  of 
his  prayers  and  intercessions.  "His 
sad  deprecation  prevailed,  both  to  clear 
himself  and  recover  Miriam.  The  bro- 
ther sues  for  himself  and  his  sister  to 


ly",  and  wherein  we  have  sin- 
ned. 

12  Let  her  not  be  as  one 
dead,  of  whom  the  flesh  is  half 
consumed  when  he  cometh  out 
of  his  mother's  womb. 

7.  -1  Sam.  24.  10.     Prov.  30.  32. 


that  brother  whom  they  both  emulated, 
for  pardon  from  himself  and  from  that 
God  who  was  offended  in  him.  Where 
now  is  that  equality  which  was  pre- 
tended ?  Behold,  he  that  so  lately  made 
his  brother  his  fellow,  now  makes  him 
his  god.  'Lay  not  this  sin  upon  us; 
let  her  not  be  as  one  dead ; '  as  if  Mo- 
ses had  imposed  this  plague,  and  could 
remove  it.  Never  any  opposed  the  ser- 
vants of  God,  but  one  time  or  other 
they  have  been  constrained  to  confess  a 

superiority," — Bp.  Hall. 1  Wherein 

we  have  done  foolishly.  Gr.  "Because 
we  have  acted  ignorantly."  Aaron  prob- 
ably intended  to  be  ingenuous  in  his 
confession,  but  the  language  employed 
savors  of  some  degree  of  extenuation 
by  imputing  it  rather  to  folly  and  weak- 
ness than  to  positive  presumption.  No 
one  can  do  evil  without  at  the  same 
time  doing  foolishly,  but  it  is  well  in 
our  confessions  to  concentrate  our 
thoughts  rather  upon  the  evil  than  up- 
on the  folly  of  our  doings. 

V.  12.  Let  her  not  he  as  one  dead. 
Heb.  kem'ith.  Such  she  may  be  said  to 
have  become  legally,  being  excluded 
from  communion  with  her  people,  de- 
filing all  that  came  in  contact  with  her, 
as  a  dead  body,  and  liable  to  become 
literally  a  corpse  by  the  deadly  effects 

of  the  disease. 1[  Of  whom  the  flesh 

is  half  consumed  ivhen  he  cometh  out  of 
his  mother's  womb.  This  clause  gives 
some  countenance  to  the  rendering  of 
the  Gr.  "  Let  it  not  be  as  it  were  like 
death,  as  an  abortion  coming  out  of  his 
mother's  womb,  when  (the  disease)  de- 
vours the  half  of  the  flesh."    That  is, 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


179 


13  And  Moses  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  saying,  Heal "  her  now, 
O  God,  I  beseech  thee. 

14  And  the  Lord  said  unto 


let  her  not  be  as  an  abortion  or  still- 
born child  which  has  lain  long  dead 
and  half  wasted  away  in  its  mother's 
womb. 

V.  13.  And  Moses  cried  unto  the  Lord. 
Besought  the  Lord  with  earnestness 
and  importunity,  as  being  grieved  for 
her  affliction,  and  regarding  the  Lord 
as  standing  aloof,  so  as  to  prompt  addi- 
tional importunity. T[  Heal  her  noiv, 

0  God,  I  beseech  thee.  The  original 
word  for  both  "  now  "  and  "  I  beseech," 
is  the  same — na,  which  is  properly  a 
particle  of  entreaty  rather  than  of  time, 
though  generally  rendered  now.  Targ. 
Jon.  "  And  Moses  prayed  and  besought 
mercy  before  the  Lord,  saying,  I  be- 
seech for  mercy  of  the  merciful  God  ;  I 
beseech  God  that  hath  power  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh,  heal  her,  I  beseech 
thee."  Moses  kindly  prayed  that  Miri- 
am might  be  healed.  Though  the  pun- 
ishment was  inflicted  to  sustain  his 
honor  and  authority,  he  had  none  of 
the  littleness  and  malevolence  of  mind 
that  could  rejoice  in  her  affliction.  He 
might  indeed  have  reproached  her,  in- 
sisting that  she  had  only  received  her 
desert;  but  on  the  contrary  he  pities 
and  prays  for  her,  thus  exemplifying 
the  Christian  precept,  "  Love  your  ene- 
mies ;  bless  them  that  cur.se  you,  and 
pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you 
and  persecute  you." 

V.  14.  If  her  father  had  hut  spit  in 
her  face,  etc.  That  is,  if  she  had,  by 
some  undutiful  conduct,  provoked  her 
father  to  be  angry  with  her  and  to  spit 
in  her  face  as  a  token  of  his  anger,  she 
would  certainly  be  ashamed  for  some 
time  to  look  him  in  the  face ;  how  much 
more  then  ought  she  to  be  ashamed 


Moses,  If  her  father  had  but 
spit  in  her  face,  should  she  not 
be  ashamed  seven  days  ?  let  her 
be  shut  out  ^  from  the  camp  sev- 

p  Lev.  13.  46. 


when  she  lies  under  this  severe  token 
of  my  displeasure?  If  she  would  in 
that  case  continue  for  seven  days  over- 
whelmed in  shame,  how  reasonable 
that  she  should  be  excluded  from  the 
camp  for  the  same  period,  the  period 
appointed  for  the  legal  cleansing  from 
such  impurities.  Comp.  Lev.  13  :  4, 
5,  21,  26.  14 :  8.  Num.  6:9.  19  :  11. 
"Miriam  had  greatly  offended  God, 
and,  therefore,  she  was  to  be  as  a 
daughter,  whose  father  had  spit  in  her 
face.  In  Deut.  25 :  9,  the  widow  was 
to  spit  in  the  face  of  her  late  husband's 
brother,  if  he  refused  to  marry  her. 
And  Job  (30 :  10)  in  his  great  misery 
says  of  his  enemies,  '  they  spare  not  to 
spit  in  my  face ; '  and  in  reference  to 
our  Saviour,  they  did  '  spit  in  his  face.' 
The  most  contemptuous,  the  most  ex- 
asperating and  degrading  action,  which 
one  man  can  do  to  another,  is  to  spit  in 
his  face.  A  person  receiving  this  in- 
sult is  at  once  worked  up  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  anger,  and  nothing  but  the 
rank  or  power  of  the  individual  will 
prevent  him  from  seeking  instant  re- 
venge. Indeed,  such  is  the  enormity 
attached  to  this  offence,  that  it  is  sel- 
dom had  recourse  to,  except  in  extreme 
cases.  A  master,  whose  slave  has  deep- 
ly offended  him,  will  not  beat  him,  (for 
that  would  defile  him,)  but  he  spits  in 
his  face.  When  his  anger  is  at  the 
greatest  height,  he  will  not  even  conde- 
scend to  do  that,  but  orders  a  fellow- 
servant,  or  some  one  near,  to  spit  in 
his  face.  Is  a  person  too  respectable 
for  this  indignity;  then  the  offended 
individual  will  spit  upon  the  ground. 
Schoolmasters,  also,  when  very  angry 
with  a  scholar,  do  not,  as  in  England. 


180 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


en  days,  and  after  that  let  her 
be  received  in  again. 

15  And  Miriam  was  shut  out 
from  the  camp  seven  days  :  and 
the  people  journeyed  not  till 
Miriam  was  brought  in  again. 

16  And  afterward  the  people 


begin  to  beat  him,  but  spit  iu  his  face, 
or  order  some  one  else  to  do  it.  To 
a  person  making  use  of  offensive  lan- 
guage,   bystanders  say,   *  Spit   in   his 

face.'  " — Roberts. After  that  let  her 

he  received  in  {again).  Heb.  tedseph, 
let  her  be  gathered.  Gr.  "She  shall 
come,  or  enter  in."  On  the  import  of 
this  word,  see  Note  on  Josh.  6:9. 
Targ.  Jon.  "  And  I  will  cause  to  stay, 
for  thy  sake,  the  cloud  of  my  glory,  and 
the  tabernacle,  and  the  ark,  and  all  Is- 
rael, until  the  time  that  she  is  healed, 
and  afterward  she  shall  be  gathered 
in." 

V.  15.  And  Miriam  was  shut  out  of 
the  camp  seven  days.  Gr.  "  Separated, 
set  apart."  An  example  of  stei-n  jus- 
tice, without  respect  to  persons,  for 
even  kings,  when  they  had  become  lep- 
ers, even  without  fault  of  their  own, 
were  required  to  withdraw  and  dwell 
apart  from  the  body  of  the  people. 
2  Chron.  26:20,  21.  The  incercession 
of  Moses  was  graciously  accepted,  yet 
so  as  that  the  Lord  would  show  his  dis- 
pleasure at  the  offence,  and  maintain 
the  honor  and  authority  of  his  govern- 
ment. She  was  to  be  excluded  from 
the  camp  for  seven  days,  and  during 
that  time  to  dwell  alone,  as  having  been 
visited  with  that  loathsome  and  defiling 
disease.  Thus  her  offence  was  pro- 
claimed by  the  publicity  of  her  punish- 
ment; and  she  who  some  time  before 
had  borne  so  honorable  a  part  in  the 
congregation,  is  now  disgraced  before 
them  all.  Even  those  that  are  nearest 
and  dearest  to  the  Lord  will  not  escape 


removed  from  Hazeroth,  and 
pitched  in  the  wilderness  of 
Paran. 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

AND   the    Lord   spake    unto 
Moses,  saying. 


with  impunity  if  they  transgress,  as 
others  might  be  thereby  dangerously 
emboldened.  "If  the  judgment  had 
been  at  once  inflicted  and  removed, 
there  would  have  been  no  example  of 
terror  for  others.  There  is  no  policy  in 
a  sudden  removal  of  just  punishment : 
unless  the  rain  so  fall  that  it  lie  and 
soak  into  the  earth,  it  profits  nothing." 

— Bp.  Hall. T[  Tlie  people  jommeyed 

not.  Heb.  "  Brake  not  up."  Sol.  Jarchi 
here  remarks  that  "the  Lord  imparted 
this  honor  to  her  because  she  once  stay- 
ed for  Moses  when  he  was  cast  into  the 
river,  as  it  is  written.  And  his  sister 
stood  afar  off,"  etc. 

V,  16.  And  afterward  the  people  re- 
moved from  Hazeroth,  and  pitched  in 
the  wilderness  of  Paran.  In  order  that 
all  the  people  might  be  duly  admonish- 
ed by  means  of  the  sin  and  the  punish- 
ment of  Miriam,  they  were  not  permit- 
ted to  remove  from  Hazeroth  till  the 
days  of  her  separation  or  cleansing  were 
fulfilled,  when  they  removed  and  pitch- 
ed in  the  wilderness  of  Paran.  Ke- 
specting  these  localities,  see  Notes  on 
ch.  10  :  12.  11  :  35. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

TJie  Spies  sent  out  to  search  the  Land. 


Y.  1.  And  the  Lord  spaheun 
saying,  etc.  Having  surmounted  all  the 
difficulties  of  the  dreary  and  barren  wil- 
derness that  interposed,  we  find  the  Is- 
raelites now  encamped  at  Kadesh,  or 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


181 


2  Send  "  thou  men,  that  they 


Kadesh  Barnea,  on  the  southern  bor- 
ders of  Canaan,  and  having  but  a  few 
leagues  to  travel  before  entering  it.  At 
this  point,  as  we  are  here  informed,  the 
Most  High  gave  commandment  to  Mo- 
ses to  dispatch  twelve  men  as  spies  to 
make  a  preliminary  survey  of  the  land 
and  bring  back  a  report  of  its  charac- 
ter, condition,  and  inhabitants,  of  the 
best  modes  of  access  to  it,  and  of  the 
most  hopeful  methods  of  eflfecting  its 
conquest.  But  by  comparing  the  sub- 
sequent narrative,  Deut.  1  :  19-24,  it 
appears  that  this  motion  did  not  orig- 
inate with  the  Lord,  nor  yet  with  Mo- 
ses, but  with  the  people  in  a  body.  We 
there  read  as  follows  : — "  And  when  we 
departed  from  Horeb,  we  went  through 
all  that  great  and  terrible  wilderness, 
which  ye  saw  by  the  way  of  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Amorites,  as  the  Lord  our 
God  commanded  us ;  and  we  came  to 
Kadesh-Barnea.  And  I  said  unto  you, 
Ye  are  come  unto  the  mountain  of  the 
Amorites,  which  the  Lord  our  God  doth 
give  unto  us.  Behold,  the  Lord  thy 
God  hath  set  the  land  before  thee :  go 
up  and  possess  it,  as  the  Lord  God  of 
thy  fathers  hath  said  unto  thee ;  fear 
not,  neither  be  discouraged.  And  ye 
came  near  unto  me  every  one  of  you, 
and  said,  We  will  send  men  before  us, 
and  they  shall  search  us  out  the  land, 
and  bring  us  word  again  by  what  way 
we  must  go  up,  and  into  what  cities  we 
shall  come.  And  the  saying  pleased 
me  well :  and  I  took  twelve  men  of  you, 
one  of  a  tribe :  and  they  turned  and 
went  up  into  the  mountain,  and  came 
unto  the  valley  of  Eshcol,  and  searched 
it  out."  From  this  it  appears  that 
Moses,  in  the  first  instance,  acted  and 
spake  in  the  spirit  of  heroic  trust  in  the 
divine  declaration,  exhorting  the  people 


may  search  the  land  of  Canaan, 
which    I   give    unto   the    chil- 

to  go  forward  at  once  and  take  posses- 
sion of  the  promised  inheritance.  But 
this  spirit  found  no  suitable  response 
in  the  minds  of  his  followers,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  measure  now  proposed, 
a  measure  plainly  indicative  of  a  cow- 
ardly fear  that  would  still  disguise  it- 
self under  the  semblance  of  a  prudential 
policy.  "  What  needed  they  doubt  of 
the  goodness  of  that  land,  which  God 
told  them  did  flow  with  milk  and  honey  ? 
What  needed  they  doubt  of  obtaining 
that  which  God  promised  to  give? 
When  we  will  send  forth  our  senses  to 
be  our  scouts  in  matters  of  faith,  and 
rather  dare  trust  men  than  God,  we  are 
worthy  to  be  deceived." — Bp.  Hall. 
The  same  writer  well  observes  that 
"  that  which  the  Lord  moves  unto, 
prospers  ;  but  that  which  we  move  him 
to  first,  seldom  succeedeth,"  as  was 
most  sadly  evinced  in  the  present  in- 
stance. Their  unbelief  cost  them  a 
forty  years'  prolonged  wandering  in 
the  wilderness. 

Y.  2.  Send  thoxi  men.  Heb.  "Send 
thou  for  thee  or  for  thyself;"  which 
Sol.  Jarchi  thus  expounds,  "  I  com- 
mand thee  not ;  if  thou  pleasest,  send ; 
forasmuch  as  Israel  came  and  said,  We 
will  send  men,"  etc.  It  was  in  fact  a 
case  in  which  the  Lord  "chose  their 
delusions  "  by  permitting  them  to  have 
their  own  way.  The  Lord  consented, 
that  is,  did  not  prevent,  because  he  saw 
the  people  were  intent  upon  the  pro- 
ject, and  he  yielded  to  the  importunity 
of  their  hearts,  just  as  he  did  to  that  of 
Balaam  when  be  was  inwardly  so  desi- 
rous of  going  with  the  messengers  of 
Balak.  It  was  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Since 
you  harbor  such  distrust  of  me,  and  are 
so  ready  to  think  that  I  would  impose 
upon  you  by  vain  assurances,  send  forth 


182 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490 


dren  of  Israel :    of  every  tribe 
of  their  fathers  shall  ye  send  a 


the  men,  as  you  propose,  and  satisfy 
yourselves  in  your  own  way."  We  have 
little  idea  how  fearful  it  is  to  have  the 
Lord  side  with  our  evil  promptings  by 
the  permissions  of  his  Providence.  It 
were  better  really  that  his  Providence 
should  fight  with  our  propensities  than 
that  it  should  apparently  fall  in  with 

them. T[    That  they  may  search  the 

land  of  Canaan.  Heb.  yathuru,  which 
has  the  import  of  circling  around,  and 
in  this  connection  of  circumspection, 
that  is,  of  exploring  hy  looking  and 
travelling  about.  It  is  applied  to  men- 
tal investigation,  Eccl.  1 :  13,  "  I  gave 
my  heart  to  seek  and  search  out  by 
wisdom  concerning  all  things  that  are 
done  under  heaven."  Comp.  Eccles. 
7  :  25.  A  still  more  striking  parallel 
occurs  Ezek.  20 : 6,  "  In  the  day  that 
I  lifted  up  mine  hand  unto  them  to 
bring  them  forth  of  the  land  of  Egypt 
into  a  land  that  I  had  espied  for  them," 
where  the  Gr.  has,  "  Which  I  prepared 
for  them."  Vulg.  "  Which  I  had  pro- 
vided for  them."  Syr.  and  Chald. 
"  Which  I  gave  unto  them."  This  dec- 
laration through  the  prophet  goes  to 
aggravate  their  offence,  for  the  Lord's 
having  already  espied  the  land  for  his 
people  made  it  superfluous  for  them  to 
send  spies  for  the  purpose.  The  land 
in  question  is  called  the  "  land  of  Ca- 
naan "  for  the  reason,  that  the  Canaan- 
ites  were  the  mightiest  of  the  seven 

nations   which    now    occupied   it. 

•[[  Of  every  tribe  of  their  fathers  shall  ye 
send  a  man,  etc.  Heb.  "  One  man,  one 
man,  to  a  tribe ; "  a  Hebrew  phrase 
rightly  rendered  in  our  version.  A 
man  for  each  tribe  would  preclude  all 
complaint  of  partiality,  which,  howev- 
er, must  be  understood  to  the  exclusion 
of  .Levi,  as  this  tribe  was  to  have  no  in- 
heritance in  the  land,  Deut.  18  : 1. 


man,  every  one  a  ruler  among 
them. 


11  Every  one  a  ruler  among  them.  It 
was  fit  that  men  of  authority  and  pru- 
dence should  be  intrusted  with  an  en- 
terprise of  so  much  moment.  Obscure 
names  might  bring  discredit  upon  the 
testimony  rendered.  They  were  not, 
however,  persons  of  the  very  first  rank 
in  their  several  tribes,  for  these  were 
called  princes,  but  yet  they  belonged  to 
the  ruling  class,  perhaps  to  those  who 
in  Ex.  18  :  25,  are  called  "  heads  of  the 
people."  "  The  basest  sort  of  men  are 
commonly  held  fit  enough  for  intelli- 
gencers ;  but  Moses,  to  make  sure  work, 
cbooseth  forth  the  best  of  Israel,  such 
as  were  like  to  be  most  judicious  in 
their  inquiry,  and  most  credible  in  their 
report.  Those  that  ruled  Israel  at 
home,  could  best  descry  for  them 
abroad.  What  should  direct  the  body 
but  the  head?"— ^.  Hall.  The  per- 
sons selected  for  the  enterprise  were 
not,  therefore,  striplings,  who  might  be 
easily  alarmed,  nor  were  they  men  who 
had  no  character  or  position  to  main- 
tain ;  but  the  chief  rulers  among  the 
tribes  of  Israel.  He  placed  in  the  van 
of  the  experiment  those  in  whom,  on 
account  of  age,  experience,  wisdom, 
talent,  he  could  most  implicitly  trust. 
And  in  order  that  the  matter  might  be 
quite  plain  and  beyond  cavil,  he  gives 
a  catalogue  of  all  the  names  of  the 
chiefs,  the  rulers,  and  fathers  of  the 
tribes  that  were  to  be  sent  on  the  ex- 
pedition, and  to  bring  back  a  faith- 
ful report.  But  the  result  showed  that 
however  this  measure  was  designed  for 
the  best,  yet  the  persons  selected  proved 
unworthy  of  the  trust  reposed  in  them, 
and  their  rank  and  standing  in  the  con- 
gregation gave  more  weight  to  their  evil 
report,  and  thus  led  to  the  most  disas- 
trous consequences.  Alas,  how  few  are 
the  faithful  in  the  Lord's  house ! 


B.  0. 1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xm. 


183 


3   And  Moses  by   the   com- 
mandment  of   the   Lord    sent 

V.  3.  And  Moses  hy  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord,  etc.  Heb.  "At  the  mouth 
of  Jehovah."  This  must  of  course  be  un- 
derstood with  the  qualifications  above 
intimated.  The  command  did  not  prop- 
erly originate  with  the  Lord,  but  he  saw 
fit  to  wink  at  the  perverse  promptings 
of  the  people,  though  the  language  em- 
ployed would  seem  to  convey  the  idea 
that  the  measure  was  enjoined  by  the 
divine  will  and  not  merely  tolerated 
by  the  divine  permission.  Chald.  "  Ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  the  Lord."  Gr. 
"By  the  voice  of  the  Lord."  Vulg. 
"Moses  did  what  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded, sending  from  the  desert  of 
Pharan  principal  men,"  etc.  It  would 
perhaps  be  preferable  to  preserve  the 
order  of  the  original :  "  And  Moses  sent 
them  from  the  wilderness  of  Paran  by 
the  commandment  (at  the  mouth)  of  the 
Lord."  Drusius  here  remarks  that  the 
Lord  commanded  this  expedition  of  the 
spies  only  as  he  commanded  a  bill  of 
divorce  to  be  given  when  a  man  of  the 
Jews  repudiated  his  wife.  It  was  not 
so  much  the  divorce  which  he  com- 
manded as  the  hill.  So  here  ;  it  was 
not  so  much  the  sending  of  the  spies 
which  God  commanded,  as  it  was  the 
selection  of  a  certain  class  of  men  to  be 
employed  on  the  occasion,  seeing  they 
would  have  somebody.  Not  unlike  this 
is  the  solution  of  Sol.  Jarchi,  who  ex- 
plains this  phrase,  "  by  the  permission 
of  the  Lord."  So  in  the  Jewish  Com- 
mentary called  Phesikta,  it  is  said, 
"  The  election  of  the  spies  was  accord- 
ing to  the  mouth  of  the  Lord ;  not  that 
God  commanded  them  to  send  them. 
If  thou  sayest,  why  did  he  not  forbid 
them  to  send  ?  (It  is  answered),  To  ac- 
complish (or  fulfil)  their  desire,  and  to 
render  them  their  recompense,  and  to 
give  unto  Joshua  and  Caleb  a  good  re- 


them  *  from   the  wilderness  of 


b  Deut.  1.  23. 


ward."  The  people  had  hitherto  re- 
posed full  trust  in  the  guidance  of  their 
Angel-Conductor,  and  left  it  to  him  by 
what  way  they  should  go  up,  and  into 
what  cities  they  should  come.  They 
seem  not  to  have  doubted  that  he  who 
had  brought  them  thus  far  on  their  way, 
would  not  fail  to  land  them  safe  within 
the  precincts  of  the  promised  land.  But 
at  this  point  the  workings  of  unbelief 
began  to  manifest  themselves.  They 
now  began  to  feel  that  they  could  not 
trust  further  than  they  could  see.  Yet 
the  Lord  yielded  to  their  perverseness, 
and  allowed  his  promise  to  be  put  to 
the  proof,  and  not  only  so,  but  he  added 
his  own  special  directions  in  the  mat- 
ter ;  thus  showing  by  his  example  that 
rulers  and  teachers  may  sometimes  give 
way  to  the  unreasonable  demands  of 
the  people,  with  a  view  to  their  learn- 
ing by  experience  what  they  refuse  to 
learn  from  competent  testimony.  As 
the  incident  has  a  typical  bearing,  we 
may  suggest,  moreover,  that  the  believ- 
ing Christian  may  commit  an  error  by 
indulging  an  undue  anxiety  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  particulars  of  his 
heavenly  home.  Though  it  be  well  to 
cast  forward  our  thoughts  from  time  to 
our  heavenly  inheritance,  to  search  out 
with  an  eye  of  faith  the  goodly  land, 
and  to  attain  to  some  foretaste  of  its 
celestial  fruits,  yet  it  is  not  to  be  for- 
gotten that  our  main  concern  is  with 
the  present  field  of  duty,  trial,  and  com- 
bat, and  if  satisfied  with  the  promises 
we  shall  press  on  under  the  divine  guid- 
ance, and  leave  the  result  to  a  cove- 
nant God,  who  will  not  fail  our  expecta- 
tions. What  other  inference  can  we 
draw  from  the  fact,  that  the  measure 
here  recorded  did  not  originate  with  the 
divine  wisdom,  though  it  was  pleased, 
in  a  sense,  to  adopt  it? T[  From  the 


184 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


Paran :  all  those  men  were  heads 
of  the  children  of  Israel. 

4  And  these  were  their  names : 
of  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  Sham- 
mua  the  son  of  Zaccur. 

5  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon, 
Shaphat  the  son  of  Hori. 

6  Of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  Ca- 
leb the  son  of  Jephunneh. 

7  Of  the  tribe  of  Issachar, 
Igal  the  son  of  Joseph. 

8  Of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim, 
Oshea '  the  son  of  Nun. 

9  Of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin, 
Palti  the  son  of  Raphu. 

10  Of  the  tribe  of  Zebulun, 
Gaddiel  the  son  of  Sodi. 


wilderness  of  Paran.  Upon  the  locality 
of  the  wilderness  so  denominated,  see 
Note  on  ch.  10:12.  It  is  evident  from 
ch.  32 :  8.  Deut.  9 :  23,  that  the  spies 
were  sent  from  Kadesh-Barnea,  which 
lay  not  far  from  the  southern  border  of 

Canaan. T[  All  those  men  were  heads 

of  the  children  of  Israel.  Gr.  apxnyoi, 
chief  rulers.  Not  the  princes  mentioned 
ch.  1,  for  their  names  were  different ; 
but  those  now  sent  were  men  of  rank 
and  consideration  in  their  respective 
tribes,  though  falling  short  of  the  high- 
est. 

V.  4.  And  these  were  their '  names. 
Of  the  ensuing  list  of  names  there  is 
nothing  important  to  be  said.  Levi  is 
omitted  as  usual,  and  as  to  the  rest, 
probably  no  special  reason  can  be  given 
for  the  order  in  which  they  stand. 

V.  11.  Of  the  tribe  of  Joseph,  {name- 
ly), of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  etc.  The 
phraseology  doubtless  appears  some- 
what strange,  as  the  appellation  "  tribe 
of  Joseph  "  belongs  no  more  to  Manas- 
seh's  branch  of  it  than  to  Ephraim's, 
which  is  mentioned  v.  8.  The  name  of 
Joseph  was  common  to  each  (Ezek.  37  : 


11  Of  the  tribe  of  Jo- 
seph, namely^  of  the  tribe  of 
Manasseh,  Gaddi  the  son  of 
Susi. 

12  Of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  Am- 
miel  the  son  of  Gemalli. 

13  Of  the  tribe  of  Asher, 
Sethur  the  son  of  Michael. 

14  Of  the  tribe  of  Naphtali, 
Nahbi  the  son  of  Vophsi. 

15  Oftbe  tribe  of  Gad,  Geuel 
the  son  of  Machi. 

16  These  are  the  names  of 
the  men  which  Moses  sent  to 
spy  out  the  land.  And  Moses 
called  Oshea  the  son  of  Nun, 
Jehoshua.'' 


16,  19.  Rev.  7  :  8),  but  Ainsworth  sup- 
poses that  Manasseh  here  has  a  certain 
precedence  because  he  was  the  first- 
born. Pool,  on  the  other  hand,  sug- 
gests that  it  might  have  been  with  a 
view  to  aggravate  the  sin  of  Manasseh 
in  joining  in  such  report  as  was  brought 
back,  so  unworthy  of  a  descendant  of 
Joseph. 

V.  16.  And  Moses  called  Oshea  the  so7i 
of  Nun,  Jehoshua.  Heb.  hosh'ea,  salva- 
tion, or,  as  others  render  it,  save  thou, 
and  yehoshua,  the  salvation  of  the  Lord, 
or,  the  Lord  will  save ;  the  one  being 
in  effect  a  prayer,  the  other  a  promise. 
The  change  is  made  by  the  insertion  of 
one  of  the  letters  composing  the  incom- 
municable name  "  Jehovah."  In  Neb. 
8  :  17  he  is  called  Jeshua,  and  in  the  Gr. 
version  Irjo-ouy,  Jesus,  which  is  followed 
also  in  the  New  Testament,  as  Acts  7  : 
45.  Heb.  4  :  8.  See  Note  on  Josh.  1 :  1, 
where  the  name  is  more  fully  explain- 
ed. The  words  in  this  connection  ought 
probably  to  be  regarded  as  parentheti- 
cal and  translated  "And  Moses  had 
called,"  etc.  for  the  name  Joshua  occurs 
Ex.  17  :  9,  on  the  occasion  of  the  battle 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


185 


17  And  Moses  sent  ttem  to 
spy  out  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
said  unto  them,  Get  you  up  this 
way  southward*,  and  go  up  into 
the  mountain' : 

18  And  see  the  land,  what  it 
is  ;  and  the  people  that  dwell- 

e  ver.  22.     /  Gen.  14.  10.  Deut.  1.  24.  Judg.  1.  9,  19. 


with  the  Amalekites.  The  change  of 
names  was  a  well-known  mark  of  honor, 
and  Moses  was  doubtless  moved  by  the 
spirit  of  prophecy  to  dignify  Joshua  in 
the  way  he  did,  as  in  the  divine  pur- 
pose he  was  destined  to  serve,  in  his 
capacity  as  champion  of  Israel  and  their 
leader  into  the  land  of  promise,  as  an 
eminent  type  of  Jesus,  the  Saviour, 
whose  name  he  shares,  in  conducting 
all  those  who  sincerely  follow  him  to 
an  heavenly  inheritance. 

V.  17.  Get  you  up  tJiis  {way)  south- 
ward. Heb.  'zi'^'z.  lannegeb,  in  tJie  south. 
That  is,  by  the  way  of  the  south,  mean- 
ing the  southern  part  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  which  was  very  dry  and  bar- 
ren, as  is  implied  in  the  import  of  the 
original  term  which  signifies  dry,  parch- 
ed. In  their  present  position  this  was 
the  nearest  portion  of  the  promised 
land,  and  from  this  they  were  to  jour- 
ney north. T[  Go  up  into  the  moun- 
tain. That  is,  into  the  mountainous 
region — a  collective  singular.  The 
mountainous  tract  was  possessed  by 
the  Amorites,  Canaanites,  and  Amalek- 
ites, Num.  14 :  40,  45.  Deut.  1 :  44. 

V.  18.  And  see  the  land.  That  is, 
survey,  inspect  it,  with  minute  atten- 
tion. Ascertain  all  you  can  of  its  situ- 
ation, inhabitants,  soil,  and  the  best 
points  of  access.  The  word  "  land,"  as 
the  object  of  their  search,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, occurs  here,  in  v.  19,  and  in 
V.  20,  with  an  import  somewhat  varied. 
In  the  first  instance  it  denotes  the  land 
in  respect  to  its  inhabitants,  whether 


in  tents,  or  in  strong 


eth  therein,  whether  they  he 
strong  or  weak,  few  or  many ; 
19  And  what  the  land  is 
that  they  dwell  in,  whether  it 
he  good  or  bad ;  and  what  ci- 
ties they  he  that  they  dwell  in, 
whether 
holds ; 

healthy,  robust,  and  hardy,  or  puny  and 
weak,  whether  numerous  or  few  ;  in  the 
second,  it  refers  more  especially  to  the 
general  air  and  aspect  of  the  country, 
and  how  it  was  settled,  whether  the 
people  lived  in  cities,  in  tents,  or  in 
fastnesses  and  fortified  places ;  in  the 
third,  to  the  soil,  whether  rich  or  poor, 
a  fact  to  be  ascertained  by  the  woods 
and  fruits  it  produced,  and  of  which 
they  were  required  to  bring  back  speci- 
mens.  T[  And  the  people  that  dwelleth 

therein.  Or,  Heb,  ''Even  the  people 
that  dwelleth  thereupon." T[  Wheth- 
er th^  he  strong  or  weak.  Heb.  "  Wheth- 
er it  be  strong  or  weak."  That  is,  the 
people  spoken  of  collectively  as  one 
body. 

V.  19.  Whether  it  le  good  or  had. 
That  is,  whether  it  be  desirable  or  unde- 
sirable, especially  on  the  score  of  salu- 
brity from  air,  water,  etc. T[  What 

cities  {they  he)  that  they  dwell  in,  wheth- 
er in  tents  or  in  strong  holds.  But  if 
they  dwelt  in  cities,  how  could  it  be  a 
matter  of  inquiry  whether  they  dwelt 
at  the  same  time  in  tents?  This  ditfi- 
culty  has  been  perceived  by  both  ver- 
sionists  and  commentators,  and  accord- 
ingly the  Chald.  renders  it,  "  And  what 
kind  of  cities  they  dwell  in,  whether 
walled  or  unwalled."  So  also  the  Gr. 
and  the  Yulg.  And  this  we  are  forced 
to  regard  as  the  true  construction.  As 
in  the  former  clause  the  question  is  con- 
cerning the  land,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad ;  so  here  the  question  would  seem 
to  be  respecting  the  cities,  whether  they 


186 


KUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1490. 


20  And  what  the  land  is, 
whether  it  he  fat  ^  or  lean,  wheth- 
er there  be  wood  therein  or  not : 
and  be  ye  of  good  courage  ^,  and 


pNeh.  9.  25,35.  Ezck.  34.  14. 


h  Deut.  31.6, 1, 


be  open  and  unwalled  like  a  nomade 
encampment,  or  whether  they  are  wall- 
ed and  fortified  with  a  view  to  repel 
invaders.  The  weight  of  authority  is 
decidedly  in  favor  of  this  sense. 

V.  20.  Whether  it  he  fat  or  lean.  This 
respects  the  quality  of  the  soil,  which 
if  ''fat"  is  fertile,  and  if  "lean,"  bar- 
ren. Chald.  "Whether  it  be  rich  or 
poor."      So  Neh.   9  :  25,    "  And    they 

took  strong  cities  and  a  fat  land." 

T"  Whether  there  he  wood  therein  or  not. 
Heb.  "  Whether  there  be  tree  (collect, 
sing,  for  trees)  therein  or  not."  Chald. 
and  Gr.  "  Trees."  Targ.  Jon.  "  Trees 
of  food,"  i.  e.  fruit  trees.  But  the  sense 
oi  fruit  trees  is  conjectural;  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  understand  the  words  of  woody 

or  champaign. T[  Be  ye  of  good  eour- 

age.     Heb.   hithhazzahtem,  strengthen, 

encourage  yourselves. T[  Bring  of  the 

fruit  of  the  land.  Heb.  "  Take  of  the 
fruit  of  the  land."     The  bringing  of  it 

is  rather  inferred  than  expressed. ■ 

T[  The  time  was  the  time  of  the  first 
•rife  grapes.  Heb.  "  The  days  were  the 
days,"  etc.,  when,  as  one  of  the  Jewish 
commentators  remarks,  "  they  had  need 
to  have  courage,  because  the  keepers  of 
the  vineyards  then  kept  watch." 

V.  21.  From  the  wilderness  of  Zin. 
Heb.  tzin.  This  is  a  different  wilder- 
ness from  that  called  "  the  wilderness 
of  Sin  (Heb.  sm),"  Ex.  16  : 1,  which  ex- 
tended in  a  long,  narrow  plain,  between 
the  eastern  shore  of  the  Red  Sea  and 
the  neighboring  mountains  almost  to 
the  southern  termination  of  the  penin- 
sula. As  to  the  wilderness  of  Zin,  we 
quote  the  words  of  Mr.  Kitto.  "We 
have  already  indicated,  generally,  what 
we  must  now  more  precisely  state,  that 


bring  of  the  fruit  of  the  land. 
Now  the  time  was  the  time  of 
the  first  ripe  grapes. 

21  So    they    went    up,    and 
searched  the  land,  from  the  wil- 

the  Desert  of  Zin  must  be  identified 
with  the  low  sandy  plain  or  valley 
which  extends  from  the  Dead  Sea  to 
the  Gulf  of  Akaba,  and  through  which 
the  river  Jordan  appears  at  one  time 
to  have  flowed  to  the  Red  Sea.  This 
plain  is  through  its  whole  extent  bound- 
ed on  the  east  by  the  mountains  of  Seir, 
which  so  shut  it  in  as  to  render  a  pas- 
sage eastward  from  the  valley  imprac- 
ticable to  any  large  and  encumbered 
body  except  through  the  valley  (El 
Ghoeyr),  in  which  the  ancient  city  of 
Petra  formerly  stood ;  and  failing,  after- 
wards, to  obtain  leave  to  pass  through 
which,  the  host  of  Israel  was  obliged 
to  retrace  its  steps  and  go  round  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  chain  near 
the  head  of  the  gulf  of  Akaba.  The 
plain  on  its  other  or  western  side  is 
bounded  by  a  lower  chain  of  hills  which 
separate  it  from  the  Desert  of  Paran. 
The  average  breadth  of  this  plain  is 
about  five  miles.  It  is  wholly  destitute 
of  water,  and  in  every  respect  answers 
to  the  Scriptural  account  of  the  Desert 
of  Zin,  which,  as  distinguishing  it  from 
that  of  Paran,  could  never  be  definitely 
understood  until  Burckhardt's  research- 
es furnished  the  information  which  has 
contributed  so  materially  to  the  eluci- 
dation of  a  very  important  but  previ- 
ously obscure  portion  of  Sacred  writ." — • 
Pid.  Bible. H  Unto  Behoh.  "Else- 
where called  Beth-rehob.  This  place 
is  also  mentioned  in  Judg.  IS  :  28.  Josh. 
19  :  28.  2  Sam.  10  :  8,  in  such  a  manner 
that  its  general  situation  cannot  be 
questioned,  although  we  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  its  precise  site.  It  must 
have  stood  in  the  north  of  the  Holy 
Land,  within  Mount  Hermon,  near  the 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


187 


derness  of  Zin  '  unto  Rehob  *,  as 
men  come  to  Hamath. 


k  J,  ah.  19.  2S. 


pass  leading  through  that  mountain  to 
Hamath  beyond,  and  not  far  from  Dan. 
It  was  the  capital  of  a  Syrian  kingdom, 
and  continued  to  be  such  long  after  the 
city,  in  the  division  of  the  land,  had 
fallen  to  the  lot  of  Asher,  that  tribe  be- 
ing unable  to  drive  out  the  old  inhabit- 
ants. It  seems  to  be  mentioned  as  a 
distinct  kingdom  in  1  Sam.  10 :  8  ;  and 
one  of  those  which  leagued  with  the 
Ammonites  against  David  ;  but  it  is 
probable  that,  in  common  with  the 
other  small  Syrian  states  there  enume- 
rated, it  was  tributary  to  the  kingdom 
of  Zobah  with  which  they  acted  on  that 
occasion,  and  afterwards  to  that  of  Da- 
mascus, by  which  Zobah  was  super- 
seded."— Pict.  Bible. T[  As  men  come 

to  Hamuth.  "  This  is  another  capital 
of  a  small  Syrian  kingdom,  beyond 
Mount  Hermon,  and  having  Rehob  on 
the  south  and  Zobah  on  the  north.  The 
approach  to  it  from  the  south  is  through 
a  pass  in  Mount  Hermon,  called  the 
entrance  of  '  Hamath,'  and  *  the  enter- 
ing in  of  Hamath,'  which,  being  the 
passage  fi-om  the  northern  extremity 
of  Canaan  into  Syria,  is  employed,  like 
Dan,  to  express  the  northern  boundary 
of  Israel.  The  kingdom  of  Hamath  ap- 
pears to  have  nearly  corresponded,  at 
least  in  its  central  and  southern  parts, 
with  what  was  afterwards  called  Ccele- 
Syria,  or  the  great  plain  or  valley  be- 
tween Libanus  and  anti-Libanus ;  but 
stretched  northward  so  far  as  the  city 
of  Hamath  on  the  Orontes,  which  seems 
to  have  been  the  capital  of  the  country. 
This  city  was  called  Epiphania  by  the 
Greeks,  and  is  mentioned  under  that 
name  by  Josephus  and  the  Christian 
fathers.  It  has  now,  like  many  other 
sites  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  recovered  its 
ancient  name,  which  tradition  had  pre- 


22  And  they  ascended  by  the 
south,  and  came  unto  Hebron, 


served.  No  part  of  this  kingdom  was 
allotted  to  the  Israelites,  with  whom 
the  Hamathites  seem  to  have  lived  on 
very  good  terms.  Toi,  who  was  their 
king  in  the  time  of  David,  sent  his  son 
with  presents  to  congratulate  that  mon- 
arch on  his  victory  over  the  Syrians  of 
Zobah,  who,  it  would  seem,  had  been 
dangerous  neighbors  to  Hamath.  (See 
2  Sam.  8  :  9.)  The  present  government 
of  Hamath  comprises  one  hundred  and 
twenty  inhabited  villages,  and  seventy 
or  eighty  that  have  been  abandoned. 
The  western  part  of  the  territory  is  the 
granary  of  Northern  Syria,  although 
the  harvest  never  yields  more  than  ten 
for  one,  in  consequence  of  the  immense 
numbers  of  mice,  which  sometimes 
wholly  destroy  the  crops.  Hamath,  the 
capital,  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  the 
Orontes,  and  is  built  partly  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a  hill,  and  partly  on  the  plain. 
The  town  is  large,  and  (for  the  country) 
well  built,  though  the  walls  are  chieSy 
of  mud.  There  are  four  bridges  over 
the  Orontes,  and  a  stone  aqueduct,  sup- 
ported on  lofty  arches,  for  supplying  the 
upper  town  with  water.  There  are  few 
ancient  remains,  the  materials  having 
been  taken  away  to  be  employed  in 
modem  buildings.  Burckhardt  thicks 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  could 
not  amount  to  less  than  30,000." — Pict. 
Bible. 

V.  22.  And  they  ascended  by  the  south, 
and  cam^  unto  Hebron.  Heb.  Ta-yabo, 
and  he  came,  or,  one  came ;  a  phrase- 
ology supposed  to  indicate  that  the 
spies  did  not  all  move  in  a  body,  but 
that  they  at  least  occasionally  sepa- 
rated, one  going  in  one  direction,  and 
another  in  another,  and  then  again 
rendezvousing  together.  In  this  case 
it  would  appear  from  Josh.  14 : 9, 12, 14, 


188 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490. 


•where  Ahiman,  Sheshai,  and 
Talmai,  the  children  of  Anak, 
were.    (Now  Hebron "'  was  built 


m  Josh.  21.  11. 


Caleb  was  more  especially  intended,  as 
Hebron  afterwards  fell  to  his  inherit- 
ance on  the  ground  of  his  having  now 
visited  it.  Others,  however,  suppose 
that  the  verb  was  originally  written  in 
the  plural,  and  that  the  final  letter  has 
in  course  of  time  dropped  away.  As 
to  the  location  of  Hebron,  see  Note  on 

Gen.  23  :  2. H  Where  Ahiman,  She- 

shai,  and  Talmai,  the  children  of  AnaTc, 
{were).  The  "  children  of  Anak"  here 
mean  the  descendants  of  Anak.  Gr. 
"The  generation  of  Anak."  Chald. 
"  The  sons  of  the  giant,  or  mighty  man." 
They  were  the  posterity  of  Arba,  from 
whom  Hebron  had  the  name  of  Kirjath- 
Arba,  i.  e.  the  city  of  Arba,  and  whose 
son  was  Anak,  the  head  of  one  of  the 
chief  families  of  Canaan,  being  distin- 
guished for  their  great  stature,  prowess, 
and  valor.  So  formidable  were  they 
on  these  accounts  that  it  became  a  pro- 
verbial saying  in  that  region,  "Who 
can  stand  before  the  children  of  Anak  ?  " 

Deut.  9  :  2. \  Now  Hebron  was  built 

seven  years  before  Zoan  in  Egypt.  This 
clause  was  probably  inserted  in  order 
to  countervail  the  boast  of  Egypt  of 
being  the  most  ancient  nation  in  the 
world.  Whatever  might  be  pretended, 
for  instance,  respecting  the  antiquity 
of  this  Zoan,  which  was  afterwards 
called  Tanis,  still  here  was  a  city  in 
Canaan  of  seven  years  prior  origin, 

V.  23.  And  they  came  unto  the  brooTc 
of  JEshcol.  Heb.  nahal,  signifying  both 
a  stream  or  torrent  of  water,  and  the 
valley  through  which  it  runs,  whether 
permanently  or  only  occasionally  in  the 
time  of  floods  and  freshets.  "  Eshcol " 
signifies  a  cluster,  a  bunch,  and  this 
name  was  given  to  the  place  as  a  me- 
morial of  the  incident  recorded  v.  24. 


seven  years  before  Zoan  "  in 
Egypt.) 

23  And  they  came  unto  the 

n  Ps.  78.  1-2.     Is.  19.  11. 

Gr.  "  The  valley  of  the  cluster."  Rob- 
inson, in  speaking  of  his  departure  from 
Hebron  for  Jerusalem,  says,  (Trav.  v.  I. 
31G)  : — "  As  we  issued  from  the  town, 
the  path  for  a  short  distance  was  full 
of  mud  and  puddles  from  a  spring  near 
by ;  and  to  us,  coming  out  of  the  des- 
ert, this  was  quite  a  refreshing  sight. 
The  road  leads  up  the  valley  for  a  short 
time ;  and  then  up  a  branch  coming 
from  the  N.  E.  The  path  is  here  paved ; 
or  rather  laid  unevenly  with  large 
stones,  in  the  manner  of  a  Swiss  moun- 
tain road.  It  passes  between  the  walls 
of  vineyards  and  olive-yards ;  the  for- 
mer chiefly  in  the  valley,  and  the  latter 
on  the  slopes  of  the  hills,  which  are  in 
many  parts  built  up  in  terraces.  These 
vineyards  are  very  fine,  and  produce 
the  largest  and  best  grapes  in  all  the 
country.  This  valley  is  generally  as- 
sumed to  be  the  Eshcol  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, whence  the  spies  brought  back 
the  cluster  of  grapes  to  Kadesh ;  and 
apparently  not  without  reason.  The 
character  of  its  fruit  still  corresponds 
to  its  ancient  celebrity ;  and  pome- 
granates and  figs,  as  well  as  apricots, 
quinces,  and  the  like,  still  grow  there 
in  abundance."  It  would  seem  that 
their  arrival  at  this  valley,  which  lay 
in  the  southern  quarter  of  Canaan,  must 
have  been  on  their  return  from  the  ex- 
ploration of  the  northern  sections,  as 
they  would  not  of  course  carry  the 

grapes  all    the  way    with    them. 

1[  And  cut  down  from  thence  a  branch 
with  one  cluster  of  grapes.  The  proba- 
bility is,  that  what  was  cut  down  was  a 
branch  of  the  vine  with  a  number  of 
clusters  hanging  upon  it,  but  which 
were  so  thick  that  they  had  the  appear- 
ance of  one.    The  original  word  cannot 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xm. 


189 


brook  of  Eshcol,  and  cut  down 
from  thence  a  branch  with  one 

be  shown  to  signify  precisely  what  we 
understand  by  "cluster;"  it  may  as 
properly  be  translated  "  bunch,"  im- 
plying a  number  of  clusters,  not  to  ad- 
vert to  the  fact  that  a  strictly  correct 
rendering  of  the  Hebrew  would  perhaps 
be,  that  "  they  cut  down  a  branch  even 
a  bunch  of  grapes,  one  ;  "  for  although 
the  copulative  "and"  occurs  between 
"  branch "  and  "  cluster,"  yet  we  are 
certainly  not  to  understand  they  cut 
down  a  branch  and  a  cluster,  as  sepa- 
rate acts.  The  term  "  one  "  plainly  im- 
plies that  the  cutting  off  the  branch 
was  the  cutting  off  the  clusters  that  ad- 
hered to  it,  of  which  there  doubtless 
were  several.  Still,  it  is  beyond  ques- 
tion that  the  grapes,  and  consequently 
the  clusters  did  then,  and  do  still,  in 
that  country,  attain  to  an  extraordinary 
size,  as  will  be  apparent  from  the  note 
on  this  passage  from  the  "Pictorial 
Bible."  "  The  cluster  was  doubtless 
very  large;  but  the  fact  of  its  being 
borne  between  two  upon  a  staff  is  less 
exclusively  an  evidence  of  size  than  is 
usually  considered.  It  was  an  obvious 
resource  to  prevent  the  grapes  from  be- 
ing bruised  in  being  transported  to  a 
considerable  distance.  Nevertheless, 
even  under  the  present  comparative 
neglect  of  the  vine  in  Palestine,  it  is 
allowed  that  grapes  and  clusters  of 
most  extraordinary  size  are  common — 
as  indeed  they  often  are  in  other  parts 
of  "Western  Asia,  as  compared  with  any 
that  we  are  accustomed  to  see.  The 
district  in  which  the  brook  1-lshcol 
is  found,  and  particularly  the  valley 
through  which  that  brook  flows,  is  still 
noted  for  the  superiority  of  its  grapes. 
Doubdan,  in  traversing  the  country 
about  Bethlehem,  found  a  most  delight- 
ful valley  full  of  aromatic  herbs  and 
rose-bushes,   and  planted  with  vines, 


cluster  of  grapes,  and  they  bare 
it  between  two  upon  a  staff;  and 


which  appeared  to  him  of  the  choicest 
kind.  He  was  not  there  in  proper  time 
to  make  any  observations  on  the  size 
of  the  clusters  ;  but  he  was  assured  by 
the  monks  that  they  still  found  some, 
even  in  the  present  neglected  state  of 
the  country,  weighing  ten  or  twelve 
pounds.  This  valley  corresponds  to 
what  is  commonly  thought  that  of  the 
brook  Eshcol.  Eeland  also  says,  that 
a  merchant  who  had  resided  several 
years  at  Ramah,  in  this  neighborhood, 
assured  him  that  he  had  there  seen 
bunches  of  grapes  weighing  ten  pounds 
each.  Forster  mentions  that  he  knew 
a  monk  who  had  spent  eight  years  in 
Palestine,  and  had  been  at  Hebron  in 
the  same  district,  where  he  saw  clus- 
ters as  large  as  two  men  could  conve- 
niently carry.  We  are  at  liberty  to 
doubt  this,  if  we  please,  as  the  major- 
ity of  travellers  concur  in  stating  the 
weight  of  the  largest  clusters  produced 
in  Palestine  at  about  ten  or  twelve 
pounds,  or,  at  most,  as  a  suflScient  bur- 
den for  one  man  ;  and  because  the  state- 
ment looks  as  if  made  for  the  text  by 
one  who  did  not  consider,  that  although 
two  men  did  carry  the  cluster  of  grapes 
from  Eshcol,  it  does  not  necessarily  fol- 
low that  the  cluster  was  a  full  burden 
for  them.  "Whatever  opinion  be  enter- 
tained about  the  size  of  the  cluster  in 
question,  it  is  agreed  that  the  vines  of 
Canaan  are  remarkably  distinguished 
for  the  size  of  their  grapes  and  clus- 
ters. This  has  been  noticed  even  by 
travellers  from  the  richest  vine-growing 
countries  of  Europe  ;  and  we  may  there- 
fore readily  conceive  how  the  Israelites 
must  have  been  impressed  by  the  sight 
of  them,  when  it  is  recollected  that 
Egypt,  from  which  they  came,  was 
never  remarkable  for  its  vines,  and  that 
the  grapes,  though  far  from  bad,  are 


190 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


they  brought  of  the  pomegran- 
ates, and  of  the  figs. 

24  The  place  was  called  the 
brook  Eshcol,  because  of  the 
cluster  of  grapes  which  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  cut  down  from 
thence. 

25  And  they  returned  from 
searching  of  the  land  after  forty 
days. 

very  small.  The  vines  of  Canaan  are 
of  different  kinds  and  colors,  white,  red, 
and  deep  purple;  the  last  are  much 
more  common  than  the  others.  The 
most  esteemed  of  all  is  called  Soreh  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  probably  derived 
that  name  from  being  produced  in 
the  valley  watered  by  the  river  of  that 
name  ;  and  those  of  Eshcol  were  prob- 
ably of  the  same  valuable  species,  the 
brook  so  called  being  merely  one  of  two 
which,  by  their  junction,  form  the  river 
Sorek.  This  is  the  common  opinion ; 
but  it  must  be  confessed  that  we  know 
nothing  precisely  about  this  brook,  ex- 
cept that  it  was  somewhere  in  the  vine 
district  of  the  country  which  afterwards 
belonged  to  Judah.  Some  commenta- 
tors hesitate  to  say  whether  there  was 
any  brook  at  all,  as  the  Hebrew  word 
^Hj,  nahal,  means  as  well  a  valley  as  a 
brook ;  but  we  conceive  that  the  word 
means  here,  and  in  some  other  places, 
a  valley  tvith  a  brook,  that  is,  a  brook 
which,  like  most  others  in  Palestine, 

is  dried  up  in  the  warm  season." 

1[  And  {they  brougJit)  of  the  pomegran- 
ates and  the  figs.  On  the  pomegranate, 
see  note  on  Ex.  28  :  33. 

V.  24.  The  place  was  called,  etc. 
That  is,  was  subsequently  called,  af- 
ter the  Israelites  got  possession  of  the 
land. 

V.  25.  And  they  returned  from  search- 
ing of  the  land  after  forty  days.  From 
what  is  said,  v.  20,  that  "  the  time  was 


26  And  they  went  and  came 
to  Moses,  and  to  Aaron,  and  to 
all  the  congregation  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  unto  the  wilder- 
ness of  Paran,  to  Kadesh ";  and 
brought  back  word  unto  them, 
and  unto  all  the  congregation, 
and  showed  them  the  fruit  of 
the  land. 


the  time  of  the  first  ripe  grapes,"  it  is 
probable  the  spies  were  sent  forth  about 
the  beginning  of  August  and  returned 
about  the  middle  of  September,  as  that 
is  about  the  time  that  grapes,  pomegran- 
ates, and  figs  ripen  in  those  countries. 

TTie  Report  of  the  Spies. 
V.  26.  And  they  went  and  came,  etc. 
That  is,  they  travelled  and  came ;  the 
first  verb  being  rather  of  an  expletive 

nature, T|  To  Kadesh.     "  This  is  the 

nearest  approach  which  the  Israelites 
made  to  the  Promised  Land  at  this 
time.   The  intermediate  stations  were — 

1,  the   Desert  of  Paran  (ch.  10 :  12) ; 

2,  Taberah  (ch.  10  :  38) ;  3,  Kibroth- 
Hattaavah  (ch.  11  :  34) ;  4,  Hazeroth 
(ch.  11  :  35).  Nothing  is  positively 
known  concerning  these  stations,  but 
very  much  has  been  guessed.  One 
thing,  however,  seems  clear,  that  the 
Hebrews  took  the  direct  route  north- 
ward from  Sinai  to  Kadesh-barnea, 
which  we  may  assume  to  have  been 
somewhere  on  the  southern  border  of 
Canaan,  although  it  is  much  disputed 
whether  there  is  not  another  Kadesh, 
and,  if  there  be  but  one,  where  that  one 

should  be    placed." — Pict.    Bible. 

And  brought  bach  word  unto  them. 
Heb.  "  And  returned  them  word,"  where 
the  original  presents  the  peculiar  usage 
of  two  objectives  or  accusatives  under 
the  regimen  of  one  verb — othdm,  them, 
instead  of  Idhem,  to  them. T[  And 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xm. 


191 


27  And  they  told  him,  and 
said,  "We  came  unto  the  land 
whither  thou  sentest  us,  and 
surely  it  floweth  ^  with  milk  and 
honey;  and  this  ^  is  the  fruit  of  it. 

28  Nevertheless  the  people  *■ 
he  strong  that  dwell  in  the  laud, 


V  Ej.  33. 


q  Deut.  1.  25,  etc. 


Deut.  9. 


showed  them  the  fruit.  Heb.  *'  Caused 
them  to  see." 

V.  27.  And  they  told  him,  and  said. 
Heb.  Da-yesapperu  lo  'va-yomeru,  and 
they  recited,  or  related,  to  him,  i.  e.  to 
Moses,  as  the  representative  of  the 
whole  congregation. ^  We  cam^  un- 
to the  land  whither  thou  sentest  us.  It  is 
not  a  little  remarkable  that  men  who 
proved  themselves  so  cowardly,  should 
have  had  the  courage  to  risk  their  per- 
sons in  exploring  the  country.  But  it 
is  probable  thej  were  sustained  by  the 
undaunted  spirit  and  determination  of 
Caleb  and  Joshua,  though  they  basely 
arrayed   themselves   against  them    on 

their    return. T[   Surely  it  floweth 

with  milh  and  honey.  The  display  of 
the  rich  fruit  formed  of  itself  an  em- 
phatically good  report  of  the  land,  as 
to  natural  advantages  and  productive- 
ness ;  and  this  was  confirmed  by  the 
verbal  statements  of  the  spies.  But 
their  tone  soon  alters  when  they  come 
to  speak  of  the  inhabitants.  The  rising 
delight  of  the  congregation,  occasioned 
by  such  a  report,  attested  by  such  visi- 
ble evidence  of  its  truth,  is  suddenly 
cast  down  by  the  sad  tenor  of  what 
follows. 

V.  28.  Nevertheless  the  peoplehe  strong, 
etc.  This  was  of  course  the  language  of 
the  faint-hearted  spies,  and  not  of  Caleb 
or  Joshua.  The  words  were  probably 
true  in  themselves,  but  they  were  evi- 
dently spoken  with  a  view  to  dishearten 
the  people,  especially  the  mention  of 
the  giant  sons  of  Anak.     "  Forty  days 


and  the  cities  are  walled,  and 
very  great :  and  moreover  we 
saw  the  children  of  Anak*  there. 
29  The  Amalekites '  dwell  in 
the  land  of  the  south ;  and  the 
Hittites,  and  the  Jebusites,  and 
the  Amorites,  dwell  in  the  moun- 


t  Ex.  Vi.  8.     c.  14.  43. 


they  spent  in  this  search,  and  this  cow- 
ardly unbelief  in  the  search  shall  cost 
them  forty  years'  delay  of  the  fruition. 
Who  can  abide  lo  see  the  rulers  of  Is- 
rael so  basely  timorous?  They  com- 
mend the  land,  the  fruit  commends  it- 
self, and  yet  they  plead  diflSculty.  '  We 
are  not  able  to  go  up.'  Their  shoulders 
are  laden  with  the  grapes,  and  yet  their 
hearts  are  overlaid  with  unbelief  It 
is  an  unworthy  thing  to  plead  hardness 
of  achieving,  when  the  benefit  will 
more  than  requite  the  endeavor.  Our 
land  of  promise  is  above ;  we  know  the 
fruit  thereof  is  sweet  and  glorious,  the 
passage  difl5cult.  The  giantly  sons  of 
Anak  (the  powers  of  darkness)  stand  in 
our  way.  If  we  sit  down  to  complain, 
we  shall  one  day  know  that  '  without 
shall  be  the  feariful.'  "— ^.  Hall. 

V.  29.  The  A77ialekites  dwell,  etc.  Heb. 
"  Amalek  dwells ;  "  collect,  sing. ;  and 
so  in  all  the  national  designations  that 
follow.  Respecting  the  Amalekites,  see 
Note  on  Ex.  17  :  8.  They  are  not  here 
spoken  of  as  being  actually  inhabitants 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  but  as  dwelliiig 
upon  its  south  border,  where  if  Israel 
attempted  an  approach,  they  would  be 
very  liable  to  encounter  the  opposition 
of  these  ancient  enemies  of  their  race, 
from  whose  assaults  they  had  already 
suffered  since  leaving  Egypt,  Ex.  17  : 
8-16.  "  Because  they  had  been  smitten 
by  Amalek  (Deut.  25  :  17,  18),  the  spies 
do  now  make  mention  of  him  to  make 

them   afraid." — Sol.     Jarchi. T[  In 

the  mmintains.      Heb.  "In  the  moun- 


192 

tains ;  and  the  Canaanites  dwell 
by  the  sea,  and  by  the  coast  of 
Jordan. 

30  And  Caleb  "  stilled  the 
people  before  Moses,  and  said, 
Let  us  go  up  at  once  and  pos- 


NUMBERS.  [B.  0.  1490. 

sess  it ;  for  we  are  well "  able  to 
overcome  it. 

31  But  the  men  that  went 
up  with  him  said,  We  be  not 
able  to  go  up  against  the  people ; 
for  they  are  stronger  than  we. 

V  Rom.  8.  37. 


tain,"  i.  e.  the  mountainous  region, 
collect,  sing,  as  in  v.  17.  The  moun- 
tains alluded  to  are,  for  the  most  part, 
the  range  lying  on  the  south  and  south- 
east part  of  Canaan,  which  at  this  time 
were  inhabited  by  the  several  nations 
specified.  The  Jebusites,  however,  had 
pitched  farther  in  the  interior,  and  held 
the  region  about  Jerusalem,  These 
were  the  most  formidable  of  all  the  na- 
tive population.  Of  the  Amorites,  we 
find  the  Lord  saying  through  the  pro- 
phet Amos,  ch.  2 :  9,  "  Yet  destroyed  I 
the  Amorite  before  them,  whose  height 
was  like  the  height  of  the  cedars,  and 

he  was  strong  as  the  oaks," Tf  The 

Canaanites  divell  hy  the  sea.  That  is, 
the  nation  specifically  called  by  this 
name,  Gen,  15 :  20.  They  were  situated 
partly  on  the  coast  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  partly  in  the  vicinity  of  the 

Jordan. T[  By  the  coast  of  Jordan. 

Heb.  "  By  the  hand  of  Jordan  ; "  i.  e, 
by  the  side  of  Jordan,  or  by  or  upon  the 
side  along  which  the  Jordan  ran.  The 
word  "  coast"  in  this  sense  is  now  quite 
obsolete. 

V.  30.  And  Caleb  stilled  the  people 
before  Moses.  Heb.  "Made  the  people 
to  be  silent  to  Moses ; "  implying  that 
the  report  just  made  had  produced  a 
disaffection  among  the  people  which 
was  now  upon  the  point  of  venting  it- 
self before  Moses,  and  perhaps  against 
him,  when  Caleb  boldly  stepped  for- 
ward and  assuaged  "  the  tumult  of  the 
people."  "  Joshua  was  silent,  and 
wisely  spared  his  tongue  for  a  further 
advantage;   only  Caleb  spoke.      I  do 


not  hear  him  say.  Who  am  I  to  strive 
with  a  multitude  ?  What  can  Joshua 
and  I  do  against  ten  rulers  ?  It  is  bet- 
ter to  sit  still,  than  to  rise  and  fall ;  but 
he  resolves  to  swim  against  this  stream, 
and  will  either  draw  friends  to  the 
truth,  or  enemies  upon  himself  True 
Christian  fortitude  teaches  us  not  to  re- 
gard the  number  or  quality  of  the  op- 
ponents, but  the  equity  of  the  cause ; 
and  cares  not  to  stand  alone,  and  chal- 
lenge all  comers ;  and  if  it  could  be  op- 
posed by  as  many  worlds  as  men,  it 
may  be  overborne,  but  it  cannot  be 
daunted:  whereas,  popularity  carries 
weak  minds,  and  teaches  them  the 
safety  of  erring  with  a  multitude." — 

Bp.  Hall. TI  Let  us  go  up  at  once 

and  possess  it.  Heb.  **  Going  up  let  us 
go  up ; "  to  express  which  emphatical 
phrase  our  translators  have  introduced 

the  words  "  at  once." H  For  we  are 

well  able  to  overcome  it.  Heb,  "Pre- 
vailing we  shall  prevail  over  it,"  i.  e, 
the  land;  which,  however,  the  Gr,  ren- 
ders by  "  them."  In  connection  with 
this  we  may  properly  exhibit  the  testi- 
mony which  Caleb  records  of  himself. 
Josh,  14:7,  8,  "Forty  yeai*s  old  was  I 
when  Moses  the  servant  of  the  Lord 
sent  me  from  Kadesh-barnea  to  espy 
out  the  land  ;  and  I  brought  him  word 
again  as  it  was  in  mine  heart.  Never- 
theless my  brethren  that  went  up  with 
me  made  the  heart  of  the  people  melt : 
but  I  wholly  followed  the  Lord  my 
God." 

V.  31.    We  be  not  able  to  go  up  against 
the  people  ;  for  they  {are)  stronger  than 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


193 


82  And  "^  they  brought  up  an 
evil  report  of  the  land  which 
they  had  searched  unto  the  chil- 


Deiit.  1 .  -28. 


we.  "See  the  idle  pleas  of  distrust. 
Could  not  God  enable  them  ?  Was  he 
not  stronger  than  their  giants?  Had 
he  not  promised  to  displace  the  Ca- 
naauites,  to  settle  them  in  their  stead? 
How  much  more  easy  is  it  for  us  to 
spy  their  weakness,  than  for  them  to 
espy  the  strength  of  their  adversaries  ? 
When  we  measure  our  spiritual  suc- 
cess by  our  own  power,  we  are  van- 
quished before  we  fight.  He  that  would 
overcome  must  neither  look  upon  his 
own  arm,  nor  the  arm  of  his  enemy, 
but  to  the  mouth  and  hand  of  him  that 
hath  promised  and  can  perform." — Bp. 
Hall. 

V.  32.  And  they  IrougJit  vj^  an  evil 
report  of  the  land.  Heb.  va-yotzi-u  dib- 
hatJi,  and  they  caused  to  go  forth  an  evil 
report.  The  original  for  "  bringing  up 
an  evil  report "  is  in  Prov,  10 :  18,  ren- 
dered "  uttering  a  slander."  The  same 
term  is  used  of  the  report  which  Joseph 
brought  of  his  brethren.  Gen.  87 :  2,  al- 
though there,  and  also  Xum.  14  :  37,  the 
epithet  for  "  evil "  is  affixed,  which  is 
omitted  here.  Chald.  "And  they  put 
an  evil  name."  Gr,  "  And  they  brought 
a  horror  of  that  land  which  they  had 
searched."  The  evil  report  consisted 
of  the  particulars  recited  in  the  remain- 
ing clauses  of  the  verse. T[  A  land 

that  eateth  vp  the  inhabitants  thereof. 
An  expression  which  cannot  well  mean, 
as  some  have  supposed,  that  the  coun- 
try was  lacking  in  fertility,  and  apt  to 
eat  up  and  consume  its  inhabitants  by 
famine ;  for  they  tiad  before  acknowl- 
edged it  to  be  "a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey."  iN'or  does  the  sug- 
gestion of  others  appear  very  probable, 
that  it  denotes  a  peculiar  insalubrity  of 
9 


dren  of  Israel,  saying,  The  land, 
through  which  we  have  gone  to 
search  it,  is  a  land  that  eateth 
up  the  inhabitants  thereof;  and 


the  cHmate,  to  which  it  appears  from 
Mr.  Roberts  the  eastern  Asiatics  apply 
a  similar  phraseology.  "Of  a  very 
unhealthy  place  it  is  said,  '  That  evil 
country  eats  up  all  the  people.'  '  We 
cannot  remain  in  these  parts,  the  land 
is  eating  us  up.'  '/go  to  that  place! 
never  !  it  will  eat  me  up.'  Of  England 
it  is  said,  in  reference  to  her  victories, 
'  She  has  eaten  up  all  countries.'  "  There 
is  no  good  evidence  that  the  phrase  bore 
the  same  signification  among  the  He- 
brews, nor,  if  in  a  hurried  journey 
through  the  country,  they  had  witness- 
ed the  ravages  of  a  plague,  would  that 
have  been  a  peculiarly  disheartening 
circumstance,  as  it  would  merely  have 
shown  the  Divine  Providence  thinning 
out  the  ranks  of  their  enemies,  and 
leaving  fewer  to  oppose  their  entrance. 
We  are  therefore  inclined  to  adopt  the 
interpretation  of  Le  Clerc,  who  sup- 
poses it  to  be  understood  of  the  de- 
structive wars  which  frequently  raged 
among  these  and  the  adjacent  nations, 
sweeping  off  the  inhabitants  as  if  by  a 
desolating  plague.  Thus  the  Amorites 
had  conquered  the  Moabites,  Num.  21 : 
26,  and  the  Caphtorims  the  Avims, 
Deut.  2  :  23,  and  one  tribe  was  almost 
constantly  rooting  out  another,  Deut. 
2  :  18-23.  This  sense  receives  confirma- 
tion from  the  usage  in  Ezek.  36  :  13-15, 
where  the  land  of  Israel  is  thus  apos- 
trophized :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God ; 
Because  they  say  unto  you,  TJiou  land 
devourest  i.ip  men,  and  hast  bereaved 
thy  nations ;  therefore  thou  shalt  de- 
vour men  no  more,  neither  bereave  thy 
nations  any  more,  saith  the  Lord  God. 
Neither  will  I  cause  men  to  hear  in  thee 
the  shame  of  the  heathen  any  more. 


194 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


all  the  people  that  we  saw  in  it 
are  men  of  a  great  stature "". 

83    And   there  we    saw  the 
giants,  the  sons  of  Anak  ^,  which 


X  Deut.  9.  -2. 


neither  shalt  thou  bear  the  reproach 
of  the  people  any  more,  neither  shalt 
thou  cause  thy  nations  to  fall  any  more, 
saith  the  Lord  God."  It  is  obvious 
that  in  these  words  the  Most  High 
makes  a  remote  allusion  to  the  very  re- 
proach that  is  here  cast  upon  the  land 
of  Canaan,  as  if  the  surrounding  heath- 
en had  occasion  to  load  his  own  people 
with  the  same  aspersions  as  did  the 
spies  the  original  inhabitants.  This 
reproach  should  now  be  taken  away. 
The  prevalence  of  wasting  judgments 
such  as  war,  pestilence,  and  famine, 
should  no  longer  give  occasion  to  say 
that  the  land  devoured  its  inhabitants  ; 
in  all  which  the  idea  of  the  destructive 
effects  of  war  is  prominent.  Language 
very  similar,  and  of  similar  import, 
occurs  in  the  conditional  threatening 
against  the  chosen  people.  Lev.  26  :  37, 
38,. "And  they  shall  fall  one  upon  an- 
other, as  it  were  before  a  sword,  when 
none  pursueth :  and  ye  shall  have  no 
power  to  stand  before  your  enemies. 
And  ye  shall  perish  among  the  heathen, 
and  the  land  of  your  enemies  shall  eat 
you  up."  To  which  we  may  add,  that 
the  Chald.  here  renders,  "  It  is  a  land 
that  killeth  its  inhabitants  ; "  which 
doubtless   implies  a  land  wherein   the 

inhabitants  kill  each  other. T[  And 

all  the  people  that  we  saw  in  it  (are) 
men  of  great  stature.  Heb.  anshe  mid- 
doth,  men  of  measures  ;  i.  e.  men  above 
the  ordinary  standard  as  to  height  and 
dimensions.  Comp.  Is.  45  :  14,  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  The  labor  of  Egypt,  and 
merchandise  of  Ethiopia,  and  of  the 
Sabeans,  men  of  stature  {anshe  m,iddah) 
shall  come  over  unto  thee."    Jer.  22  : 


come  of  the  giants ;  and  we  were 
in  our  own  sight  as  grasshop- 
pers %  and  so  we  were  in  their 
sight. 


14,  "  That  saith,  I  will  build  me  a  wide 
house  {laith  middoth,  a  house  of  meas- 
ures).'" Gr.  "Exceeding  tall."  The 
statement  was  evidently  exaggerated, 
as  it  was  only  the  Anakim  or  Nephilim 
that  answered  to  this  description,  but 
when  men's  fears  are  excited,  and  they 
wish  to  produce  an  impression  upon 
others,  they  are  prone  both  to  magnify 
and  to  multiply  the  objects  of  their 
dread.  The  transition  from  some  to  all 
is  then  very  easy. 

V.  33.  And  there  we  saiv  the  giants. 
Heb.  "  Nephilim  ; "  the  term  applied  to 
the  giants  that  lived  before  the  flood, 
men  of  violence,  oppression,  and  cruel- 
ty.    See  Note  on  Gen.  6  : 4. T[  TAe 

sons  of  Anak,  {which  come)  of  the  giants. 
That  is,  we  saw  there  the  formidable 
sons  or  descendants  of  Anak,  a  race 
of  men  of  such  enormous  stature  and 
strength,  that  they  are  evidently  to  be 
accounted  of  the  same  stock  with  the 
Nephilim,  or  the  giants  of  the  olden 
time,  of  whom  we  have  so  often  heard. 

• T[    We  were  in  our  own  sight  as 

grasshoppers,  etc.  Or,  Heb.  "  locusts," 
as  the  original  is  rendered  2  Chr.  7  :  13. 
The  expression  is  plainly  hyperbolical, 
to  which  there  can  be  no  difficulty  in 
affixing  the  right  sense.  It  would  seem 
a  little  problematical  how  they  should 
have  known  that  they  appeared  so 
diminutive  in  the  eyes  of  these  gigantic 
people.  But  it  will  perhaps  be  suffi- 
cient to  suggest  that  it  was  asserted  as 
a  mere  inference,  and  not  an  unnatural 
one  under  the  circumstances.  The  es- 
timate of  greatness  on  the  one  side 
would  give  rise  to  that  of  littleness  on 
the  other. 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


195 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

AND  all  the  congregation 
lifted  up  their  voice,  and 
cried ;  and  the  people  wept 
"  that  night. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Murmuring  and  Mutiny  of  the 
People  at  the  Export  of  the  Spies. 

V.  1.  And  all  the  congregation,  lifted 
up  (their  voice).  Heb.  tissd,  lifted  up. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  original  to  an- 
swer to  "  voice,"  although  it  is  undoubt- 
edly understood.  The  verb  is  used  in 
other  instances  in  a  similar  manner. 
Thus,  Is.  42  :  2,  "  He  shall  not  cry,  nor 
lift  np  iyissd),  nor  cause  his  voice  to 
be  heard,"  etc.  So  Is.  42  :  11,  "Let 
the  wilderness  and  the  cities  thereof 
lift  vp  (their  voices),  where  our  trans- 
lators have  inserted  "  their  voices  "  in 
italics,  as  might  have  been  properly 
done  in  the  present  passage.  We  find 
the  full  phrase,  however,  in  other  con- 
nections, as  Gen.  21 :  10,  "  She  lifted  up 
her  voice,  and  wept."  It  is  worthy  of 
notice,  that  as  the  people  on  this  occa- 
sion lifted  up  their  voice  in  rebellious 
complaint  against  the  Lord,  so  he,  Ps. 
106  :  26,  lifted  up>  his  hand  in  token  of 
their  exclusion  by  a  righteous  decree 
from  the  land  promised  to  them  in  the 
persons  of  their  fathers.     The  terms  in 

the  original  are  the  same. ^  And 

cried.  Heb.  "And  gave  their  voice." 
This  form  of  expression  occurs  in  refer- 
ence to  any  loud  voice,  noise,  or  cry, 
whether  as  predicated  of  any  creature, 
or  represented  as  proceeding  from  the 
Lord  himself.  Thus,  Ps.  18  :  14,  "  The 
Most  High  gave  his  voice."  Jer.  2  :  15, 
"  The  young  lions  roared  upon  him, 
(and)  yelled."     Heb.  "gave  forth  their 

voice."     Ps.  104:12,  "The  birds  

sing  (Heb.  'give  forth  their  voice') 
among    the  branches."      Ps.    77  :  17, 


2  And  all  the  children  of  Is- 
rael murmured  *  against  Moses 
and  against  Aaron  :  and  the 
whole    congregation    said   unto 


b  Ps.  1U6.  i24,  25. 


"  The  clouds  poured  out  water ;  the 
skies  sent  out  a  sound  (Heb.  "  gave  forth 
a  voice)."  Hab.  3  :  10,  "  The  overflow- 
ing of  the  water  passed  by ;  the  deep 
tittered  his  voice "  (Heb.  "  gave  forth 
his  voice)."  So,  likewise,  men  are  said 
to  "  give  a  voice,"  upon  causing  a  pro- 
clamation to  be  issued,  2  Chron.  24 :  9. 
From  the  force  of  the  expression,  there- 
fore, it  is  evident  that  the  people  on 
this  occasion  broke  forth  into  open  out- 
cries of  a  rebellious  nature,  proclaiming 
thereby  their  own  fickleness,  coward- 
ice, imbecility,  and  shame.  Instead  of 
lifting  up  their  ensigns  with  a  heroic 
resolve  to  march  forward  to  the  land 
of  promise,  defying  all  enemies  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  they  sat  down  in  im- 
potent despair,  and  like  so  many  fright- 
ened and  fretting  children,  gave  way  to 
sobs  and  tears  !  "  The  rods  of  their 
Egyptian  task-masters  had  never  been 
so  fit  for  them  as  now  for  crying.  They 
had  cause,  indeed,  to  weep  for  their  in- 
fidelity ;  but  nT)w  they  weep  for  fear  of 
those  enemies  they  saw  not.  I  fear,  if 
there  had  been  ten  Calebs  to  persuade, 
and  but  two  faint  spies  to  discourage 
them,  those  two  cowards  would  have 
prevailed  against  those  two  solicitors  : 
how  much  more,  now  ten  oppose  and  but 

two  encourage  1 " — J^p.  Ball. ^  27ie 

people  tvept  that  night.  Heb.  "In  or 
through  that  night."  Gr.  "  That  whole 
night." 

y.  2.  And  all  the  children  of  Israel 
murmured  against  Moses  and  against 
Aaron.  In  murmuring  against  their 
leaders,  they  murmured  against  God 
by  whom  those  leaders  were  appointed. 
This  is  clear  from  the  language  of  Moses, 


196 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


them,  Would  God  that  we  had 
died  in  the  land  of  Egypt  !  or, 
would  God  we  had  died  in  this 
wilderness ! 

3    And   wherefore  hath    the 


Ex.  16  :  8,  "For  the  Lord  heareth  your 
murmurings  which  ye  murmur  against 
him ;  and  what  are  we  ?  your  murmur- 
ings are  not  against  us,  but  against  the 
Lord."  The  false  and  cowardly  repre- 
sentations of  the  spies  operated  to  in- 
fect the  entire  mass  of  the  congregation, 
so  that  nothing  was  heard  but  mourn- 
ing and  lamentation  over  the  sad  lot  to 
which  they  were  doomed  in  being  thus 
led  forth  to  perish,  men,  women,  and 
children,  at  the  hands  of  a  cruel  enemy. 

T[  Would  God  that  we  had  died  in 

the  land  of  Egypt.  The  more  carefully 
the  language  of  these  malcontents  is 
weighed,  the  more  aggravated  does  it 
appear.  They  were  wrought  up  by 
their  disaffection  to  a  point  of  absolute 
madness.  They  speak  as  if  it  had  been 
actually  better  that  they  had  been  slain 
with  the  first-born  in  Egypt,  or  in  the 
wilderness  with  those  who  had  lately 
died  of  the  plague  for  lusting,  than  run 
the  hazard  of  holding  on  their  way  to 
Canaan.  They  forgot  that  Omnipotence 
could  bring  them  in  thither  as  triumph- 
antly as  it  had  brought  them  out  of 
Egypt.  The  past,  with  all  its  miracles 
of  mercy,  is  hidden  from  their  eyes,  and 
the  dreadful  future,  painted  by  unbe- 
lief, is  all  that  stands  before  them. 
Never  had  people  been  so  honored,  fa- 
vored, and  blest,  as  had  the  nation  of 
Israel  since  their  departure  out  of 
Egypt,  and  yet,  so  light  is  all  this  in 
their  eyes,  that  they  now  mourn  that 
they  had  not  died  before  they  had  ex- 
perienced it !  "  They  wish  rather  to 
die  criminals  under  God's  justice  than 
live  conquerors  in  his  favor.  How  base 
were  the  spirits  of  those  degenerate  Is- 
raelites, who,  rather  than  die  (if  it  come 


Lord  brought  us  unto  this  land, 
to  fall  by  the  sword,  that  our 
wives  and  our  children  should 
be  a  prey  ?  were  it  not  better 
for  us  to  return  into  Egypt  ? 

to  the  worst)  like  soldiers  in  the  field 
of  honor,  with  their  swords  in  their 
hands,  desire  to  die  like  rotten  sheep 
in  the  wilderness !  " — Henry.  Who  can 
wonder  that,  as  appears  fi'om  the  sequel, 
vs.  28,  29,  they  soon  had  their  wish  ? 

V.  3.  And  wherefore  hath  the  Lord 
hrought  us  unto  this  land?  "  The  fool- 
ishness of  man  perverteth  his  way  ; 
and  his  heart  fretteth  against  the  Lord." 
How  strikingly  is  this  illustrated  in 
the  narrative  before  us !  They  blas- 
phemously reflect  upon  their  Divine 
Benefactor,  as  if  he  had  brought  them 
hither  on  purpose  that  they  might  fall 
by  the  sword,  and  that  their  wives  and 
children  should  fall  a  prey  to  the  fero- 
cious adversaries  whom  they  were  call- 
ed to  encounter.  "  Thus  do  they  in 
effect  charge  that  God  who  is  Love  it- 
self, with  the  worst  of  malice,  and  Eter- 
nal Truth  with  the  basest  hypocrisy ; 
suggesting  that  all  the  kind  things  he 
had  said  to  them,  and  done  for  them, 
hitherto,  were  intended  only  to  decoy 
them,  and  to  cover  a  secret  design  car- 
ried on  all  along  to  ruin  them." — Henry. 
The  parallel  history,  Deut.  1 :  27,  gives 
us  still  more  distinctly  the  language 
they  uttered  on  this  occasion,  "  And 
ye  murmured  in  your  tents,  and  said. 
Because  the  Lord  hated  us,  he  hath 
brought  us  forth  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  to  deliver  us  into  the  hand  of 

the  Amorites,  to  destroy  us." ^f  To 

fall  hj  the  sword.  That  is,  that  we 
should  fall,  or,  in  other  words,  die,  by 
the  sword.  The  more  ordinary  form 
of  expression  would  be,  to  cause  us  to 
fall,  but  these  forms  are  occasional- 
ly interchanged  with  each   other. ■ 

^1  Were  it  not  better  for  us  to  return  in- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIY. 


197 


4  And  they  said  one  to 
another,  Let  us  make  a  cap- 
tain, and  let  us  return  "  into 
Egypt. 

c  Deut.  17.  16.     Neh.  9.  17.    Acts  7.  39. 


'  to  Eg-ypt  ?  Heb.  "  Were  it  not  good  ?  " 
It  is  observable  how  many  obvious  con- 
siderations they  lose  sight  of  in  this 
proposition.  As  for  instance,  could 
they  expect  the  presence  of  the  pillar 
of  cloud  to  conduct  them  on  their  way  ? 
Could  they  look  to  be  supplied  with 
manna  from  heaven  ?  "Would  the  Lord 
again  divide  the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea 
for  them  ?  Could  they  anticipate  a 
peaceful  passage  along  the  territories 
of  the  warlike  nations  that  bordered 
their  path  ?  And  should  they  even  suc- 
ceed in  setting  their  feet  again  on  Egyp- 
tian ground,  would  they  find  their  an- 
cient oppressors  any  more  favorably 
disposed  towards  them  ?  Would  they 
,  have  forgotten  the  death  of  their  first- 
V  born?  Would  they  have  buried  the 
remembrance  of  the  fathers,  children, 
brothers,  husbands,  who  had  perished 
in  pursuing  them  ?  But  thus  infatu- 
ated are  men  when  their  hearts  are  set 
in  them  to  do  evil.  Like  brute-beasts, 
they  mind  only  that  which  is  present, 
and  the  office  of  memory  and  reason 
appears  to  be  suspended. 

V.  4.  And  they  said  one  to  another. 
Heb.  "And  they  said  (every)  man  to 
his  brother."     On  this  phraseology,  see 

Note  on  Lev.  18  :  18. T[  Let  us  make 

a  captain.  Heb.  "  Let  us  give  a  head." 
Chald.  "  Let  us  appoint  or  constitute  a 
head  (principem)."  Gr.  "Let  us  give 
(or  appoint)  a  leader,"  Targ.  Jon. 
"Let  us  appoint  a  king  over  us  for 
head."  On  the  incidents  here  related 
the  sacred  writer,  in  a  subsequent  age, 
thus  comments,  Neh.  9:16,  17,  "But 
they  and  our  fathers  dealt  proudly,  and 
hardened  their  necks,  and  hearkened 
not  to  thy  commandments,  and  refused 


5  Then  Moses  and  Aaron  fell 
on  their  faces  '^  before  all  the 
assembly  of  the  congregation  of 
the  children  of  Israel. 


to  obey,  neither  were  mindful  of  thy 
wonders  that  thou  didst  among  them ; 
but  hardened  their  necks,  and  in  their 
rebellion  appointed  a  captain  to  return 
to  their  bondage."  It  does  not  appear 
that  in  point  of  fact  their  rebellion  pro- 
ceeded farther,  in  this  respect,  than 
taking  counsel  concerning  the  choice 
of  a  leader  and  head,  but  in  the  divine 
estimation,  it  is  regarded  as  a  deed  act- 
ually done.  Their  conduct  was  no  less 
than  a  formal  renunciation  of  the  divine 
authority,  and  as  they  thus  "  despised 
the  pleasant  land,  and  believed  not  his 
word  ;  but  murmured  in  their  tents, 
and  hearkened  not  unto  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  therefore  he  lifted  up  his  hand 
against  them,  to  overthrow  them  in  the 
wilderness,"  and  we  cannot  but  bow  in 
humble  acquiescence  with  the  decree 
which  excluded  that  generation  from 
entrance  upon  the  promised  inherit- 
ance. 


The  Deportment  of  Moses  and  Aaron, 
Joshua  and  Caleb,  on  this  Occasion. 

V.  5.  Then  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  on, 
their  faces.  Heb.  "  And  Moses  fell  and 
Aaron  upon  their  faces."  The  motive 
for  this  prostration  was  not  so  much  to 
sue  with  great  earnestness  to  the  peo- 
ple to  forbear  their  rebellion,  as  to  pray 
devoutly  to  the  Lord  in  their  behalf, 
deprecating  the  sore  displeasure  which 
their  base  and  ungrateful  conduct  had 
provoked.  It  had  been,  no  doubt,  more 
befitting  that  the  Israelites  themselves 
should  have  fallen  down  on  their  faces 
and  humbly  supplicated  the  pardon, 
both  of  the  Lord  and  his  servants,  but 
in  this,  as  in  thousands  of  other  cases, 


198 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


6  And  Joshua  *  the  son  of 
Nun,  and  Caleb  the  son  of  Je- 
phunneh,  which  were  of  them 
that  searched  the  land,  rent 
their  clothes  : 

7  And  they  spake  unto  all 
the  company  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  saying,  The  land, 
which  we    passed    through    to 


the  transgressors  were  less  impressed 
with  the  enormity  of  their  guilt  than 
those  transgressed  against.  Moses  and 
Aaron,  therefore,  fell  down  upon  their 
faces  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  as- 
sembly, that  the  offenders  might  be 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  danger, 
and  be  excited  to  cry  mightily  to  hea- 
ven for  mercy.  It  is  ever  character- 
istic of  a  gracious  heart  to  mourn  for 
the  sins  of  others  as  well  as  for  its  own. 
If  we  know  the  iniquities  of  others,  and 
do  not  mourn  for  them,  we  in  a  sense 
make  them  our  own,  and  thus  become 
partakers  of  other  men's  sins.  If  we 
mourn  for  them,  we  discharge  ourselves 
from  responsibility  on  account  of  them ; 
they  are  theirs,  and  not  ours.  Moses 
and  Aaron,  therefore,  bowed  themselves 
on  this  occasion  in  prostration  both  of 
body  and  spirit.  The  more  ordinary 
posture  of  prayer  among  the  nation  of 
Israel  seems  to  have  been  standing,  but 
in  cases  of  special  emergency,  when 
they  were  deeply  distressed  and  ex- 
ceedingly anxious  for  a  favorable  re- 
sponse, they  resorted  to  kneeling ,'  and 
in  the  utmost  ardor  and  importunity  of 
prayer,  they,/e^^  upon  their  faces,  as  we 
learn  by  the  example  of  our  Lord  him- 
self. Mat.  26  :  39.  Luke  22  :  41.  The 
reason  of  this  is,  that  true  humiliation 
of  heart  prompts  corresponding  out- 
ward gestures,  and  when  the  soul  is 
conscious  to  itself  of  its  desert  of  hell, 


search  it,  is  an  exceeding  good 
land. 

8  If  the  Lord  delight  •''  in  us, 
then  he  will  bring  us  into  this 
land,  and  give  it  us  ;  a  land 
which  floweth  with  ^  milk  and 
honey. 

9  Only  rebel  *  not  ye  against 
the  Lord,   neither  fear '  ye  the 

/  Deut.  10.  15.      2  Sam.  15.  25,  26.      22.  20.      1  K. 
10.  9.     Ps.  147.  11.  g  c.  13.  27.  h  Deut.  9.  23. 

t  Deut.  2U.  3. 


the  man  sinks  himself  as  deep  down  in 
that  direction  as  possible. 

V.  6.  Bent  their  clothes.  A  well 
known  token  of  excessive  grief,  sorrow, 
or  indignation,  prompted  especially  by 
the  hearing  of  blasphemy  against  God. 
In  Jer.  36  :  24,  it  is  mentioned  as  a  sign 
of  culpable  apathy  on  the  part  of  Je- 
hoiakim,  and  his  servants,  that  on  hear- 
ing the  words  of  the  Lord's  prophets 
against  Judah,  "  they  were  not  afraid, 
7ior  rent  their  garments." 

V.  7.  And  they  spalce  unto  all  the  com- 
pany. Nothing  could  well  be  a  strong- 
er proof  of  their  undaunted  courage 
and  incorruptible  fidelity  than  daring 
thus,  in  the  face  of  so  vast  a  multitude, 
to  bear  a  testimony  directly  opposite  to 
that  which  had  been  given  by  the  faith- 
less spies. H  Is  an  exceeding  good 

land.  Heb.  "Is  a  good  land,  very, 
very."  Gr.  "  Exceeding,  exceeding 
good ; "  that  is,  every  way  desirable. 
This  is  the  mode  of  expressing  the  su- 
perlative degree  in  Hebrew. 

V.  8.  ^f  the  Lord  delight  in  us. 
Chald.  "  If  the  good  pleasure  of  the 
Lord  (lit.  before  the  Lord)  be  with  us." 
Gr.  "  If  the  Lord  choose  us."  Vulg. 
"  If  the  Lord  be  propitious  to  us."  The 
meaning  is,  if  we  are  careful  not  to  for- 
feit the  divine  favor  by  our  remissness 
or  disobedience. 

V.  9.  Only  rebel  yc  not.  Chald.  "  But 
rebel  ye  not  against  the  Word  of  the 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


199 


people  of  the  land  ;  for  they  are 
bread  *  for  us  :  their  defence  is 
departed    from    them,    and  the 

k  c.  24.  8. 

Lord."  Gr.  "Be  je  not  revolters, 
or  apostates,  from  the  Lord."  Give 
way  to  no  murmuring  or  discontented 
thoughts ;  nor  think  or  speak  of  return- 
ing to  Egypt. T[  Iliey  are  bread  for 

us.  Heb.  **  They  are  our  bread."  That 
is,  we  shall  devour  and  consume  them 
as  a  hungry  man  does  bread.  As  if 
they  should  say.  We  seemed,  indeed, 
but  as  grasshoppers  to  them,  but  we 
say  unto  you  that  they  shall  be  bread 
for  us ;  we  shall  utterly  destroy  them. 
The  expression  is  doubtless  designed  to 
stand  in  direct  opposition  to  what  was 
said  by  the  faithless  spies,  ch.  13  :  32, 
"  The  land  through  which  we  have  gone 
to  search  it,  is  a  land  that  eateth  up  the 
inhabitants  thereof."  Gr.  "  They  shall 
be  food  for  us."  Yulg.  "  For  we  are 
able  to  eat  them  up  as  bread."  Chald. 
"  They  are  delivered  into  our  hand." 
A  similar  phraseology  is  not  unusual. 
Num.  24 :  8,  "  He  (Israel)  shall  eat  up 
the  nations  his  enemies."  Ps.  79  :  7, 
"  For  they  have  devoured  Jacob,  and  laid 
waste  his  dwelling  place."  Ps.  14:4, 
*'Who  eat  up  my  i^eople  as  they  eat 
bread."  Deut.  7  :  16,  *'  And  thou  shalt. 
consume  all  tlie  people  which  the  Lord 

thy  God  shall  deliver  thee." ^  Their 

defence  is  departed  from  them.  The 
original  Hebrew  (c^2  tzilldm)  is  far 
more  expressive: — "Their  shadow,  or 
shade,  has  departed  from  them."  That 
is,  their  defence,  covert,  protection, 
rendered  by  the  Chald.  "  Their  strength 
has  departed  from  them."  Vulg.  "All 
aid  or  protection  has  gone  from  them." 
The  Gr.  has  a  rendering  peculiar  to  it- 
self: — "For  their  time  (i.  e.  season  of 
prosperity)  has  withdrawn  from  them  ;" 
implying  that  their  iniquities  had  come 
to  the  full,  and  they  had  nothing  more 


Lord  is  with  us  ' :  fear ""  them 
not. 

/  Gen.  48.  -il.  Deut.  20.  1-4.  31.  6,8.  Judg.  1.  22. 
2Chr.  1^-j.  32.8.  Ps.  4i5.  7,  11.  Is.  8.  9,  10.  41.10. 
Am.  5.  14.     Zech.  8-  23.     Horn.  8.  31.  ra  Is41.;4. 


to  hope  from  the  Divine  favor.    Among 
the    old  English  versions,  Matthews', 
Bishop's,   and   Geneva   have,    "  Their 
shield  is  departed  from  them."     Comp. 
Ps.  91 : 1,  "  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  se- 
cret place  of  the  Most  High  shall  abide 
under  the  shadoiv  of  the   Almighty." 
Ps.  121  :  5,  6,  "  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper; 
the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right 
hand.     The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by 
day,   nor  the  moon  by  night."    The 
metaphor  seems  to  have  been  derived 
originally  from  the  effects  of  the  cloudy 
pillar  in  affording  a  cool  and  refreshing 
shade  from  the  ardors  of  the   sun  as 
they   journeyed    through    the    desert. 
But  the  idea  of  protection  was  equally 
associated  with  this  marvellous  cloud, 
in  which  the  divine  presence  was  sup- 
posed to  be  especially  resident.     "  The 
margin  reads  *  shadow  ; '    but  as  this 
word  has  a  common  application,  whii^h 
the  original  has  not  in  view,  perhaps 
*  shade '  would  be  better ;  but  as  even 
this  is  not  unambiguous,  perhaps  the 
paraphrase  '  protecting   shade '  would 
be  best  of  all.     The  force  of  this  and 
other  similar  allusions  in  the  Bible  is 
in  a  great  degree  lost  upon  those  who, 
under  the  scorching  sun  of  the   east, 
have  not  had  occasion  to   experience 
that  the  shelter  of  some  shady  place  is 
an  enjoyment  of  such  essential  impor- 
tance, as  to  be  only  inferior  in  value 
and  gratification  to  that  of  drink  to  one 
who  is  dried  up  with  thirst  under  the 
same    circumstances.      Hence,   in   the 
language  of  Asia,  we  generally  find  that 
the  word  *  shade,'  or  '  shadow,'  is  used 
as  a  metaphor  to  express  defence  and 
shelter ;  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  it 
is  not  always  easy  to  understand  where 
a  person's  own  shadow,  or  a  protecting 


200 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


10  But  all  the  congregation 
bade  stone  them  "  with  stones. 


shade  for  him  is  expressed.  Both  senses 
seem  to  be  in  use,  the  former  implying 
the  protection  and  favor  he  has  the 
power  to  bestow,  and  the  latter  the 
protection  and  favor  which  he  enjoys. 
Hence,  in  Arabia  and  Persia  particu- 
larly, complimentary  expressions  con- 
tinually refer  to  the  shadow,  in  such 
phrases  as — '  May  your  shadow  be  con- 
tinually extended ; '  '  May  your  shadow 
never  be  diminished ; '  *  May  your  shad- 
ow be  extended  over  the  heads  of  your 
well-wishers ; '  '  May  your  shadow  be 
a  continual  shelter  to  me,'  etc.  Some- 
times the  phrase  runs  :  '  May  the  shad- 
ow of  your  prosperity ' — '  of  your  pro- 
tection,' etc.  Mr.  Roberts  notices  a 
similar  use  of  the  word  in  India,  where 
a  poor  man,  speaking  of  a  rich  friend, 
says,  *  He  is  my  shadow,'  that  is,  he  is 
my  defence ;  '  My  shadow  is  gone,' 
meaning,  he  has  lost  his  defence ; 
*  Alas !  those  poor  people  have  lost 
their  shadow,'  etc.  The  Sultan  of  Tur- 
key and  the  Shah  of  Persia  are  both 
styled  '  The  Refuge  of  the  World,'  un- 
questionably with  a  primary  reference 
to  a  shadow :  indeed  both  these  mon- 
archs  lay  claim  to  the  title  of  'The 
Shadow  of  God "  (Zd-ullah) ;  and  the 
idea  which  such  a  title  is  intended  to 
convey  will,  after  this  explanation,  be 
comprehended    without    difficulty." — 

PicL  Bible. T[  And  the  Lord  is  with 

us.  Chald.  "  And  the  "Word  of  the  Lord 
is  for  our  help." 

V.  10.  All  the  congregationhade  stone 
them  with  stones.  Heb.  "  All  the  congre- 
gation said  to  stone  them  with  stones." 
That  is,  proposed.  They  would  thus  re- 
ward the  exemplary  fidelity  and  firm- 
ness of  these  true-hearted  servants  of 
the  Most  High,  who  were  mainly  intent 
upon  turning  from  the  heads  of  their 


And  "  the   glory   of   the   Lord 
appeared  in  the  tabernacle  of 


c.  16.  19.  42.     20.  6. 


brethren  the  storm  of  divine  displeasure 
which  they  saw  impending.  "  Though 
Moses  and  Aaron  entreat  upon  their 
faces,  and  Joshua  and  Caleb  persuade, 
yet  they  move  nothing.  The  obstinate 
multitude,  grown  more  violent  with  op- 
posing, is  ready  to  return  them  stones 
for  their  prayers.  Such  have  been  ever 
the  thanks  of  fidelity  and  truth.  Cross- 
ed wickedness  proves  desperate ;  and, 
instead  of  yielding,  seeks  for  revenge. 
Nothing  is  so  hateful  to  a  resolute  sin- 
ner, as  good  counsel." — Bp.  Hall. 

H  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared 
in  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation. 
It  would  seem  that  their  murderous 
purpose  would  have  been  accomplished 
had  they  not  been  deterred  by  a  sudden 
manifestation  of  the  divine  glory,  which 
spoke  to  their  perception  the  language 
of  fearful  threatening.  The  Shekinah, 
which  usually  abode  within  the  Taber- 
nacle, now  displayed  itself  in  connection 
with  the  cloudy  pillar,  that  seems  on 
this  occasion  to  have  lowered  itself 
from  its  usual  elevation,  and  taken  its 
station  immediately  over  or  vpon  the 
Tabernacle,  and  not  in  it,  as  we  read  in 
our  version ;  as  otherwise  it  could  not 
have  been  seen  by  the  congregation,  as 
we  are  nevertheless  assured  it  was. 
Gr.  "  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  appear- 
ed in  the  cloud  on  the  tabernacle  of 
witness."  Chald.  "And  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  was  revealed."  Arab.  "  Then 
appeared  the  splendor  of  God."  For 
an  account  of  this  as  a  visible  phenom- 
enon, see  Note  on  Ex.  IG  :  10.  The  great 
and  glorious  Being,  who  was  invisibly 
present  while  the  sin  conceived  in  their 
hearts  was  working  out  its  fruits,  now 
shows  himself  to  have  been  all  along 
cognizant  of  its  operation,  and  he 
becomes  fearfully  manifest.    Thus  the 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTEE  Xiy. 


201 


the  congregation  before  all  the 
children  of  Israel. 

11  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  How  long  will  this  peo- 
ple provoke  '^  me  ?  and  how  long 
will  it  be  ere  they  believe  me  % 

p  Zech.  8. 14.  Heb.  3.  16.    q  Ps.  106.  24.  John  12.  37. 

guiltv  conscience  realizes  the  divine 
Being  present  to  itself  when  a  sinful 
act  has  been  committed  as  it  does  not 
before.  The  pain  of  remorse  is  aggra- 
vated by  the  reflection,  that  the  Lord 
migM  have  been  previously  seen  with 
the  eye  of  faith  to  the  prevention  of  that 
sin  which  now  fills  the  soul  with  an- 
guish. Another  inference  drawn  from 
the  narrative  is,  that  the  Lord  is  prone 
to  appear  in  behalf  of  his  servants  when 
reduced  to  their  utmost  straits.  For 
wise  ends  he  withholds  the  sensible  to- 
kens of  his  presence  till  danger  is  fully 
ripe,  till  their  condition  seems  abso- 
lutely hopeless,  and  then  he  triumph- 
antly comes  forth  from  his  secret  place 
and  rescues  and  vindicates  them. 

y.  11.  How  long  will  this  people  pro- 
voke me?  Heb.  "Despise,  blaspheme, 
or  contemptuously  treat  me."  Gr.  "  Ir- 
ritate me."  Yulg.  "Detract me."  The 
general  import  is  that  of  contemning, 
with  special  marks  of  indignity.  It 
occurs  Is.  5  :  24.    52  :  5.    Prov.  1  :  SO. 

15  :  5. T[  How  long  icill  it  he  ere  they 

believe  me?  Heb.  "  How  long  will  they 
not  believe  me  ?  "  Chald.  "  How  long 
will  they  not  believe  in  my  Word  ? " 
Gr.  "  How  long  will  they  not  believe 
me  ?  "  The  unbelief  now  evinced  is 
frequently  alluded  to  elsewhere  as  the 
grand  procuring  cause  of  their  exclu- 
sion from  the  land  of  promise.  Thus, 
Deut.  1 :  32,  "  Yet  in  this  thing  ye  did 
not  believe  the  Lord  your  God."  Heb. 
3  :  18, 19,  "  And  to  whom  sware  he  that 
they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest,  but 
to  them  that  believed  not  ?    So  we  see 

9* 


for  all  the  signs  which  I  have 
showed  among  them  ? 

12  I  will  smite  them  with  the 
pestilence,  and  disinherit  them, 
and  will  make  of '  thee  a  greater 
nation  and  mightier  than  they. 


that  they  could  not  enter  in  because  of 
unbelief."  Jude  v.  5,  "  I  will  therefore 
put  you  in  remembrance,  though  ye 
once  knew  this,  how  that  the  Lord, 
having  saved  the  people  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  afterwards   destroyed  them 

that    believed   not." If   For  all  the 

signs,  etc.  Heb.  "  In  all  the  signs." 
So  at  a  subsequent  period  it  is  said  of 
the  posterity  of  this  people,  John  12  : 
37,  "  Though  he  had  done  so  many  mir- 
acles before  them,  yet  they  believed 

not  on  him." T[  Among  them.     Heb. 

bekirbo,  in  the  midst  of  him,  i.  e.  of  the 
people  spoken  of  collectively. 

V.  12.  Iicill  smite  them  tvith  the  pes- 
tilence. Heb.  "  I  will  smite  him,  etc." 
Collect,  sing.  comp.  v,  15.  For  "  pe^ti- 
lence"  here  the  Gr.  and  Chald.  both 
exhibit  "  death."  See  the  usage  illus- 
trated in  the  Note  on  Ex.  5  :  3.  The 
event  showed  that  this  is  not  to  be  un- 
derstood as  an  absolute  and  irrevocable 
determination,  but  simply  as  a  commi- 
nation,  like  that  of  the  destruction  of 
Nineveh  within  forty  days,  with  the  im- 
plied condition  of  exemption  in  case  of 
speedy  I'epeutance  or  powerful  inter- 
cession.  TI   Disinherit  them.      Heb. 

orisJcennu.  Chald.,  Gr.,  and  Yulg., 
"  \Yill  destroy  or  consume  them."  The 
true  import  is,  that  he  would  deprive 
them  of  the  land  promised  to  their  fa- 
thers.     On  the  peculiar  usage  of  the 

original  term  see  Note  on  v.  24. 

T[  Will  maJce  of  thee  a  greater  nation, 
etc.  Heb.  "Will  make  thee  to  a  na- 
tion," etc.  Gr.  "I  will  make  thee  and 
thy  father's  house,"  etc.     So  also  the 


202 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


13  And  Moses  *  said  unto  the 
Lord,  Then '  the  Egyptians  shall 
hear  it,  (for  thou  broughtest  up 
this  people  iu  thy  might  from 
among  them  ;) 

14  And  they  will  tell  it  to 
the  inhabitants  of  this  land  ;  for 
they  have  "  heard  that  thou, 
Lord,  art  among  this  people ; 

s  Deut.  9.  2fi,  28.  t  Deut.  32.  27.  Ezek.  20.  9,  14. 
u  Josh.  2.  9,  10. 

Sam.  A  similar  declaration  is  made  to 
Moses  Ex.  32  :  10,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  people's  sin  in  the  matter  of  the 
golden  calf.  It  is  equivalent  to  saying, 
that  rather  than  the  promise  given  to 
Abraham  should  fail  of  accomplish- 
ment, he  would  raise  vip  from  Moses  a 
new  offspring  of  the  same  stock,  who 
should  inherit  the  blessings  which  Is- 
rael had  forfeited.  The  noble  disinter- 
estedness of  Moses  appears  conspicuous 
in  his  reply.  He  is  much  more  con- 
cerned for  the  divine  honor  than  his 
own. 

Y.  13.  The  Egyptians  shall  hear  {it). 
The  language  here  is  somewhat  abrupt, 
as  we  should  have  anticipated  that  Mo- 
ses would  have  prefaced  his  pleading 
with  something  like  this  :  "  If  thou 
shalt  smite  them,  0  Lord,  with  the  pes- 
tilence as  thou  dost  threaten,  then  the 
Egyptians  shall  hear,"  etc.  But  in  his 
impassioned  state  of  mind  he  seizes  at 
once  upon  the  purpose  of  God  as  ex- 
pressed in  the  preceding  verse,  and 
draws  from  it  the  consequences  now 
stated  in  order  to  avert  it. 

V.  14.  And  they  will  tell  {it),  etc.  Or, 
Heb.  "  They  will  say ;"  i.  e.  they  will 
say  what  follows  in  v.  16,  for  verses 

14,  15  are  properly  parenthetical. 

*If  To  the  inhabitants  of  this  land.  That 
is,  probably,  of  the  land  of  Arabia,  on 
the  extreme  boundaries  of  which  they 
now  were.    Others,  however,  suppose 


that  thou.  Lord,  art  seen  *  face 
to  face ;  and  that  thy  cloud '" 
standeth  over  them  ;  and  that 
thou  ''  goest  before  them,  by 
daytime  in  a  pillar  of  a  cloud, 
and  in  a  pillar  of  fire  by 
night. 

15    Now,  if  thou  shalt  kill 
all  this  people  as  one  man,  then 


V  Kx.  33. 

Ps.  18.  14. 


w  c.  10.  34. 


X  Ex.  13.  21,22. 


the  land  of  Canaan  to  be  meant,  with 
which  the  Egyptians  had  more  or  less 
of  intercourse.  The  point  will  remain 
doubtful  after  all  our  efforts  to  settle 

it  clearly. ^   That  thou.  Lord,  art 

among  this  people.  Chald.  "  That  thou, 
Lord,  abidest  with  thy  majesty  among 

this  people." Tf  Art  seen  face  to  face. 

Heb.  "Eye  to  eye."  That  is,  in  the 
most  open,  plain,  and  visible  man- 
ner, without  any  interposing  medium. 
Chald.  "  That  with  their  eyes  they  have 
seen  the  majesty  of  thy  glory."  By  the 
Targ.  Jon.  this  is  referred  to  the  giving 
of  the  Law  upon  Sinai.  It  was  then 
especially  that  this  manifestation  was 

made. T[    Thy  cloud   standeth  over 

them.  Affording  them  shelter  and  pro- 
tection ;  rendered  by  the  Targ.  Jon., 
"  that  they  should  not  be  hurt  either 
by  heat  or  by  rain."  Comp.  Ex.  13 : 
21,  22.  Num.  9  :  17,  etc. 

V.  15.  I^ow  {if)  thou  Mil  {all)  this 
people  as  one  man.  The  conditional 
"if"  does  not  occur  in  the  original, 
which  requires  the  literal  rendering 
"thou  hast  killed  this  people  as  one 
man,"  that  is,  by  the  terror  of  the 
threatening  just  uttered.  If  thou  ad- 
herest  to  thy  purpose,  such  will  be  the 
destructive  effect.  He  then  goes  on  to 
state  what  the  consequences  will  be  as 
respects  the  nations  which  shall  hear 
of  it.  From  this  it  appears  that  the 
present  rendering  is  substantially  cor- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


203 


the  nations  which  have  heard 
the  fame  of  thee  will  speak, 
saying, 

16  Because  ■  the  Lord  was 
not  able  to  bring  this  people  in- 
to the  land  which  he  sware  unto 

y  Deut.  9.  2S.     Josh.  7.  9. 

rect,  and  would  not  be  improved  by 

the  omission  of  "  if." T[  Which  had 

heard  the  fam^  of  thee.  Heb.  "  The 
hearsay  or  report  of  thee."  Chald. 
"  Which  hare  heard  the  fame,  of  thy 
might."  Gr.  ''Which  have  heard  thy 
name." 

Y.  16.  Because  the  Lord  was  not  able, 
etc.  Heb.  "  From  the  not  being  able 
of  the  Lord  to  bring  this  people,"  etc. 
By  a  close  inspection  of  the  context, 
V.  13-19,  it  will  appear  that  Moses 
founds  his  plea  upon  three  especial 
considerations :  1.  The  disparagement 
to  which  the  Divine  name  and  glory 
would  be  subjected  in  the  estimation 
both  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  Canaan- 
ites,  as  if  he  could  not  accomplish  his 
promises.  This  would  give  them  oc- 
casion to  blaspheme.  2.  The  dictates 
of  the  gracious  long-suffering  and  for- 
giving nature  of  God.  3.  The  prece- 
dent (vs.  17,  18)  of  the  past  train  of  the 
divine  providences,  wherein  pardon 
had  been  repeatedly  granted  them  from 
the  day  of  their  leaving  Egypt  to  the 
present.  On  this  threefold  ground  he 
builds  his  plea  for  mercy  to  be  shown 
to  the  sinning  people. 

V.  17.  Let  the  power  of  my  Lord  he 
great.  Or,  "let  the  might,"  etc.,  as 
the  original  is  the  same  word  with  that 
which  occurs  in  v.  13,  and  is  there  ren- 
dered might.  The  Heb.  for  "  Lord " 
in  this  passage  is  "  Adonai,"  on  which 
see  Note  on  Gen.  15  :  2.  "  Let  thy 
power  be  great"  is  equivalent  to,  let 
thy  power  be  manifested  to  be  great. 
Gr.  "  Let  thy  strength  be  exalted."     It 


them,    therefore  he  hath   slain 
them  in  the  wilderness. 

17  And  now,  I  beseech  thee, 
let  the  power  ^  of  my  Lord  be 
great,  according  as  thou  hast 
spoken",  saying, 

z  Mic.  3.  8.    Mat.  9.  6,  8.  a   Kx.  34.  6,  1. 


becomes,  however,  a  question  what  the 
greatness  of  the  divine  power  has  to  do 
with  the  forgiveness  of  the  people's  sin. 
It  is  doubtless  a  great  error  to  refer 
such  an  act  to  omnipotence,  as  moral 
attributes  are  mainly  involved  in  it. 
The  true  solution,  we  are  satisfied,  is, 
to  understand  the  ability  and  the  power 
spoken  of  in  this  connection  as  vir- 
tually synonymous  with  willingness. 
When  Moses  says,  v.  16,  "  because  the 
Lord  was  not  alle  to  bring  this  people 
into  the  land  which  he  sware  unto 
them,"  we  are  not,  we  think,  to  under- 
stand it  of  what  may  be  termed  the 
Lord's  natural,  but  of  his  moral  abili- 
ty ;  not,  so  to  speak,  of  a  physical  inca- 
pacity, but  of  an  interior  mental  unwil- 
lingness to  bestow  upon  them  a  favor 
of  which  they  had  shown  themselves 
so  signally  undeserving.  As  far  as 
mere  omnipotence  was  concerned,  it 
required  no  greater  exercise  of  that  to 
conduct  them  into  Canaan  than  to  slay 
them  by  desolating  judgments  in  the 
wilderness.  It  is  not  then  this  kind  of 
inability  which  the  heathen  would  im- 
pute to  the  Lord,  but  simply  the  ina- 
bility of  a  repugnant  will.  And  it  will 
probably  be  found  that  in  nearly,  if  not 
quite,  every  instance  in  which  the  orig- 
inal word  is  applied  to  the  Most  High, 
it  denotes  the  ability  or  inability  which 
is  involved  in  the  disposition  as  being 
favorable  or  averse.  So  when  he  prays 
that  the  Lord  would  "  magnify  his 
power  "  in  the  forgiveness  of  the  pres- 
ent transgression,  he  means  nothing 
more  than  that  he  would  put  forth  his 


204 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


18  The  Lord  is  long-suffer- 
ing, and  of  great  mercy,  forgiv- 
ing *  iniquity  and  transgression, 
and  by  no  means  clearing  the 
guilty  ;  visiting  "■'  the  iniquity 
of  the  fathers  upon  the  children 
unto  the  third  and  fourth  gene- 
ration. 

19  Pardon'^,  I  beseech  thee, 
the  iniquity  of  this  people,  ac- 

b  Mic.  7.  18.    c  Ex.  20.  5.  Jer.  '23.  2.     d  Ps.  78.  38. 

moral  proclivity  or  propension  impel- 
ling him  to  pardon.  Any  other  idea  of 
power  in  such  a  connection  is  gross  and 
materialistic. 

V.  18.  The  Lord  (is)  long -suffering, 
etc.  Heb.  "  Long  of  anger."  Seethe 
terms  employed  in  this  verse  fully  ex- 
plained in  the  Note  on  Ex.  34  :  6,  7. 

V.  19.  From  Egypt  even  until  now. 
That  is,  from  the  time  of  leaving  Egypt. 
Tliis  is  frequently  the  force  of  the  Heb. 
preposition  "from." 

V.  20.  /  have  pardoned  according  to 
thy  word.  That  is,  I  will  not  destroy 
them  all  as  one  man  ;  I  will  not  cut  off 
the  whole  nation  as  I  at  first  threaten- 
ed, but  will  punish  only  those  who 
have  now  so  grossly  rebelled,  leaving 
it  to  their  posterity  to  inherit  the  land. 
In  this  connection  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist  may  properly  be  cited,  Ps. 
106  :  23,  "  Therefore  he  said  that  he 
would  destroy  them,  had  not  Moses  his 
chosen  stood  before  him  in  the  breach 
to  turn  away  his  wrath,  lest  he  should 
destroy  them." 

V.  21.  As  truly  as  I  live,  etc.  Heb. 
"And  assuredly  I  live,  and  all  the 
earth  shall  be  filled,"  etc.  A  form  of 
oath  frequently  appropriated  to  the 
Most  High,  as  Ezek.  13  :  3.  20 :  33.  5  : 
11.  Accordingly  it  is  said,  Jer.  4 :  2, 
"  And  thou  shalt  swear,  The  Lord  liv- 
eth,"  etc.  So  when  it  is  said,  Is.  45  : 
23,   "  I   have  sworn   by   myself,"   the 


cording  unto  the  greatness  of 
thy  mercy,  and  as  thou  hast  for- 
given this  people  from  Egypt 
even  until  now. 

20  And  the  Lord  said,  I 
have  pardoned,  according  '  to 
thy  word  : 

21  But  as  truly  as  I  live 
alK  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with 
the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

e  Ps.  106.  23.  .las.  5.  16.     /  Ps.  12.  19    Is.  66.  18, 1&. 


apostle,  quoting  the  words,  Rom.  14 : 
11,  says,  "For  it  is  written.  As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord."  The  version  of  the 
Arab,  is  peculiar:  "Nevertheless  by 
my  eternal  duration  (or  existence)  and 
by  my  splendor  which  fills  the  whole 
earth  have  I  sworn."  As  the  lifting 
up  of  the  hand  was  a  usual  accompani- 
ment of  taking  an  oath,  so  we  find  both 
conjoined  Deut.  32  :  40,  "  For  I  lift  up 
my  hand  to  heaven,  and  say,  I  live  for 
ever."  Hence  it  is  said  of  the  oath 
which  the  Lord  sware,  Ps.  lOG  :  26, 
"  Therefore  he  lifted  up  his  hand 
against  them,  to  overthrow  them  in 
the  wilderness."  Ezek.  20  :  15,  "  Yet 
also  I  lifted  up  my  hand  unto  them  in 
the  wilderness,  that  I  would  not  bring 
them  into  the  land  which  I  had  given 

them." T[  All  fhe  earth  shall  he  filled 

^vith  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  The  im- 
port of  this  declaration  in  this  connec- 
tion is  not  at  once  perfectly  obvious. 
From  the  rendering  of  the  subsequent 
verse,  which  ostensibly  gives  a  reason 
for  the  present  declaration,  it  would 
seem  that  the  earth  was  to  be  filled 
with  the  divine  glory  as  a  consequence 
of  the  condign  punishment  of  the  men 
who  had  not  hearkened  to  his  voice. 
By  others  it  is  understood  of  the  glory 
which  he  would  procure  to  himself  by 
means  of  the  miraculous  and  illustrious 
things  that  he  would  do  for  his  people 
in  conducting  them  into  the  laud  of 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


205 


22  Because  all  those  men 
which  have  seen  my  glory,  and 
my  miracles  which  I  did  in 
Egypt  and  in  the  wilderness, 
have  tempted  me  now  these  ten 
times,  and  have  not  hearkened 
to  my  voice ; 

23  Surely  ^  they  shall  not  see 

<;  Deut.  1.  S5,  etc.     Pe.  95.  11.     Ezek.  iO.  15.     Heb. 
3.  17,  IS. 


promise.  (See  Note  on  Ex.  16  :  7.)  We 
may  perhaps  consider  both  ideas  as  in- 
cluded. The  earth  should  be  filled 
with  the  report  of  the  glorious  and 
righteous  acts  of  the  Lord  in  punishing 
the  offenders  and  crowning  the  residue 
of  his  people  with  the  most  signal  mer- 
cies. The  Lord  receives  glorj  just  in 
proportion  as  the  majesty  and  justice 
of  his  administration  are  acknowledged 
among  men. 

Y.  22.  WhicJi  have  seen  Triy  glory  and 
my  miracles.  That  is,  probably,  "  have 
seen  my  glory,  even  my  miracles."  The 
Lord's  glory  shone  forth  in  the  miracu- 
lous works  which  he   performed. 

^  These  ten  times.  These  many  times ; 
a  definite  number  for  an  indefinite,  as 
in  Gen.  31 :  7,  "  And  changed  my  wages 
ten  times,"  i.  e.  frequently.  Job  19  :  3, 
"These  ten  times  have  ye  reproached 
me."  Lev.  26  :  26.  Although  it  is  re- 
markable that  an  exact  enumeration 
brings  out  the  number  ten  as  the  num- 
ber of  instances  in  which  they  had 
sinned  and  been  forgiven. 

y.  23.  Surely  they  shall  not  see.  Heb. 
"If  they  shall  see."  A  formula  of 
swearing  equivalent  to  a  divine  oath 
that  they  shall  not  see,  i.  e.  shall  not 
enjoy,  the  land,  as  explained  by  David, 
Ps.  95  :  11,  •'  Unto  whom  I  sware  in  my 
wrath,  if  they  shall  enter  into  my  rest," 
which  the  apostle  cites,  Heb.  3  :  18, 
*'  To  whom  sware  he  that  they  should 
not  enter  into  his  rest  ?  "  "  If"  in  such 
connections  has  the  force  of  a  negative. 


the  land  which  I  sware  unto 
their  fathers,  neither  shall  any 
of  them  that  provoked  me  see 
it. 

24  But  my  servant  Caleb  ^, 
because  he  had  another  spirit 
with  him,  and  hath  followed  me 
fully,  him  will  I  bring  into  the 

h  c.  32.  11,12. 

As  the  land  of  Canaan  was  a  represen- 
tative of  heaven,  the  exclusion  of  the 
rebellious  Israelites  from  that  land  was 
a  shadow  of  the  exclusion  of  all  the 
unbelieving  and  disobedient  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

V.  24.  But  my  servant  Caleb,  because 
he  had  another  spirit  with  him.  Heb. 
"  Because  there  was  another  spirit  with 
him."  That  is,  he  was  actuated  by  a 
very  diflFerent  spirit  from  the  rest  of  the 
spies.  His  was  a  bold,  resolute,  coura- 
geous spirit,  while  theirs  was  a  base, 
cowardly,  and  pusillanimous  spirit. 
The  Arab,  renders  the  clause,  "But 
my  servant  Caleb,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
another  sentiment  (or  opinion),  by  rea- 
son of  which  he  followed  my  obedience," 
etc.  The  same  testimony  is  doubtless 
to  be  understood  as  applicable  to 
Joshua,  though  not  here  named,  for 
the  reason  probably  that  he  was  not 
classed  with  the  mass  of  the  people, 
but  was  a  constant  attendant  upon  Mo- 
ses.    He  is  expressly  included  in  the 

promise,   ch.   32  :  12. T[   And  hath 

followed  m,e  fnlly.  Heb.  "Hath  ful- 
filled after  me."  That  is,  hath  exhib- 
ited a  full,  constant,  and  complete  obe- 
dience in  this  matter ;  hath  neither 
turned  aside,  halted,  or  come  short  in 
following  or  complying  with  my  com- 
mands. The  same  original  phrase  oc- 
curs Deut.  1 :  3.  Josh.  14 :  8,  9,  14,  on 
which  latter  passage  see  Note.  The 
contrary  is  asserted  of  Solomon,  1  Kings 
11 :  6,  "  And  Solomon  did  evil  in  the 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


land  wbereinto  he  went ;  and  his 
seed  shall  possess  it. 

sight  of  the  Lord,  and  went  not  fully 
after  the  Lord,  as  did  David  his  fa- 
ther." Heb.  "Fulfilled  not  after  the 
Lord."  The  like  unfavorable  testimony- 
is  borne  of  the  people  at  large,  ch.  32  : 
11,  "  Surely  none  of  the  men  that  came 
up  out  of  Egypt,  from  twenty  years  old 
and  upward,  shall  see  the  land  which  I 
sware  unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and 
unto  Jacob  ;  because  they  have  not 
wholly  followed  me."  Heb.  "  They 
have  not  fulfilled  after  me."  We  may 
here  remark  that  the  Gr.  exhibits  "  He 
followed  me  obsequiously."  Chald. 
"  He  bath  perfectly  fulfilled,  or  accom- 
plished, after  my  fear."  Chazkuni,  a 
Jewish  writer,  renders,  "He  hath  ac- 
complished the  word  after  me,"  and 
compares  it  with  1  Kings  1  :  14,  "  Be- 
hold, while  thou  yet  talkest  there  with 
the  king,  I  also  will  come  in  after  thee 
and  confirm  thy  words^     Heb.  "Fill 

up  thy  words." T[  And  his  seed  shall 

possess  it.  Heb.  yorishendh,  shall  in- 
herit it,  as  rendered  both  by  the  Gr. 
and  Chald. ;  or,  shall  cause  to  inherit  it, 
1.  e.  shall  leave  it  to  their  posterity  for 
an  inheritance.  The  usage  of  this  word 
is  peculiar,  as  by  a  figure  called  anti- 
phrasis  it  denotes  according  to  its  rela- 
tions either  the  act  of  inheriting  or  dis- 
inheriting. In  the  latter  sense  the 
word  occurs  above,  v.  12,  and  in  the 
present  passage  it  would  bear  the  sense 
of  disinheriting  and  driving  out  the  in- 
habitants, and  seizing  upon  it,  as  in 
Josh.  8  :  7,  "  Then  ye  shall  rise  up  from 
the  ambush  and  seize  upon  the  city." 
Heb.  horashtem,  including  the  twofold 
idea  of  expelling  the  inhabitants  and 
taking  possession  for  themselves,  with 
which  coincides  the  language  of  Caleb, 
Josh.  14  :  12,  "  If  so  be  the  Lord  will 
be  with  me,  then  I  shall  be  able  to 
drive  them   out,   as   the    Lord   said." 


25  (Now  the  Amalekites  and 
the    Canaanites    dwelt    in    the 


Heb.  horashtim.,  shall  disinherit  them. 
For  further  illustrations  of  the  usage  in 
question  comp.  Gen.  15  :  3.  Deut.  2 : 
24,  31.  1  Kings  21 :  15.  Is.  14 :  2l.  Deut. 
2  :  21,  22.  Judg.  14 :  15.  Sol.  Jarchi  in 
the  present  passage  interprets  the  word 
in  the  sense  of  disinheriting  or  driving 
out :  "  They  shall  drive  out  the  Ana- 
kims  and  the  people  that  are  therein." 
The  promise  which  the  Lord  now  con- 
firmed with  an  oath  to  Caleb  was  con- 
veyed to  him  in  the  Lord's  name  by 
Moses,  and  therefore  in  Josh.  14  :  9,  the 
swearing  itself  is  attributed  to  Moses  : 
"And  Moses  sware  on  that  day,  say- 
ing. Surely  the  laud  whereon  thy  feet 
have  trodden  shall  be  thine  inheritance, 
and  thy  children's  for  ever,  because 
thou  hast  wholly  followed  the  Lord  my 
God."    See  Note  in  loc. 

V.  25.  Now  the  AmaleTcites  and  the 
Canaanites  dwelt  in  the  valley.  Heb. 
yosh'ib  {were  or  are)  sitting.  The  con- 
struction is  somewhat  doubtful,  as  it  is 
not  clear  who  is  the  speaker.  If  the 
clause  is  but  a  continuation  of  the 
Lord's  words,  as  many  commentators 
suppose,  it  should  be  read  without  a 
parenthesis,  and  in  the  present  tense, 
— "  dwell  in  the  valley."  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  is  interjected  by  Moses, 
the  present  rendering  is  most  correct. 
For  ourselves  we  give  the  preference 
to  the  former,  regarding  it  as  equiva- 
lent to  saying  :  "  Inasmuch  as  the  Am- 
alekites and  Canaanites  are  at  present 
occupying  a  position  in  the  valley  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  mountain,  and 
will  be  apt  to  fall  upon  you  with  an 
overpowering  force  if  you  attempt  to 
climb  and  cross  the  mountain,  there- 
fore for  your  own  safety  turn  to-mor- 
row and  advance  into  the  wilderness 
by  the  way  of  the  Red  Sea."  It  is  true, 
that  the  Canaanites  are  said,  v.  45,  to 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


207 


valley.)  To-morrow  turn  you, 
and  get   you  into   the   wilder- 

dwell  in  the  mountain,  but  in  either 
case  we  consider  the  term  "dwell"  as 
equivalent  to  "  sit "  in  the  sense  of  tem- 
porarily occupying  a  position,  like  those 
who  lie  in  wait.  Thus  Josh.  8  :  9, 
*'  And  they  went  to  lie  in  ambush,  and 
abode  (■i/eshebu)  between  Bethel  and 
Ai."  On  the  apparent  discrepancy 
between  vs.  25  and  45  Chazkuni  re- 
marks as  follows :  "  The  most  of  them 
abode  (sat)  in  the  valley,  and  some  of 
them  in  the  mountain,  and  those  few 
warred  against  them  (the  Israelites) ; 
and  therefore  it  is  written,  'which  sat 
in  that  mountain,'  to  imply  that  there 
were  some  of  them  which  sat  in  another 
place ;  or,  it  may  be,  they  dwelt  in  the 
valley,  and  when  they  heard  that  the 
sons  of  Israel  came  against  them,  they 
went  up  into  the  mountain,  and  lay  in 
wait  for  them  there  ;  and  we  find  that 
'sitting'  sometimes  means  'lying  in 
wait,'  as  it  is  written  Ps.  10 :  8,  '  He 
sitteth  in  the  lurking-places  of  the  vil- 
lages.' "  The  two  peoples  here  men- 
tioned, upon  the  tidings  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Israelites,  had  got  to- 
gether and  posted  themselves  in  the 
valley  lying  on  the  other  side  of  the 
mountain  range  at  the  foot  of  which 
the  tribes  were  now  encamped,  and 
were  resolved  to  fall  upon  them  at  their 
first  advance  onwards,  for  which  pur- 
pose a  portion  of  them  had  no  doubt 
stationed  themselves  on  the  mountain 
to  watch  the  movements  of  the  host. 

^  To-morrow  turn  you,  etc.     "We 

see  in  this  a  memorable  token  of  the 
Lord's  goodness,  inasmuch  as  at  the 
same  time  that  he  was  so  highly  dis- 
pleased with  them,  he  was  still  very 
unwilling  that  they  should  fall  into 
the  hands  of  their  enemies.  They  were 
now  encamped  in  Kadesh,  from  whence 
they  had  sent  the  spies,  and  though  it 


ness  by  the   way   of  the   Red 

Sea. 


is  said  they  should  commence  a  retro- 
grade march  "to-morrow,"  yet  it  is 
probable  the  term  is  to  be  understood 
in  a  somewhat  indefinite  sense  as  equiv- 
alent to  hereafter,  Tienceforward,  or  at 
an  early  day,  as  in  Ex.  13  :  14,  "  And  it 
shall  be  when  thy  son  asketh  thee  in 
time  to  come  {mdhor,  to-morrow),  say- 
ing, etc."  It  is  at  any  rate  clear  that 
they  did  not  move  at  once  according  to 
the  letter  of  the  command,  but  that  they 
abode  many  days  at  Kadesh  after  their 
defeat,  and  before  they  began  to  com- 
pass Mount  Seir. T[  By  the  way  of 

the  Bed  Sea.  That  is,  by  the  way  to- 
icards  the  Red  Sea.  And  so  generally 
throughout  the  Scriptures,  "the  way 
q/""  is  equivalent  to  "  the  way  towards.''^ 
The  original  for  "get  you"  is  "jour- 
ney for  yourselves."  As  to  the  precise 
direction  in  which  they  were  now  com- 
manded to  travel,  and  the  various  sub- 
sequent routes  taken  in  the  wilderness 
during  the  lapse  of  the  ensuing  thirty- 
eight  years,  we  must  content  ourselves 
with  referring  to  the  geographical  in- 
vestigations of  Wells,  Robinson,  Kitto, 
Stanley,  and  others,  who  have  devoted 
their  special  attention  to  this  depart- 
ment of  biblical  inquiry.  It  has  not 
comported  with  the  general  scope  of 
our  studies  to  endeavor  to  unravel  the 
complexities  of  the  wanderings  of  Is- 
rael over  the  Arabian  peninsula  for 
forty  years,  till  they  entered  the  pre- 
cincts of  Canaan.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  the  labyrinthian  character  of  the 
mazes  and  meanders  through  which 
they  were  led  partook  of  the  typical 
character  of  their  residence  in  Egypt 
and  their  deliverance  therefrom,  and 
was  intended  to  represent  the  confused 
and  irregular  course,  now  forward  and 
now  backward,  of  the  soul  in  the  ear- 
lier stages  of  the  regenerate  life.     The 


208 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


26  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  unto  Aaron,  saying, 

27  How  long  '  shall  I  hear 
with    this    evil 
which    murmur 
I   have    heard  * 


congregation, 
against  me  ? 
the    murmur- 


exodus  of  the  nation  from  Egypt,  the 
passage  through  the  Red  Sea,  the  de- 
struction of  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  and 
the  immediately  subsequent  events  are 
all  but  universally  acknowledged  to 
shadow  forth  analogous  phases  in  the 
experience  of  the  Christian,  and  we  see 
not  why  the  representative  principle 
should  not  hold  in  regard  to  the  whole  of 
their  desert  history,  as  well  as  in  regard 
to  its  preliminaries  and  commencement. 
We  accordingly  incline  to  regard  very 
favorably  the  following  remarks  of  Ains- 
worth  (in  loc.)  on  the  present  peculiar 
crisis  in  their  sojournings :  "  In  this 
Red  Sea  the  people  had  been  baptized, 
1  Cor.  10  : 1,  2.  Ex.  14.  Baptism  was 
*  unto  repentance,'  and  with  confession 
of  sins,  and  into  the  death  of  Christ, 
Mat.  3  :  6, 11.  Rom.  6:3.  So  this  send- 
ing them  back  into  the  wilderness  to- 
wards the  Red  Sea,  was  to  humble 
them  by  repentance,  that  through  faith 
in  Christ  they  might  have  entrance 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  otherwise 
they  should  perish  for  ever,  as  their  car- 
cases perished  in  the  wilderness." 

The  Lord  renews  Ms  Threatening. 

Vs.  26,  27.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  unto  Aaron,  saying,  etc. 
Hitherto  from  v.  11,  the  Lord  appears 
1o  have  spoken  continuously  in  a  some- 
what  private  way  to  Moses  alone,  re- 
ceiving and  replying  to  his  earnest  plea 
cmtained  vs.  13-19.  Here,  we  con- 
c(  ive,  commences  a  new  address  to  Mo- 
ses and  Aaron  conjointly,  and  intended 
to  be  imparted  by  them  to  the  people. 


ings  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
which  they  murmur  against 
me. 

28  Say  unto  them.  As  truly 
as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  as  ye 
have  spoken  in  mine  ears,  so 
will  I  do  to  you : 


V.  39. T[  Sow  long  (shall  Hear  with) 

this  evil  congregation,  etc.  Heb.  "  How 
long  to  this  evil  congregation  ?  "  That 
is,  how  long  shall  I  pardon,  vs.  19,  20  ; 
or,  how  long  shall  I  bear  with?  An 
imperfect  form  of  speech  such  as  men 
are  wont  to  employ  under  the  influence 
of  a  strongly  impassioned  state  of 
mind.      Comp.   Ex.  32 :  32.    Ps.   6  :  4. 

90  :  13. T[    WTiich  murmur  against 

me.  Heb.  mallinim  dlai,  which  cause 
(the people)  to  rnurmur  against  me.  So 
also  in  the  ensuing  clause  the  idea  is 
that  of  a  murmuring  which  is  first  en- 
tertained by  one  party  and  thence  com- 
municated and  propagated  to  others. 
It  implies  the  spreading  of  a  disaffec- 
tion like  the  widening  of  the  waves  on 
the  surface  of  a  lake. 

V.  28.  {As  truly  as)  I  live,  saith  the 
Lord.  The  usual  formula  of  a  divine 
oath,  as  in  v.  21.  It  is  here  that  the 
Lord  swears  in  his  anger  that  they 
shall  not  enter  into  his  rest.  Comp. 
Ps.   95  :  11.    Heb.  3  :  18.  Num.  32  :  10, 

11. T[  As  ye  have  spolcen  in  mine 

ears,  so  will  I  do  to  you.  Heb.  "  If 
I  do  not  so  unto  you  as  ye  have  spo- 
ken in  mine  ears."  The  Lord  is  here 
pleased  to  take  them  at  their  word  ; 
their  wish  was  that  "  they  might  die 
in  the  wilderness,"  v.  2.  Here  their 
own  imprecation  comes  upon  them,  as 
it  did  upon  their  descendants  after- 
wards when  they  wished  that  Christ's 
blood  might  be  upon  their  own  and 
their  children's  heads.  Mat.  27  :  25. 
"  No  less  may  befall  those  desperate 
profane  varlets,  whose  rhetorical  flour- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 


209 


29  Your  carcases  shall  fall 
in  this  wilderness  ;  and  all  that 
were  ^  numbered  of  you,  accord- 
ing to  your  whole  number,  from 
twenty  years  old  and  upward. 


ish  iu  their  common  discourse  is  fre- 
quently interlarded  with  a  wish  that 
"  God  would  damn  them ;"  which  is 
all  the  mercy  they  desire  from  God. 
Such  self-cursing  seldom  escapeth  God's 
vengeance." — JS^ess. 

V.  29.  Tour  carcases  shall  fall  in  this 
wilderness.  This  is  rendered  in  the  Gr. 
version  by  Kai\a,  Jcola,  which  properly 
signifies  limhs  or  menibers,  as  of  the 
human  body,  but  in  several  instances 
it  is  used  synecdochically  for  carcase, 
corpse,  dead  body,  as  Lev.  26  :  30. 
1  Sam.  17  :  46.  Is.  66  :  24.  Heb.  3  :  17. 
Their  language  was,  v.  3,  "Would  to 
God  we  had  died  in  this  wilderness," 
and  now  their  expressed  desire  is  to  be 

granted  them. T[  And  all  that  ivere 

numbered  of  you,  etc.  Heb.  teholpeJcu- 
dekem  lehol  misparJcem,  and  {or  even) 
all  your  mustered  ones  according  to  all 
your  number.  The  distinction  between 
"  mustering  "  and  "  numbering  "  is  here 
lost  sight  of  in  our  common  version, 
though  intrinsically  marked  and  im- 
portant. In  mustering,  marshalling, 
or  arranging  a  host,  it  would  be  very 
natural  to  take  a  census  also,  but  the 
two  things  are  essentially  distinct, 
though  both  are  involved  in  the  present 

clause. Tl  From  twenty  years  old  and 

upward.  Amounting,  as  we  learn  ch. 
1 :  46,  to  603,550,  exclusive  of  the  Le- 
vites  who  were  not  numbered  at  this 
time,  and  when  they  were  numbered, 
they  were  numbered  not  from  twenty 
years  old,  but  from  a  month  old  and 
upward.  Consequently  neither  the  Le- 
vites  nor  the  children  under  twenty, 
nor  the  wives  of  the  offenders  were  in- 


which   have  murmured  against 
me, 

30  Doubtless  ye  shall  not 
come  into  the  land  concerning 
which  I  sware  to  make  you 
dwell    therein,  save  Caleb    the 


eluded  in  the  severe  sentence  here  de- 
nounced, but  only  the  adult  men  above 
twenty.  This  accounts  for  the  fact  that 
we  find  Eleazar,  who  is  mentioned  at 
the  numberiugs  of  the  Levites,  ch.  3  : 
32,  alive  at  the  dividing  of  the  land  of 
Canaan.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
the  language  of  the  following  passage, 
ch.  26  :  63-65,  is  to  be  limited  by  the 
explanation  now  given :  "  These  are 
they  that  were  numbered  by  Moses  and 
Eleazar  the  priest,  who  numbered  the 
children  of  Israel  in  the  plains  of  Moab 
by  Jordan  near  Jericho.  But  among 
these  there  was  not  a  man  of  them 
whom  Moses  and  Aaron  the  priest  num- 
bered, when  they  numbered  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  of  Si- 
nai. For  the  Lord  had  said  of  them, 
They  shall  surely  die  in  the  wilderness. 
And  there  was  not  left  a  man  of  them, 
save  Caleb  the  son  of  Jephunneh,  and 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun." 

V.  30.  Doubtless  ye  shall  not  come  in- 
to the  land,  etc.  Heb.  "  If  ye  shall  come 
in,"  having,  as  we  have  before  remark- 
ed, the  force  of  a  negative. 1[  ( Cb?i- 

cerning)  %(;hich  I  sware.  Heb.  "  Lifted 
my  hand."  Chald.  "  Sware  by  my 
Word."  See  Note  on  Gen.  14  :  22.  So 
Deut.  32  :  40,  "  I  lift  my  hand  to  heaven, 

and  say,  I  live  for  ever." ^  To  make 

you  dwell  therein.  Heb.  leshakkan,  the 
root  word  from  whence  is  derived  "  she- 
kinah,"  respecting  which  see  appen- 
dix to  the  Notes  on  Ex.  20.  The  swear- 
ing here  alluded  to  was  a  swearing  not 
to  these  particular  men,  but  to  the  pa- 
triarchs in  behalf  of  their  posterity. 
The  oath  was  fulfilled  to  that  posterity, 


210 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


son  of  Jephunneli,  and  Joshua 
the  son  of  Nun. 

31  But  your  little  ones,  which 
ye  said  should  be  a  prey,  them 
•will  I  bring  in,  and  they  shall 
know  the  land  which  ye  have 
despised "". 


though  not  to  every  individual  of  it. 
As  Grotius  remarks,  the  land  was  prom- 
ised by  oath,  "  non  personis,  sed  popu- 
lo,"  not  to  persons,  hut  to  the  people. 
Such  a  promise  is  not  violated  even  in 
case  a  large  proportion  of  the  people 
are  excluded. 

Y.  31.  But  your  little  ones.  Your 
children  under  twenty  years  of  age, 
V.  3.  The  very  children  about  whose 
safety  they  had  shown  so  much  distrust 
and  manifested  such  irreligious  solici- 
tude, should  be  the  persons  that  should 
certainly  inherit  the  promised  land, 
though  a  long  and  trying  period  should 

first  intervene. 1[  TJiey  shall  hnow 

the  land  which  ye  have  despised.  That 
is,  shall  know  and  enjoy  the  good  of 
the  land.  Gr.  "Shall  inherit."  Com- 
pare with  this  the  statement  of  Moses, 
Deut.  1 :  39,  "  Moreover,  your  little  ones, 
which  ye  said  should  be  a  prey,  and 
your  children,  which  in  that  day  had 
no  knowledge  between  good  and  evil, 
they  shall  go  in  thither,  and  unto  them 
will  I  give  it,  and  they  shall  possess  it." 

Y.  32.  But  (as  for)  you,  your  car- 
cases, they  shall  fall,  etc.  Heb.  "  And 
your  carcases,  you,  shall  fall ; "  where 
the  latter  "  you  "  is  exegetical  of  "  car- 
cases," implying  the  exemption  of  the 
children — you  or  yourselves  only. 

Y.  33.  Your  children  s^all  wander 
in  the  wilderness  fo^'ty  years.  Heb. 
"Shall  be  feeding."  Gr.  "Shall  be 
fed."  Chald.  "  Shall  tarry  or  abide." 
The  original  term  is  not  the  appropri- 
ate term  for  wandering,  but  is  still  re- 


32  But  as  for  you,  your  car- 
cases, "  they  shall  fall  in  this 
wilderness. 

33  And  your  children  shall 
wander  in  "  the  wilderness  forty 
years,    and   bear   your-^  whore- 


re  1  Cor.  10.  5. 
p  Jer.  3.  1,  2.     Ezek.  23.  35. 


o  e.  3-!.  13. 
Hos.  9.  1. 


lated  to  it,  as  sheep  obtain  their  food 
by  wandering  from  place  to  place  over 
their  pasture  grounds.  This  was  espe- 
cially the  case  with  the  flocks  of  the 
Arabian  shepherds,  who  inhabited  a 
region  so  wild,  rocky,  and  barren,  that 
they  could  not  long  remain  in  one 
place,  but  were  obliged  to  strike  their 
tents  and  seek  new  grazing  places,  as 
one  after  another  would  be  speedily 
exhausted.  Chazkuni  explains  it  : — 
"  As  sheep  feed  sometimes  here  and 
sometimes  there,  so  your  sons  shall 
remove  hither  and  thithei,  till  their 
carcases  be  consumed."  An  allusion 
somewhat  analogous  is  perhaps  to  be 
recognized  Hos.  4  :  16,  "  The  Lord  will 
feed  them  as  a  lamb  in  a  large  place." 
That  is,  dispersed,  in  their  captivity, 
among  the  conquering  countries,  among 
the  Assyrians  and  Medes,  who  occupied 
a  very  large  country.  They  would  not 
be  satisfied  with  the  sheepfold  of  Ca- 
naan, and,  therefore,  says  the  Lord, 
they  shall  have  more  room ;  they  shall 
go  into  a  large  place,  but  it  shall  be  a 
place  of  captivity.  They  shall  be  as  a 
lamb  alone  in  the  wilderness,  succor- 
less,  helpless,  surrounded  by  dangers, 
and  with  no  eye  near  to  pity,  no  hand 
to  help  it.  They  shall  be  carried  into 
captivity,  and  shall  there  be  lamenting 
and  mourning,  and  in  danger  from 
prowling  wolves,   but  there    shall  be 

none  to  regard,   none   to   deliver. • 

T[  Forty  years.  That  is,  reckoning  from 
the  time  of  their  coming  out  of  Egypt ; 
of  which  period  one  year  and  a  half  had 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


211 


be 


doms,    until   your    carcases 
wasted  in  the  wilderness. 

3-4  After  the  number  of  the 
days  in  which  ye  searched  the 
land,  even  forty  ^  days,  each  day 


already  elapsed.  Deut.  2  :  14,  "  And 
the  space  in  which  we  came  from 
Kadesh-barnea,  until  we  were  come 
over  the  brook  Zered,  was  thirty  and 

eight  years."     Comp.  Num.  10 :  11. 

Tf  And  hear  your  whoredoms.  -That  is, 
the  punishment  of  your  whoredoms. 
Chald.  "  Shall  take  upon  them  your 
iniquities."  A  well  kown  figurative 
expression  for  idolatry  and  other  gross 
forms  of  transgression  and  apostasy. 
Comp.  Jer.  3  :  9.  Ezek.  16 :  15-17.  Ex. 

34 :  15,  16.  Lev.  17  : 7. 1[  Until  your 

carcases  he  wasted.  Heb.  ad  torn.  The 
root  of  this  verb  is  the  word  which  gen- 
erally denotes  what  is  perfect,  complete, 
finished,  consummated.  It  is  well  ren- 
dered by  toasted,  i.  e.  conswmed,  in  the 
present  passage. 

V.  34.  After  the  number  of  the  days. 
Heb.  lit.  "  In,  or  by,  the  number."  Gr. 
"  According  to  the  number." ^  For- 
ty days,  each  day  for  a  year.  So  Ezek. 
4:6,  "I  have  appointed  thee  each  day 
for  a  year,"  where  the  prophet  was 
symbolically  to  bear  the  iniquity  of  Is- 
rael as  many  days  as  they  had  sinned 
years.  In  this  usage  we  find  authority 
for  interpreting  "  days  "  in  prophecy  as 
denoting  "  years."    See  Dan.  9  :  24,  etc. 

Rev.   11 :  3. T[    Te  shall  Jcnow  my 

hreach  of  promise.  Heb.  tenu-dthi,  my 
h'eacJi.  As  the  original  term  occurs 
only  here  and  in  Job  33  :  10,  where  it  is 
rendered,  "  Behold,  he  findeth  occasions 
against  me,"  it  is  difficult  to  fix  with 
precision  the  genuine  meaning  of  the 
clause.  "We  are  left,  therefore,  to  a 
choice  among  a  great  diversity  of  ren- 
derings. For  instance,  Gr.  "Ye  shall 
know  the  indignation  of  mine  anger." 


for  a  year,  shall  ye  bear  your 
iniquities,  even  forty  years ;  and 
ye  shall  know  my  breach  •■  of 
promise  : 


r  Jer.  18.  9, 10.    Lam.  3. 


Chald.  "Ye  shall  know  that  ye  have 
murmured  against  me."  Vulg.  "Ye 
shall  know  my  revenge."  In  the  vari- 
ous English  versions  we  have  the  fol- 
lowing:—Cbz;.,  "That  ye  may  know 
what  it  is,  when  I  withdraw  my  hand." 
Mat.,  "  Ye  shall  feel  my  vengeance." 
Cran.,  "  Ye  shall  know  my  displeas- 
ure." Purv.,  "Ye  shall  know  a  rup- 
ture with  me."  Ainsworth  renders  it 
as  in  our  version,  but  italicizes  and 
parenthesizes  the  words  "  of  prom- 
ise : " — "  Ye  shall  know  my  breach  (of 
promise)."  As  there  is  nothing  to  an- 
swer to  these  words  in  the  original,  it 
is  not  easy  to  perceive  the  grounds  on 
which  our  translators  have  inserted 
them  without  the  usual  indications  con- 
veyed by  italic  letters.  They  doubtless 
supposed  that  the  "breach"  implied  a 
"  breach  of  promise,"  but  this  cannot 
be  shown  to  be  the  legitimate  purport 
of  the  term,  although  if  it  were,  the  ex- 
pression is  still  susceptible  of  a  sense 
consistent  with  the  general  tenor  of 
Scripture,  and  one  that  leaves  the  Di- 
vine perfections  unimpeached.  The 
divine  promise  or  covenant  relative  to 
the  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan 
was  conditioned  upon  the  obedience  of 
the  people  to  the  laws,  statutes,  and 
ordinances  which  the  Lord  appointed 
them.  If  they  failed  in  their  engage- 
ments, the  Lord  was  released  from  his, 
and  nothing  more  than  this  is  meant 
by  his  "breach  of  promise."  The 
Most  High  is  never  the  first  to  fail  in 
the  performance  of  what  he  has  en- 
gaged to  do  for  his  creature,  but  he 
may  justly  forsake  those  that  forsake 
him.    This  is  the  only  possible  "  breach 


212 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


35  I  *  the  Lord  have  said,  I 
will  surely  do  it  unto  all  this  evil 
'  congregation,  that  are  gather- 
ed together  against  me  ;  in  this 
wilderness  they  shall  be  con- 
sumed, and  there  they  shall 
die. 

36  And  the  men "  which  Mo- 
ses sent  to  search  the  land,  who 

s  c.  23.  19.  t  ver.  27.  u  c.  13.  31,  32. 

of  promise"  that  can  be  laid  to  the 
Lord's  charge,  and  even  this  is  the  lan- 
guage rather  of  apparent  than  of  real 
truth.  The  root  verb  to  which  the 
original  noun  is  referred  occurs  in  the 
following  connections  : — Num.  32  :  7, 
*'  Wherefore  discourage  ye  (marg.  hreah) 
the  heart  of  the  children  of  Israel  from 
going  over  into  the  land,"  etc.  Ch.  30  : 
5,  "  But  if  her  father  disallow  her  in  the 
day  that  he  heareth,"  etc. ;  i.  e.  if  he 
disannul  her  promise. 

V.  35.  /  the  Lord  have  said.     Chald. 
"  I  the  Lord  have  decreed  by  my  Word."- 

1[  /  will  surely  do  it.     Heb.  "  If  I 

do  not  this ;"  which  has  the  force  of  an 
affirmative,  as  the  Gr,  renders  it,  "I 
will  surely  do."  That  is,  I  will  surely 
do  or  execute  what  I  have  threatened. 

T[  That  are  gathered  together  against 

me.  That  is,  gathered  in  a  mutinous 
and  seditious  manner.  The  gather- 
ing was  ostensibly  against  Moses  and 
Aaron,  but  in  reality  against  Jehovah 
himself  who  had  commissioned  his  ser- 
vants to  lead  and  govern  the  people  in 

his  name. TI  In  this  wilderness  shall 

tliey  he  consumed.  This  sentence  or  de- 
cree is  so  frequently  repeated  that  they 
might  know  that  it  was  peremptory  and 
irreversible.  "So  we  see  that  they 
could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief," 
"  Let  us  labor,  therefore,  to  enter  that 
rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same 
example  of  unbelief."  Heb.  3  :  19. 
4:11. 


returned  and  made  all  the  con- 
gregation to  murmur  against 
him,  by  bringing  up  a  slander 
upon  the  land, 

37  Even  those  men,  that  did 
bring  up  the  evil  report  upon 
the  land,  died  "  by  the  plague 
before  the  Lord. 

38  But  Joshua  the  son  of 

V  1  Cor.  10.  10.     Heb.  3.  17.      Jude  5. 

V.  37.  Died  hy  the  plague  lefore  the 
Lord.  Heb.  hammaggephdh,  hj  the 
strohe;  that  is,  by  some  signal  and 
fearful  stroke  of  divine  judgment,  but 
not  probably  by  any  disease  technically 
termed  "the  plague."  This  is  more 
particularly  intended  by  the  word  de- 
var,  pestilence,  which  occurs,  v.  12, 
above.  The  present  term  is  not  one  that 
denotes  a  disease  of  any  kind,  but  an 
extraordinary  judgment.  The  origi- 
nal word  is  translated  slaughter  1  Sam. 
4  :  17,  and  strohe  Ezek.  24  :  16.  Its 
usage  2  Chron.  21  :  14,  shows  that  the 
idea  couched  under  it  is  general  and 
not  specific  :  "  Behold,  with  a  great 
plague  will  the  Lord  smite  thy  people ;" 
that  is,  with  some  fearful  judgment. 
So  in  the  present  case,  it  is  stated  that 
the  ten  unfaithful  emissaries  perished 
by  some  special  visitation  or  stroke  of 
the  divine  displeasure.  Having  fo- 
mented and  ripened  the  mutiny,  they 
became  the  first  sacrifice  to  the  aveng- 
ing justice  of  heaven. T[  Before  the 

Lord.  That  is,  before  the  Tabernacle, 
where  the  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared. 
So  it  is  said  of  Uzzah,  1  Chron.  13  :  14, 
that  "he  died  there  lefore  the  Lord,* 
whereas  in  the  parallel  narrative  2  Sam. 
6.:  7,  it  is  said  that  "he  died  there  be- 
fore the  arh  of  God." 

V.  38.  But  Joshua  ths  son  of  JVun,  etc. 
The  literal  rendering  of  this  verse  is 
decidedly  preferable  :  "  But  Joshua  the 
son  of  Nun,  and  Caleb  the  son  of  Je- 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 


213 


Nun,  and  Caleb  the  son  of  Je- 
phunneh,  which  ivere  of  the  men 
that  went  to  search  the  land, 
lived  "  still. 

39  And  Moses  told  these  say- 
ings unto  all  the  children  of  Is- 

w  c.  26.  65.     Josh.  14.  6, 10. 

phunneh,  lived  of  those  men  that  went 
to  search  the  land."  These  faithful  mes- 
sengers, notwithstanding  their  former 
association  with  those  who  now  perish- 
ed, lived,  i.  e.  remained  alive  safe  and 
in  health.  And  they  survived  not  only 
the  other  spies,  but  all  the  rebellious 
Israelites,  and  went  in  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  promised  inheritance,  Josh. 
U:10.  19:49. 

V.  39.  And  Moses  told  these  sayings 
unto  all  tTie  cMldren  of  Israel.  That 
is,  made  known  to  the  multitude  the 
calamity  that  had  happened  and  the 
reasons  of  it ;  communicating  to  all 
quarters  of  the  camp  the  sentence  which 
had  now  gone  forth  from  the  Lord's  lips, 
and  which  had  probably  as  yet  been 
but  partially  circulated  among  the  im- 
mense host  consisting  of  two  or  three 

millions  of  people. *l  And  the  people 

mourned  greatly.  Syr.  "  And  the  peo- 
ple sat  down  in  excessive  grief"  Be- 
ing overwhelmed  with  anguish  in  view 
of  the  doom  which  they  had  so  foolish- 
ly brought  upon  themselves,  and  which 
they  were  assured  was  irreversible. 
Knowing  this  to  be  the  fact,  they  did 
not  sue  to  Moses  to  pray  for  them,  as 
they  had  done  on  other  occasions,  ch. 
11  :  2.  They  had  now  abundant  and 
just  cause  for  weeping,  whereas  be- 
fore, V.  1,  their  weeping  was  causeless. 

V.  40.  And  they  rose  up  early  in  the 
morning,  and  gat  them  up,  etc.  Heb. 
"  Went  up ;"  i.  e.  set  about  it,  made 
all  their  preparations  for  it,  and  actu- 
ally proceeded  a  considerable  distance 
towards  the  summit.     Men  are  often 


rael :  and  the  people  mourned  "^ 
greatly. 

40  And  they  rose  up  early 
in  the  morning,  and  gat  them  up 
into  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
saying,  Lo,  we  he  here.,  and  will 


X  Ex.  33.  4.  Is. -26. 16. 


said  in  Scripture  to  do  what  they  in- 
tend and  endeavor  to  do.  See  this  il- 
lustrated in  the  Note  on  Gen.  37  :  21. 
Struck  with  a  temporary  panic,  a  tran- 
sient fit  of  slavish  fear,  as  the  sequel 
clearly  proves,  the  people  now  were  as 
forward  to  advance  as  they  had  been 
backward  before,  and  though  dissuaded 
by  Moses  from  their  rash  attempt,  they 
obstinately  ventured  forth  ;  with  what 

results  we  are  soon  informed. ^  Lo, 

toe  {be  here).     Heb.  hijinenu,  behold! 

we,  or,  behold  %ts ! T[  And  will  go 

up  unto  the  place  which  the  Lord  hath 
promised :  for  we  have  sinned.  That 
is,  we  are  now  prepared  to  do  what  the 
Lord  commanded,  and  trust  that  he 
will  make  his  promise  good.  We  ac- 
knowledge that  we  have  sinned  in  not 
at  once  complying  with  the  divine  man- 
dates, and  in  murmuring  and  rebelling 
as  we  have  done,  but  as  we  confess  our 
guilt  and  folly  now,  and  are  disposed 
to  make  up  for  our  past  delinquencies 
by  an  exemplary  obedience  henceforth, 
we  look  for  the  divine  favor.  But  alas, 
they  were  obedient  and  valiant  too  late ! 
Having  sinned  against  the  clearest  light 
and  the  most  emphatic  warnings,  their 
transgressions  could  not  be  retrieved 
by  the  forced  repentance  and  reforma- 
tion which  they  now  evinced.  "The 
decree  was  gone  forth,  the  consump- 
tion determined ;  they  did  not  seek  the 
Lord  while  he  might  be  found,  and  now 
he  would  not  be  found.  Oh,  if  men 
would  but  be  as  earnest  for  heaven 
while  their  day  of  grace  lasts,  as  they 
will  be  when  it  is  over ;  would  be  as 


214 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1490. 


go  up  unto  the  place  which  the 
Lord  hath  promised :  for  we 
have  sinned. 

41  And  Moses  said,  Where- 
fore now  do  ye  transgress  the 
commandment  ^  of  the  Lord  ? 
but  it  shall  not  prosper. 


solicitous  to  provide  themselves  oil 
while  the  bridegroom  tarries  as  they 
will  be  when  the  bridegroom  comes, 
how  well  would  it  be  for  them ! " — 
Henry. 

Y.  41.  And  Moses  said.  By  compar- 
ing this  with  the  parallel  narrative, 
Deut.  1 :  41-43,  it  will  be  seen  that  Mo- 
ses acted  under  special  instructions  in 
saying  what  he  did  on  this  occasion  : 
"  But  as  for  you,  turn  you,  and  take 
your  journey  into  the  wilderness,  by 
the  way  of  the  Red  Sea.  Then  ye  an- 
swered and  said  unto  me,  We  have 
sinned  against  the  Lord,  we  will  go  up 
and  fight,  according  to  all  that  the 
Lord  our  God  commanded  us.  And 
when  ye  had  girded  on  every  man  his 
weapons  of  war,  ye  were  ready  to  go 
up  into  the  hill.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  me,  Say  unto  them.  Go  not  up, 
neither  fight ;  for  I  am  not  among  you  ; 
lest  ye  be  smitten  before  your  enemies. 
So  I  spake  unto  you ;  and  ye  would 
not  hear,  but  rebelled  against  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord,  and  went  pre- 
sumptuously   up    into    the    hill." 

T[  Wherefore  do  ye  now  transgress  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord  ?  Heb. 
"  Wherefore  (is)  this  (that)  ye  are  now 
transgressing  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  ?  " 
Gr.  "  Why  do  ^e  transgress  the  word 
of  the  Lord  ? "  Chald.  "  Why  do  ye 
transgress  the  decree  of  the  word  of 
the  Lord  ?  "  The  commandment  which 
they  were  here  transgressing  was  that, 
v.  25,  requiring  them  to  turn  back  to 
the  Red  Sea  and  not  think  of  enter- 


42  Go  not  up,  for  the  Lord  is 
not  among  you ;  that  ye  be  not 
smitten  before  your  enemies. 

43  For  the  Amalekites  and 
the  Canaanites  are  there  before 
you,  and  ye  shall  fall  by  the 
sword  ;   because  '  ye  are  turned 


ing  Canaan  at  present.  The  use  of 
"mouth"  for  "commandment"  is  very 

frequent. T[  But  it  shall  rwt  prosper. 

That  is,  the  step  on  which  you  are  now 
intent ;  the  project  of  ascending  the 
mountain  and  assaulting  your  enemies. 
Gr.  "  It  shall  not  be  auspicious  to  you." 
Syr.  "  Ye  shall  not  carry  out  the  thing 
proposed  to  its  termination."  We  can 
never  presume  upon  the  Lord's  bless- 
ing in  accomplishing  that  which  is  en- 
gaged in  contrary  to  his  will. 

Y.  42.  For  the  Lord  is  not  among  you. 
Heb.  "The  Lord  is  not  in  your  midst." 
Chald.  "  The  Shekinah  of  the  Lord  is 
not  among  you."  The  cloudy  pillar  re- 
moved not,  but  remained  stationary, 
which  should  have  served  to  them  as 
an  indication  that  the  divine  presence 
was  not  with  them,  and  that  the  at- 
tempt was   presumptuous. *|[    That 

ye  he  not  smitten  before  your  enemies. 
Chald.  "Lest  ye  be  broken  (routed) 
before  your  enemies."  Gr.  "And  ye 
shall  fall  before  the  face  of  your  ene- 
mies." As  if  he  should  say,  "  The  Ca- 
naanites are  before  you  to  attack  you, 
and  the  Lord  is  not  among  you  to  pro- 
tect you  and  fight  for  you,  and  there- 
fore look  to  yourselves  that  *  ye  be  not 
smitten  before  your  enemies.'  Those 
that  are  out  of  the  way  of  their  duty 
are  from  under  God's  protection,  and 
go  at  their  peril.  It  is  dangerous  go- 
ing where  we  cannot  expect  God  should 
go  along  with  us." — Henry. 

Y.  43.  Tlie  Amalekites  and  the  Ca- 
naanites {are)  there  hefare  you.    That  is, 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


215 


away  from  the  Lord,  therefore 
the  Lord  will  not  be  with 
you. 

44  But  they  presumed  to 
go  up  unto  the  hill-top  :  never- 
theless the  ark  "  of  the  cove- 
nant  of    the    Lord,    and    Mo- 


have got  the  start  of  you,  have  pre- 
occupied the  post  which  you  would 
seize ;  implying  that  their  folly  in  ex- 
pecting to  dispossess  a  strong  and  war- 
like people  who  had  got  into  their  hands 
all  the  strongholds,  was  equal  to  their 
presumption  in  going  counter  to  the 
express  command  of  heaven. T[  Be- 
cause ye  are  turned  away  from  the  Lord. 
Heb.  "Because ye  are  turned  from  after 
the  Lord."  Chald.  "Because  ye  are 
turned  from  after  the  service  of  the 
Lord."  Gr,  "  Because  ye  have  turned 
away  unbelievingly    or    disobediently 

from    the  Lord." H    Therefore    the 

Lord  will  not  he  with  you.  Chald. 
"  The  Word  of  the  Lord  will  not  be  for 
your  help." 

Y.  M.  But  they  presiimed  to  go  up. 
Heb.  t'a-yaphilu,  from  the  root  aphal, 
which  occurs  only  here  and  Hab.  2  : 4, 
where  it  is  rendered  "  lifted  up  " — "  Be- 
hold, his  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is 
not  upright  in  him."  The  derivative 
"Ophel"  as  a  proper  name  (2  Chron. 
33  :  14)  denotes  a  mount,  eminence,  or 
rising  gro^ind,  applied  to  a  locality  near 
Jerusalem,  and  as  a  common  noun  used 
to  signify  the  kind  of  swellings  termed 
emerods  {hcemorrhoids)  or  piles.  Hence 
as  a  verb  it  implies  to  be  elevated  or 
elated  mentally  ;  to  ie  proud,  arrogant, 
presumptuous,  etc.,  and  hence  render- 
ed by  Ainsworth  "loftily  presumed." 
Chald.  "  They  dealt  wickedly  or  turbu- 
lently."  The  leading  idea  is  that  of 
an  audacious  adventuring  upon  what  is 
forbidden.     The  Jewish  writers,  how- 


ses,   departed   not   out   of   the 
camp. 

45  Then  the  Amalekites  came 
down,  and  the  Canaanites  which 
dwelt  in  that  hill,  and  smote 
them,  and  discomfited  them, 
even  unto  Hormah  *. 

h  c.  21.3.     Jm\g.  1.  n. 


ever,  represent  the  verb  as  involving 
the  idea  of  darkness  or  obscurity,  one  of 
them  rendering  it,  "  They  went  dark, 
or  obscure,  inasmuch  as  they  went 
without  leave  from  God,"  and  another, 
"  They  set  forward  in  the  dark  before 
day-dawning."  Hence  probably  the 
origin  of  the  Vulg.  rendering,  "Illi 
contenebrati  ascenderunt,"  they  being 
blinded  went  up.  The  former  is  doubt- 
less the  correct  interpretation,  as  the 
other  appears  to  have  arisen  from  con- 
founding the  present  root  Js^?  iiphal, 
with  ^5>j  aphal,  to  be  darh  or  obscure. 
1[  Nevertheless  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant of  the  Lord,  and  Moses,  departed  not 
out  of  the  camp.  The  ark  moved  only 
with  the  removal  of  the  cloud,  and  Mo- 
ses moved  only  with  the  ark ;  so  that 
those  who  did  advance  did  it  on  their 
own  responsibility,  and  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  tokens  of  the  divine  will. 
Y.  45.  Then  the  Amalekites  came 
down,  and  the  Canaanites.  Under  the 
denomination  of  Canaanites  are  in- 
cluded also  the  Amorites,  as  we  learn 
from  Deut.  1 :  44,  "  And  the  Amorites, 
which  dwelt  in  that  mountain,  came  out 
against  you  and  chased  you,  as  bees 
do,  and  destroyed  you  in  Seir,  even 

unto  Hormah." T[  WliicJi  dwelt  in 

that  hill.  Heb.  "  Which  sat  in,  or  on, 
that  mountain."  Implying  not  so  much 
a  permanent  abode  as  a  temporary  oc- 
cupation for  an  ambuscade,  as  we  have 

already    remarked,    v.    25. T[   And 

smote  them,  and  discomfited  them.  The 
latter  term  is  peculiarly  expressive,  as 


216 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


A 


CHAPTER   XV. 

ND    the    Lord   spake   unto 

Moses,  saying, 
2  Speak  unto  the  children  of 

it  occurs  in  the  following  passage,  Is. 
30 :  14,  "  And  he  shall  break  it  as  the 
breaking  of  the  potter's  vessel,  which 
is  broken  in  pieces."  Deut.  9 :  21, 
*'  And  I  took  your  sin,  the  calf  which 
ye  had  made,  and  burnt  it  with  fire,  and 
stamped  it,  and  ground  it  very  small, 
even  until  it  was  as  small  as  dust."  It 
implies,  therefore,  a  complete  routing 
and  breaking  to  pieces.- — T[  {Even) 
unto  Hormah.  That  is,  unto  the  place 
which  was  afterwards  called  "Hor- 
mah," or  destruction,  in  memory  of 
the  signal  slaughter  which  befell  them 
there. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Particular  Laws  relative  to  Offerings 
and  Sacrifices. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  learn 
that  in  consequence  of  the  grievous 
provocation  given  to  the  Most  High,  he 
had  determined  to  destroy  them,  and 
in  token  thereof  had  sentenced  the 
offenders  to  perish  in  the  wilderness, 
making,  at  the  same  time,  a  merciful 
reservation  in  behalf  of  their  children. 
Accordingly,  with  a  more  special  refer- 
ence to  that  part  of  the  congregation 
who  were  to  inherit  the  land,  he  here 
repeats  and  explains  some  of  the  laws 
concerning  offerings,  which  were  to  be 
observed  after  they  had  actually  become 
settled  in  Canaan.  This  implied  that 
notwithstanding  past  misdemeanors 
and  proueness  to  rebel,  the  Lord  was 
still  disposed  to  be  reconciled  to  them, 
and  therefore  gives  them  a  virtual  as- 
surance that  those  who  did  not  fall  in 
the  wilderness  should  be    eventually 


Israel,  and  say  unto  them.  When 
ye  be  come  into  the  land  of  your 
habitations,  which  I  give  unto 
you, 


planted  in  Canaan,  and  that  he  would 
there  smell  the  sweet  savor  of  their 
sacrifices,  and  make  good  to  them  all 
his  promises. 

V.  1.  And  tlie  Lord  spahe  unto  Moses, 
etc.  The  time  and  the  place  to  which 
these  directions  to  Moses  are  to  be  re- 
ferred are  not  clearly  intimated  in  the 
narrative,  but  most  commentators  sup- 
pose that  they  were  given  during  the 
stay  of  Israel  at  Kadesh,  where  we  learn 
that  they  abode  "  for  many  days  "  after 
the  events  recorded  in  the  preceding 
chapter. 

V.  2.  Whe)i  ye  he  come  into  tTie  land 
of  your  halltations.  The  tenor  of  this 
command  would  make  it  certain  that 
they  for  whom  it  was  intended  should 
be  brought  into  the  land  promised 
them,  and  that  a  system  of  worship 
should  be  there  established.  The  lan- 
guage employed  has  led  several  of  the 
early  expositors,  together  with  Calmet, 
to  doubt  whether  the  rites  and  cere- 
monies prescribed  here  and  in  the  pre- 
ceding books  were  actually  observed 
prior  to  their  settlement  in  the  land  of 
promise.  It  is  conceived  by  them  that 
as  the  circumstances  of  the  people  dur- 
ing their  wanderings  would  make  it 
extremely  difficult  to  comply  with  these 
regulations,  therefore  the  laws  them- 
selves were  designed  to  be  prospective 
in  their  operation,  and  only  fully  obey- 
ed in  a  more  fixed  and  permanent  state 
of  things.  "It  would  appear,"  says 
Michaelis,  "that  the  directions  here 
given  were  not  yet  obligatory  in  the 
wilderness,  inasmuch  as  the  Israelites 
must  have  been  deficient  in  flour  and 
wine.  They  had  herds  and  thus  could 
ofier  cattle  ;  but  they  had  neither  agri- 
culture, nor  olive-yards,  nor  vineyards  ; 


B.  0.  1490.J 


CHAPTER  XV. 


217 


3  And  "  will  make  an  offering 
by  fire  unto  the  Lord,  a  burnt- 


offering,  or  a   sacrifice   in  per- 
forming a  vow  *,  or   in  a  free- 


consequently  it  would  have  been  hard 
for -an  Israelite  who  offered  a  lamb  or 
a  goat  to  have  afforded  the  requisite  I 
addition  of  flour,  oil,  and  wine."     On  , 
this  head  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  give  j 
a  definite  decision,  though  we  think  it  | 
implied  in  many  places  of  the  Peuta-  j 
teuch  that  the  prinei^Ml  sacrifices  and  | 
offerings   were   daily  observed.      But  j 
whether  this  holds  in  regard  to  all  the  | 
details  of  the  system,  there  is  no  doubt 
room  for  question.     The  parallel  be- 
tween this  portion  of  the  history  and 
the  following  passage  from  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,  ch.  20  :  33^4,  is  worthy  of  no- 
tice :  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God, 
surely  with  a  mighty  hand,  and  with 
a  stretched-out    arm,    and   with    fury 
poured  out,  will  I  rule  over  you :  and 
I  will  bring  you  out  from  the  people,  ! 
and  will  gather  you  out  of  the  coun- 
tries wherein  ye  are  scattered,  with  a 
mighty  hand,  and  with  a  stretched-out  \ 
arm,  and  with  fury  poured  out.     And  j 
I  will  bring  you  into  the  wilderness  of 
the  people,  and  there  will  I  plead  with  i 
you  face  to  face.     Like  as  I  pleaded  \ 
with  your  fathers  in  the  wilderness  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  so  Avill  I  plead  with 
you,  saith  the  Lord  God,     And  }  will 
cause  you  to  pass  under  the  rod,  and  I 
will  bring  you  into  the  bond  of  the  cov- 
enant.     And   I   will   purge   out   from 
among  you  the  rebels,  and  them  that 
transgress   against  me :    I  will  bring  ; 
them  forth  out  of  the  country  where  [ 
they  sojourn,  and  they  shall  not  enter 
into  the  land  of  Israel :   and  ye  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord.    As  for  you,  i 
O  house  of  Israel,  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God ;   Go  ye,  serve  ye  every  one  his 
idols,  and  hereafter  also,  if  ye  will  not 
hearken  unto  me :   but  pollute  ye  my 
holy  name  no   more   with  your   gifts, 
10 


and  with  your  idols.  For  in  mine  holy 
mountain,  in  the  mountain  of  the  height 
of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  God,  there 
shall  all  the  house  of  Israel,  all  of  them 
in  the  land,  serve  me  :  there  will  I  ac- 
cept them,  and  there  will  I  require 
your  offerings,  and  the  first  fruits  of 
your  oblations,  with  all  your  holy 
things,  I  will  accept  you  with  your 
sweet  savor,  when  I  bring  you  out  from 
the  people,  and  gather  you  out  of  the 
countries  wherein  ye  have  been  scat- 
tered ;  and  I  will  be  sanctified  in  you 
before  the  heathen.  And  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  shall  bring 
you  into  the  land  of  Israel,  into  the 
country  for  the  which  I  lifted  up  mine 
hand  to  give  it  to  your  fathers.  And 
there  shall  ye  remember  your  ways, 
and  all  your  doings,  wherein  ye  have 
been  defiled ;  and  ye  shall  loathe  your- 
selves in  your  own  sight  for  all  your 
j  evils  that  ye  have  committed.  And  ye 
j  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I 
have  wrought  with  you  for  my  name's 
I  sake,  not  according  to  your  wicked 
:  ways,  nor  according  to  your  corrupt 
doings,  0  ye  house  of  Israel,  saith  the 
'  Lord  God." 

V.  3.  Will  make  an  offering  hy  fire 
unto  the  Loi'd.  Heb.  "  "Will  make  a 
fire  unto  the  Lord."  The  word  "  offer- 
ing" is  not  expressed  in  the  original, 
but  is  evidently  understood.  Chald. 
"An  oblation  before  the  Lord."  This 
comprehends  all  the  sacrifices  which 
were  burnt  upon  the  altar,  either  in 

whole  or  in  part. 1[  A  hurnt-offer- 

ing.  Of  the  import  of  the  term,  and  of 
the  general  law  of  the  burnt-offering, 
see  the  Note  on  Lev.  1:1.  It  was  the 
principal  and  most  ancient  of  all  the 
offerings,  consisting  of  an  animal  which 
was  wholly  burnt  upon  the  altar  every 


218 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


will-offering,  or  in  your  solemn 
feasts",  to  make  a  sweet  savour'^ 
unto  the  Lord,  of  the  herd,  or 
of  the  flock ; 


Lev.  23.  8,  12. 


morning  and  evening. If  Or  a  sac- 
rifice. Understand  a  sacrifice  of  peace- 
ofering,  as  the  Chald.  explains  it.  See 
the  law  concerning  these,  Lev.  3.  The 
original  zebacTi,  sacrifice,  when  occur- 
ring in  absolute  form  is  often  put  for 
peace-offerings,  as  Ex.  18  :  12,  on  which 
see  Note.  Consult  also  Lev.  17  :  5,  8. 
23  :  37.  Deut.  12  :  27.  Such  is  the  im- 
port here,  for  the  meat  and  drink-offer- 
ings about  to  be  specified  were  not  add- 
ed to  the  sin  or  trespass-offerings,  ex- 
cept in  the  case  of  the  cleansing  of 

the  leper. T[  In  performing  a  vow. 

Heb.  "  In  separating  a  vow."  See  this 
phraseology  more  fully  explained  in 
Note  on  Lev.  27  :  2.  The  true  idea  is 
that  oi paying ,  performing ,  fulfilling  a 
vow,  but  as  the  particular  animal  of  the 
herd  or  flock  which  was  vowed  for  a 
sacrifice  was  to  be  singled  out  and  set 
apart  from  common  use,  therefore  the 
term  to  separate,  which  originally  ap- 
plied to  the  object  became  gradually 
applied  to  the  vow  itself.  Gr.  "  A  sac- 
rifice to  magnify  a  vow." T[  Or  in  a 

free-will  offering.  That  is,  an  offering 
not  required  by  any  law,  but  which  a 
person  might  be  prompted  spontane- 
ously to  present  as  the  expression  of  a 

grateful  heart. *|[  Or  in  your  solemn 

feasts.  Of  these  see  a  full  account  Lev. 
23,  with  the  accompanying  Notes.  So 
the  peace-offerings  of  the  passover 
mentioned  Deut.  16  : 1,  2,  etc.  And  the 
burnt-offerings  were  to  have  meat  and 

drink-offerings    with    them. T[    To 

make  a  sweet  savor  unto  the  Lord. 
Heb.  "To  make  a  savor  of  rest  to  the 
Lord."  Gr.  "  To  make  a  smell  of  fra- 
grance to  the  Lord."     Chald,  "  That  it 


4  Then  shall  he  that  offereth 
his  offering  unto  the  Lord  bring 
a  meat-offering  *  of  a  tenth-deal 


Ex.  29.  40.     Lev.  : 


may  be  accepted  with  favor  before  the 
Lord."     See  Note  on  Gen.  8  :  21. 

Y.  4.  Then  shall  he  that  offereth  his 
offering,  etc.  That  is,  of  any  of  the 
above-mentioned  species.  The  meat- 
offerings (i.  e.  meal-offerings)  were  of 
two  kinds,  some  being  offered  alone, 
respecting  which  the  law  is  given  Lev. 
2  :  1,  2,  etc.,  and  others  being  added  as 
a  constant  accompaniment  to  the  burnt- 
offerings  and  peace-offerings,  in  respect 
to  which  the  present  directions  are 
given.  The  intent  of  this  law  is,  to 
prescribe  what  proportion  the  meat- 
offering and  the  drink-offering  should 
bear  to  the  several  sacrifices  to  which 
they  were  annexed.  The  general  rule 
that  regulated  the  whole  subject  was 
this  :  That  all  sacrifices  of  beasts  burnt 
upon  the  altar,  whether  by  way  of  vow, 
or  voluntary  gift,  being  of  the  nature 
of  a  spiritual  feast,  were  each  of  tlietn 
to  have  a  meat-offering  as  an  append- 
age, consisting  of  flour,  oil,  and  wine, 
in  the  following  proportions,  viz.  to 
every  lamb  or  kid  a  tenth-deal  or  omer 
of  flour  (about  five  pints),  a  quart  of 
oil,  and  a  quart  of  wine  ;  to  every  ram, 
double  the  quantity  of  flour,  the  third 
of  a  gallon  of  wine,  and  as  much  of  oil ; 
to  a  bullock  the  largest  sacrifice,  three 
omers  of  flour,  half  a  gallon  of  oil,  and 
as  much  of  wine  ;  and  so  on,  the  same 
quantities  being  prescribed  for  each, 
whatever  the  number  of  the  beasts  of- 
fered at  the  altar.  But  the  particulars 
will   be  more  minutely  considered  as 

we  proceed. T[  Of  a  tenth-deal  of 

flour.  That  is,  the  tenth  part  of  an 
ephah,  as  expressly  stated  ch.  28  :  5, 
which  was  an  omer ;  Ex.  16  :  36.     The 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  Xy. 


219 


of  flour  mingled  with  tBe  fourth 
part  of  an  bin  of  oiK. 

5  And  the  fourth  part  of  an 
hin  of  wine  for  a  drink-offering 
shalt  thou  prepare,  with  the 
burnt-offering  or  sacrifice,  for 
one  lamb. 

6  Or  for  a  ram,  thou  shalt 
prepare  for  a  meat-offering  two 
tenth  deals  of  flour  mingled  with 
the  third  part  of  an  hin  of  oil. 

7  And  for  a  drink-offering 
thou  shalt  offer  the  third  part 
of  an  hin  of  wine,  for  a  sweet 
savour  unto  the  Lord. 

8  And  when  thou  preparest 
a  bullock  for  a  burnt-ofiering, 
or  for  a  sacrifice  in  performinor 
a  vow,  or  ^  peace-offerings  unto 
the  Lord  ; 

9  Then  shall  he  bring  ^  with 
a  bullock  a  meat-offering  of 
three  tenth  deals  of  flour  min- 
gled with  half  an  hin  of  oil. 


'    £.ev.  14.  10. 
h  e.  2S.  1-.',  etc. 


g  Lev.  7.  11. 


Hebrew  writers  here  remark,  that 
"whosoever  would  vohmtaiily  oflFer  a 
meat-offering,  might  not  bring  less  than 

a  tenth-deal." ^  Fourth  {part)  of  an, 

hin  of  oil.  A  hin  was  a  liquid  measure 
of  the  sanctuary  containing  one  gallon 
and  two  pints  ;  a  fourth  part  of  this  of 
course  was  one  quart  and  half  a  pint. 

V.  5.  Wine  for  a  drink-ojfering.  Heb. 
Icnnesek,  for  an  effusion,  for  apoured- 
out  offering  or  libation,  because  it  M-as 
poured  out  on  the  altar,  but  not  on  the 
fire.     The  priest  had  none  of  it. 

V.  12.  According  to  the  number. 
That  is,  that  proportionable  to  the 
number  of  bullocks,  rams,  sheep,  or 
goats,  should  be  the  quantity  of  the 
meat-offering  and  drink-off'ering ;  for 
bread  and  wine  ought  to  bear  a  due 
proportion  to  the  meat  set  on  the  table. 


10  And  thou  shalt  bring  for 
a  drink-offering  half  an  hin  of 
wine,  for  an  offering  made  by 
fire,  of  a  sweet  savour  unto  the 
Lord. 

11  Thus 'shall  it  be  done  for 
one  bullock,  or  for  one  ram,  or 
for  a  lamb,  or  a  kid. 

12  According  to  the  number 
that  ye  shall  prepare,  so  shall 
ye  do  to  every  one  according  to 
their  number. 

13  All  that  are  born  of  the 
country  shall  do  these  things 
after  this  manner,  in  offering  an 
offering  made  by  fire,  of  a  sweet 
savour  unto  the  Lord. 

14  And  if  a  stranger  sojourn 
with  you,  or  whosoever  he  among 
you  in  your  generations,  and  will 
offer  an  offering  made  by  fire,  of 
a  sweet  savour  unto  the  Lord  ; 
as  ye  do,  so  he  shall  do. 

15  One  ''  ordinance  shall  he 

i  c.  28.  k  ver.  29.     Ex.  12.  49.     c.  9.  14. 

V.  13.  All  that  are  born  of  the  coun- 
try. Heb.  "Every  native-born  (Israel- 
ite)." This  is  clearly  prospective,  as 
the  native-born  of  the  country  refers  to 
those  who  should  be  born  in  Canaan 
and  not  in  the  wilderness. 

V.  14.  If  a  dranger  sojourn  with  you. 
Gr.  "  If  there  be  a  proselyte  among  you 
in  your  land ;"  that  is,  the  Gentile  con- 
verted in  whole  or  in  part  to  the  reli- 
gion of  Israel. ^  Or  whosoever  be 

among  you.  That  is,  a  foreigner  that 
shall  be  permanently  settled  among 
you  in  contradistinction  to  the  tempo- 
rary sojourner,  who  may  still  be  a  pros- 
elyte.  •[  In  your  generations.     That 

is,  throughout  your  generations  ;  in  all 
succeeding  ages.     Ho  also  in  v.  15. 

y.  15.  One  ordinance  {shall  be  both) 
for  you  of  tho  congregation.     The  word- 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490, 


hoth  for  you  of  the  congrega-  [ 
tiou,  and  also  for  the  stranger 
that  sojourneth  wiih  you^  an 
ordinance  for  ever  in  your  gene- 
rations :  as  ye  are^  so  shall  the 
stranger  be  before  the  Lord. 

16  One  law  and  one  manner 
shall  be  for  you,  and  for  the  stran- 
ger that  sojourneth  with  you. 

ing  of  the  original  is  peculiar,  and  may- 
be rendered,  "  0  congregation,  one  or- 
dinance, or  statute,  shall  be  for  you, 
etc."  Or,  as  the  main  word  stands  as 
a  nominative  absolute,  it  may  be  ren- 
dered, "As  to  the  congregation,  one 
ordinance  shall  be  for  you,"  etc.  For 
a  fuller  account  of  the  laws  pertaining 
to  proselytes  among  the  chosen  people, 
see  the  various  treatises  of  Jewish  an- 
tiquities. The  drift  of  this  law  would 
naturally  tend  to  the  encouragement  of 
proselytes  of  other  nations  to  come  in 
and  embrace  the  religion  of  the  true 
God.  It  was  hereby  ordained  that  all 
such  persons  should  have  the  same  re- 
ligious privileges,  so  far  as  the  ceremo- 
nies, sacrifices,  and  services  were  con- 
cerned, as  were  accorded  to  the  native- 
born  Israelites ;  and  this  privilege  they 
were  to  enjov  from  age  to  age  as  long 
as  that  dispensation  lasted. 

The  Law  of  the  Offering  of  the  first  of 
the  Dough  for  a  Heave-offering. 

V.  18.  When  ye  come  into  the  land, 
etc.  Heb.  "  In  your  coming,  or  enter- 
ing in."  A  new  ordinance  is  here  im- 
posed by  divine  authority,  viz.  that  the 
people,  when  they  had  entered  the 
land,  should  offer  to  the  Lord  a  cake 
maf^Je  of  the  first  of  their  dough — a  law 
of  which  no  mention  is  made  by  Moses 
in  any  other  place  than  this.  It  is  in 
fact  a  direction  respecting  a  new  per- 
quisite to  the  priests.     It  bad  before 


17  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

18  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them. 
When  ^  ye  come  into  the  land 
whither  I  bring  you, 

19  Then  it  shall  be,  that, 
when  ye  eat  of  the  bread  of  the 


been  commanded  (Lev.  23  :  17)  that  at 
every  Pentecost  two  loaves  should  be 
brought  to  them  by  each  householder, 
from  the  first-fruits  of  the  wheat  har- 
vest. That  provision  is  now  so  ex- 
tended as  to  give  them  a  similar  claim 
to  a  loaf  made  from  the  first  gatherings 
of  all  kinds  of  grain,  its  size,  as  far  as 
we  know,  being  left  to  the  giver's  dis- 
cretion. This  law,  like  the  last,  and 
like  the  similar  one  of  older  date,  was 
first  to  go  into  effect  after  the  establish- 
ment in  Canaan.  It  is  evidently  a  law 
of  the  same  nature  with  that  respecting 
the  first  harvest-fruits,  namely,  that  as 
every  corn-grower  in  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan was  required  to  present  some 
part  of  his  first  ripe  corn  every  year 
to  God  for  the  use  of  the  priests,  so  it 
is  now  ordained,  as  a  kind  of  supple- 
ment to  the  same  law,  that  out  of  the 
first  bread  that  any  man  made  of  his 
new  corn,  a  part  of  the  dough  should 
be  taken  and  presented  to  the  priest  in 
waiting,  ready  baked,  and  before  he 
had  baked  any  for  his  own  use.  This 
the  priest  was  to  present  as  an  offering 
to  the  Lord  by  ivaving  it  up  towards 
heaven,  after  the  manner  of  a  heave  or 
tvave-off^ering,  and  then  was  to  have  it 
as  a  portion  for  himself 

V.  v.).  When  ye  eat  of  the  hread  of  the 
laud.  That  is,  of  the  bread-corn,  the 
produce  of  the  land,  as  in  Is.  28  :  28, 
"Bread  is  bruised,"  i.  e.  bread-corn, 
as  rendered  in  the  common  version. 
So  also  Ps.  104  :  14,   "  That  he  may 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


221 


land  "",   ye   shall    offer    up    an 

Leave-offering   unto   the  Lord. 

20  Ye  shall  offer  up  a  cake 

of  the  "  first  of  your  dough  for 


m  Josh.  5.  11,  12. 


bring  forth  food  out  of  the  earth." 

Heb.  "Bread." T[  Ye  shall  offer  tip 

an  Tieave-offering  unto  the  Lord.  Heb. 
"Ye  shall  heave  an  heave  (offering) 
unto  the  Lord."  Gr.  and  Chald.  "  Shall 
separate ;"  it  being  separated  by  the 
owner,  and  offered  to  the  Lord,  and 
thus  made  to  form  one  of  the  "  heave- 
offerings  "  which  the  Lord  gave  to  his 
priests.  It  was  therefore  holy.  The 
Jewish  writers  allude  thus  to  this 
enactment :  "  "Whosoever  separated  a 
cake  he  first  blessed  God  who  sancti- 
fied them  by  his  commandments,  and 
commanded  them  to  separate  a  cake." 
• — Maimonides.  "  An  heathen  that  sep- 
arated a  cake,  though  in  the  land  of 

Israel,   it   was    no    cake." — Idem.- 

1[  Fnto  the  Lord.  Chald.  "Before  the 
Lord."  That  is,  in  his  presence,  under 
his  auspices,  they  were  first  heaved  or 
lifted  up  to  the  Lord,  the  creator  of 
heaven  and  earth,  in  token  of  his  su- 
premacy, and  in  acknowledgment  of  his 
goodness,  and  then  made  over  to  the 
priests  without  being  laid  upon  the  al- 
tar, like  the  other  sacrifices.  Indeed, 
it  was  not  necessary  that  this  offering 
should  be  made,  in  after  times,  at  the 
Temple  at  Jerusalem,  but  wherever  the 
offerer  resided;  and  as  the  priestly 
class  was  dispersed  all  over  the  land, 
there  was  no  difiiculty  in  finding  those 
to  whom  it  was  to  be  dispensed.  Comp. 
Ezek.  44  :  30,  "Ye  shall  also  give  unto 
the  priest  the  first  of  your  dough." 
Comp.  also  Neh.  10  :  37.  This  explains 
V.  21,  below. 

V.  20.  Ye  shall  offer  vp  a  cahe  of  the 
first  of  your  dough.  This  is  on  the 
general  principle  involved  in  the  pre- 
cept, Prov.  3:9,"  Honor  the  Lord  with 


an  heave-offering 


as  ye  do  the 
heave-offering "  of  the  threshing- 
floor,  so  shall  ye  heave  it. 

21   Of  the  first  of  your  dough 


0  Lev.  23.  10. 


thy  substance,  and  with  the  first-fruits 
of  all  thine  increase ;"  the  effect  of 
which  would  be  to  sanctify  all  the  rest ; 
"  For  if  the  first-fruit  be  holy,  the  lump 
(dough)  is  also  holy,"  Rom.  11 :  6.  See 
this  subject  still  further  considered  in 
the  Notes  on  Lev.  23  :  16,  17.  As  a  re- 
ward for  thus  consecrating  the  first  of 
every  thing  to  the  Lord  it  is  said,  Prov. 
3  :  10,  "  So  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with 
plenty,  and  thy  presses  shall  burst  out 
with  new  wine."  The  custom  of  the 
Israelites  was  to  bestow  of  their  corn, 
first-fruits,  tithes,  and  other  gifts  to  the 
priests,  Levites,  and  poor,  upon  their 
first  reaping  and  threshing  the  harvest. 
See  Ex.  13  :  19.  Lev.  13  :  22.  Num.  18  : 
12,  26.  Afterwards  when  they  made 
their  bread  they  separated  this  cake; 
and  as  the  Levites  separated  a  heave- 
offering  out  of  their  tithe.  Num.  18  :  20, 
so  the  poor  that  gleaned  the  fields  sep- 
arated of  their  dough  for  a  like  purpose. 

T[  As  ye  do  the  heave-offering  of  the 

threshing-floor.  That  is,  of  the  corn  in 
the  threshing-floor.  So  Deut.  16  :  13, 
"  Thou  shalt  observe  the  feast  of  taber- 
nacles seven  days,  after  that  thou  hast 
gathered  in  thy  corn  and  thy  wine." 
Heb.  "  After  thou  hast  gathered  in  thy 
floor  and  thy  'vineyard."  As  it  was 
their  duty  religiously  to  separate  the 
first-fruits  of  their  corn  on  the  thresh- 
ing-floor, so  also  of  the  dough  in  their 
houses. 

V.  21.  Of  fJie  first  of  your  dough  ye 
shall  give,  etc.  As  this  was  a  new  law 
not  given  before,  so  it  is  repeated  sev- 
eral times  to  give  it  more  emphasis  and 
importance  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  ; 
and  that  its  sanctity  was  highly  appre- 
ciated is  evident  from  the  fact  that  it 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1490. 


ye  shall  give  unto  tlie  Lord  an 
heave-offering  in  your  genera- 
tions. 


was  observed  by  the  Israelites  after 
their  return  from  Babylon,  Neb.  10 :  37, 
'*  And  that  we  should  bring  the  first- 
fruits  of  our  dough  and  our  offerings," 
etc.  "This  seems  to  have  been  done 
in  every  private  family;  and  the  Jews 
consider  a  woman  as  infamous  who 
neglects  to  do  it.  At  this  day  the  Jews 
are  so  observant  of  this  rite,  that  when 
they  have  dough  enough  to  make  a 
cake,  they  do  it  as  soon  as  they  have 
water  enough  to  do  it.  According  to 
the  construction  and  practice  of  the 
modern  Jews,  this  cake  was  given  to 
the  priests,  though  some  thi'ow  it  into 
the  fire.  It  is  understood  by  them  to 
mean  that  the  first  portion  of  every 
lump  of  dough  exceeding  the  bulk  of 
forty  eggs  was  to  be  given  to  the  priests 
or  Levites  in  order  to  sanctify  the  rest." 
— Priestley.  That  somewhat  of  a  mysti- 
cal import  was  couched  in  the  ordinance 
is  obvious  from  Paul's  allusion,  Rom. 
11 :  16,  where  he  applies  the  first-fruits 
and  the  lump  of  dough  to  Israel,  and 
it  is  confirmed  by  the  language  of  the 
prophet,  Jer.  2 :  2,  3,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord;  I  remember  thee,  the  kindness 
of  thy  youth,  the  love  of  thine  espou- 
sals, when  thou  wentest  after  me  in  the 
wilderness,  in  a  land  that  was  not  sown. 
Israel  was  holiness  unto  the  Lord,  and 
the  first-fruits  of  his  increase  :  all  that 
devour  him  shall  ofiend."  The  phrase, 
"  All  that  devour  (Heb.  eat)  him,"  seems 
to  refer  to  the  rule  that  no  one  was  to 
eat  of  the  first-fruit  of  the  harvest  but 
the  priest.  This  mystical  sense  is  also 
recognized  by  the  Jewish  commenta- 
tors :  "  The  commandment  of  the  cake 
signified  in  m3^stery  the  congregation 
of  Israel,  called  the  first-fruits  of  the 
world ;  which  when  it  is  put  into  the 
oven  that  burneth  with  the  fire  of  the 


22  And  if  ye  have  erred  ^, 
and  not  observed  all  these  com- 


j>  L«v.  4.  2,  etc, 


holy  blessed  God,  it  is  necessary  to 
separate  therefrom  a  cake,  that  it  be 
not  partaker  of  severe  judgment ;  and 
therefore  is  a  blessing  reserved  in  the 
world." — Bab.  Menahem.  But  we  are 
taught  to  go  beyond  the  Jewish  nation 
to  find  the  reality  of  the  emblematic 
cake :  "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us 
with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should 
he  a  hind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures,^ 
Jas.  1 :  18. 

Sacrifices  for  Sins  of  Ignorance. 
V.  22.  And  if  ye  have  erred.  That 
is,  done  unadvisedly  through  ignorance, 
error,  or  oversight,  to  which  is  opposed 
the  "  doing  presumptuously,"  or  "sin- 
ning with  a  high  hand,"  mentioned  v. 
30.  A  law  had  been  previously  given 
respecting  sins  of  ignorance,  Lev.  4, 
and  it  is  an  obvious  question,  in  what 
respects  that  law  differed  from  the  pres- 
ent. We  may  observe  in  reply,  (1.)  that 
the  law  in  Leviticus  seems  rather  to 
contemplate  sins  of  commission,  and 
this  sins  of  omission.  (2.)  The  present 
law  appears  to  have  reference  to  such 
sins  of  ignorance  as  might  be  commit- 
ted by  the  whole  congregation,  while 
the  other  is  applicable  to  the  sins  of 
individuals.  This  view  seems  to  be 
confirmed  by  the  fact,  that  in  the  verse 
before  us  the  collective  "  ye "  is  em- 
ployed, while  in  the  subsequent  verse, 
27,  where  the  case  of  an  individual  is 
recognized,  the  term  used  is  "  any  soul," 
as  it  is  also  in  Lev.  4  :  2.  The  ceremo- 
nial observances  enjoined  upon  the  na- 
tion were  so  nvraierous,  complicated, 
and  various,  that  it  might  easily  be 
supposed  some  of  them  would  by  de- 
grees be  forgotten  and  disused  ;  conse- 
j  quently  if,  in  process  of  time,  upon 
I  consulting  the  law,  there  should  appear 


B.  C.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


223 


mandments,  which  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  unto  Moses, 

23  Even  all  that  the  Lord 
hath  commanded  you  by  the 
hand  of  Moses,  from  the  day 
that  the  Lord  commanded  Mo- 

to  have  been  a  general  neglect  of  any 
of  the  divine  appointments,  a  sacrifice 
must  be  offered  for  the  whole  congre- 
gation. We  may  suggest,  moreover, 
that  the  law  contemplated  perhaps  the 
extension  of  the  meaning  of  "  sins  of 
ignorance  "  on  the  part  of  the  congre- 
gation, making  them  cover  the  case  of 
the  commission  of  any  offence  within 
its  borders,  when  the  criminal  had 
escaped  detection.  When  such  an  of- 
fence occurred,  one  which  might  be 
considered  to  involve  the  responsibility 
of  the  nation  at  large,  its  sense  of  the 
fault  was  to  be  manifested  in  a  manner 
somewhat  different  from  what  had  been 
before  prescribed,  and  one  more  costly 
and  imposing.  Instead  of  a  bullock 
only  for  a  sin-offering,  which  had  been 
previously  ordained,  a  sin-offering  of  a 
kid  is  now  to  be  substituted,  accompa- 
nied with  the  holocaust  of  a  bullock, 
with  the  addition  of  its  appropriate 
meal  and  drink  offerings,  as  these  had 
been  lately  prescribed.  This  was  a 
striking  feature  of  the  present  enact- 
ment, that  it  tended  to  make  the  whole 
community  feel  itself  charged  with  the 
responsibility  of  the  conduct  of  each  of 
its  members.  It  became  liable  to  a  cer- 
tain form  of  penalty  for  the  transgres- 
sion, by  certain  individuals,  of  the  di- 
vinely appointed  statutes  and  ordi- 
nances with  which  they  were  bound 

sedulously   to   comply. T[  And   not 

observed  all  tliese  commandments.  Heb. 
"  Have  not  done  all  these  command- 
ments." As  intimated  above,  the  words 
of  this  law  differ  from  those  in  Lev.  4  : 
2,  23,  they  having  reference  to  things 


ses^    and   henceforward    among 

your  generations  ; 

24  Then  it  shall  be,  if  aught 
be  committed  by  ignorance  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  the  con- 
gregation, that  all  the  congre- 


which  should  not  he  done,  and  these 
to  things  which  should  be  done  ;  or  in 
other  words,  the  one  pointing  to  sins 
of  commission,  and  the  other  to  sins  of 
omission.  The  implication  is  very 
clear,  that  when  commanded  duties  are 
neglected  through  ignorance  or  inad- 
vertence, the  delinquent  is  not  entirely 
guiltless  on  that  account.  His  culpa- 
bility is  not  so  great  as  that  of  the  know- 
ing or  wilful  transgressor,  but  he  still 
needs  the  application  of  the  virtue  of 
the  great  sacrifice  represented  by  the 
bullock  and  the  kid. 

V.  24.  {If  anght)  be  committed  by 
ignorance  without  the  hnowledge  of  the 
congregation.  Heb.  "  By  error  from 
the  eyes  of  the  congregation."  In  like 
manner  Lev.  4 :  13,  "  If  the  whole  con- 
gregation of  Israel  sin  through  igno- 
rance, and  the  thing  be  hid  from  the 
eyes  of  the  assemUy,^^  where  the  sub- 
joined Xote  fully  explains  the  phrase- 
ology. The  reference  is  probably  to 
some  neglect  on  the  part  of  one  or  more 
individuals,  of  the  public  services  or 
ceremonies  of  religion,  or  some  devia- 
tion from  the  prescribed  statutes,  occa- 
sioned either  by  the  remissness  of  ru- 
lers, the  misinterpretation  of  the  laws, 
or  the  abounding  iniquity  of  the  times. 

^  Shall  oftr  one  young  bullock.     It 

is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  Jewish 
writers  generally  understand  this  ordi- 
nance of  sti'ange  worship  which  re- 
quired to  be  expiated  by  the  sacrifice 
of  a  bullock  for  a  burnt-offering  and  a 
goat  foi^  a  sin-offering.  Outram  {On 
Saa^ijices,  B.  I.  c.  14,  §§  1,  2)  coincides 
in  this  opinion,  and  his  remarks  are 


224 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


gation  shall  offer  one  young 
bullock  for  a  burnt-offering,  for 
a  sweet  savour  unto  the  Lord, 
with  ^  his  meat-offering,  and  his 
drink-offering,  according  to  the 
manner,  and  one  kid  ''  of  the 
goats  for  a  sin-offering. 

25   And  the  priest  shall  make 
an  atonement  for  all  the  congre- 

q  ver.  8-10.        r  Lev.  4.  23.   e.  28.  15.  Ezr.a6.  17.  8.  35. 


well  worthy  of  consideration  : — "  If  my 
own  opinion  be  required, — I  would  not 
be  confident  on  so  obscure  a  subject, 
but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  bul-' 
lock  was  to  be  oftered,  when  the  whole 
congregation  of  Israel,  though  in  other 
respects  retaining  their  own  rites,  and 
following  the  worship  of  the  true  God, 
yet  led  away  by  one  common  error, 
transgressed  without  knowing  it,  some 
prohibitory  precept.  The  kid  for  a 
sin-ofi'ering,  accompanied  with  a  bul- 
lock for  a  burnt-offering,  I  apprehend 
to  have  been  required  when  the  people, 
neglecting  their  ancient  rites  and  un- 
mindful of  the  divine  laws,  which  often 
happened  under  wicked  kings,  were 
generally  seduced  into  strange  wor- 
ship. As  the  law  seems  to  contemplate 
such  a  state  of  the  nation,  so  perhaps  it 
commands  a  holocaust  to  be  offered  in 
token  of  a  return  to  their  ancient  wor- 
ship and  religion,  and  a  sin-offering  for 
the  expiation  of  all  the  sins  which  had 
been  committed  in  the  substitution  of 
idolatry  for  the  worship  of  the  true 
God.  For  this  reason  I  suppose  it  was, 
and  it  is  a  circumstance  which  adds 
much  probability  to  my  opinion,  that 
after  the  temple  had  been  long  shut, 
2  Chr.  28  :  24.  20  :  3,  the  daily  sacrifices 
discontinued,  and  many  strange  rites 
admitted  by  the  people  through  igno- 
rance, Hezekiah  commanded  bvillocks 
to  be  immolated  as  burnt-offerings,  and 
goats  as  sin-offerings  for  the  whole  na- 


gation  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  it  shall  be  forgiven  them ; 
for  it  is  ignorance ' :  and  they 
shall  bring  their  offering,  a  sac- 
rifice made  by  fire  unto  the 
Lord,  and  their  sin-offering  be- 
fore the  Lord,  for  their  igno- 
rance : 

26  And  it  shall  be  forgiven 


«  Acts  3.17,19.     ITii 


13.     Heb.  5.  2. 


tion,  2  Chr.  29  :  21-24.  Thus  also,  the 
Jews  who  returned  from  Babylon  into 
their  own  land,  offered,  after  the  re- 
building of  the  temple,  and  the  restora- 
tion of  their  ancient  worship,  the  same 
kinds  of  sacrifices  for  all  Israel.  It 
forms  no  objection,  that  whereas  Moses 
commanded  only  one  bnllock  and  one 
goat,  Hezekiah  sacrificed  seven,  and 
the  Jews  who  returned  from  exile,  of- 
fered twelve  of  each  kind  of  victims. 
This  I  suppose  them  to  have  done  from 
a  conviction  that  the  smaller  number 
was  absolutely  necessary,  but  that  the 
larger  number  was  better  ;  Hezekiah 
choosing  the  number  seven  as  an  em- 
blem of  perfection ;  and  the  returned 
exiles  fixing  upon  twelve  in  reference 
to  the  number  of  the  tribes."  Comp. 
Ezra  8  :  35. H  According  to  tlie  man- 
ner. Heb.  "  According  to  the  judg- 
ment." That  is,  according  to  the  mode 
prescribed  by  the  Lord,  vs.  9,  10. 

Y.  25.  For  all  the  congregation.  Sev- 
eral commentators  suggest  that  "  all  the 
congregation"  both  here  and  in  v.  26, 
may  be  rendered  '*  every  congregation," 
and  thus  the  law  apply  to  the  several 
tribes,  cities,  villages,  and  synagogues 
scattered  throughout  the  land.  This 
may  perhaps  be  admitted,  provided  only 
we  bear  in  mind  that  the  appointed  sac- 
rifice was  to  be  offered  at  the  temple  or 
wherever  the  centre  of  worship  might 
be. 

V.  26.  And  the  stranger  that  sojourn- 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XY. 


225 


all  the  congregation  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  and  the  stranger 
that  sojourneth  among  them ; 
seeing  all  the  people  ivere  in 
ignorance. 

27  And  if '  any  soul  sin 
through  ignorance,  then  he  shall 
bring  a  she-goat  of  the  first 
year  for  a  sin-oifering. 

28  And  "  the  priest  shall 
make  an  atonement  for  the  soul 
that  sinneth  ignorantly,  when 
he  sinneth  by  ignorance  before 


t  Lev.  4.  27.  -28. 


Lev.  4.  35. 


eth  among  them.  Gr.  "And  the  prose- 
lyte that  is  settled  among  you." 

TI  Seeing  all  the  people  {were)  in,  igno- 
rance. Heb.  "  Because  |it  happened) 
to  all  the  people  in  or  through  igno- 
rance." 

V.  27.  If  any  soul  sin  through  igno- 
rance. That  is,  any  person.  Chald. 
"If  one  man."  As  in  what  precedes 
allusion  is  had  to  cases  where  the  sin 
in  question  could  be  considered  as  that 
of  the  whole  congregation,  so  in  the 
present  passage  the  sin  of  a  single  in- 
dividual, acting  on  "his  sole  responsibil- 
ity is  treated  of,  and  the  appointed  sac- 
rifice specified.  Such  a  private  person, 
when  guilty  of  any  mistake  or  neglect 
in  the  worship  of  God  through  inad- 
vertence, ill  example,  or  infirmity,  was 
required,  as  soon  as  he  became  sensible 
of  his  ofieuce,  to  bring  a  female  goat  to 
the  priest,  for  a  sin-oflering,  the  peni- 
tent oblation  of  which  would  exempt 
him  from  any  farther  penalty. 

Of  Presumptuous  Sins. 
V.  30.  The  soul  that  doeth  {aught) 
presumptuously.  Heb.  "  Doeth  with  a 
high  hand,"  that  is,  in  a  bold,  daring, 
defiant  manner,  giving  way  to  deliber- 
ate acts  of  transgression  against  light, 

10* 


the  Lord,  to  make  an  atone- 
ment for  him ;  and  it  shall  be 
forgiven  him. 

29  Ye  shall  have  one  law  for 
him  that  sinneth  throuorh  igno- 
ranee,  both  for  him  that  is  born 
among  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  for  the  stranger "  that  so- 
journeth among  them. 

30  But  the  soul  that  doeth 
aught  presumptuously '",  wheth- 
er he  he  born  in  the  land,  or  a 
stranger,  the  same  reproacheth 

w  Deut.  n.  1-2.     Ps.  19.  13. 


V  R.-ni.  3. 
Heb.  10.  -26. 


■2  I'et.  -2.  10. 


conviction,  and  inward  remonstrance, 
and  in  despite  of  divine  authority.  Gr. 
"  Shall  do  any  thing  with  a  presump- 
tuous hand."  Chald.  "Shall  do  any 
thing  with  an  uncovered  head,"  that  is, 
openly,  fearlessly,  without  shame,  for 
under  emotions  of  shame  men  were 
prone  to  cover  their  heads,  as  Jer.  14  : 
4,  "The  ploughmen  were  ashamed, 
tliey  covered  their  heads."  The  original 
phrase,  in  certain  connections,  is  capa- 
ble of  a  good  sense,  equivalent  to  bold- 
ness, courage,  magnanimity,  both  in 
heart  and  deportment,  as  when  it  is 
said  of  Israel  that  they  went  •  out  of 
Egypt  ivith  a  high  hand,  Ex.  14 :  8. 
Num.  33  :  3  ;  but  here  it  implies  know- 
ingly, purposely,  and  presumptuously 
going  counter  to  the  express  ordinance 
of  heaveu  in  contempt  of  the   divine 

majesty  and  authority. ^  The  same 

reproacheth  the  Lord.  Or,  Heb.  "  Blas- 
phemeth."  Gr.  and  Chald.  "Provok- 
eth  to  anger."  The  original  denotes 
primarily  verbal  reproaching,  or  revil- 
ing, as  in  2  Kings  19  :  6,  22  ;  but  is  ap- 
plied hei-e  to  a  reproaching  or  blas- 
pheming by  deeds,  as  in  Ezek.  20  :  27, 
"  In  this  your  fathers  have  blasphemed 
me  in  that  they  have  committed  a  tres- 
pass against  me."    It  is  a  truth  of  sol- 


226 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


the  Lord  ;  and  that  soul  shall  be 

cut  off  from  among  his  people. 

31  Because  he  hath  despised  "^ 

the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  hath 

s  2  Sam.  1-2.  9.     Prov.  13.  13.     Acts  13.  41.      Heb. 
10.  'J8,  '29. 

eran  import,  that  every  presumptuous 
sinner  is  a  virtual  blasphemer  of  Jeho- 
vah, even  though  he  may  never  orally 

profane  his  name. T[  That  soul  shall 

le  cut  off  from  among  his  people.  Gr. 
''Shall  be  utterly  destroyed."  Chald. 
"  That  soul  shall  perish."  On  the  pe- 
culiar import  of  this  phrase  see  the 
Note  on  Gen.  17  :  14,  where  it  is  fully 
explained.  The  Jewish  writers  extend 
the  force  of  the  threatening  into  the 
next  world.  *'  Although  we  find  apos- 
tates to  live  more  than  fifty  years,  and 
that  they  are  not  cut  ofl"  from  the  life 
of  this  world,  yet  know  that  their  de- 
serts hang  upon  them  in  this  world,  and 
vengeance  shall  be  taken  upon  them 
abundantly  in  the  world  to  come." — 
Bab.  Menahem.  It  is  probable  that, 
when  there  were  witnesses  to  the  fact, 
the  offender  was  punished  by  the  mag- 
istrates either  by  death  or  beating. 
See  Note  on  Deut.  25  :  2. 

V.  31.  Because  he  hath  despised  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  Heb.  hazah,  hath 
contemned,  set  at  naught  as  ■vile,  dis- 
honored. Comp.  with  this  Prov.  13  : 
13,  "  He  that  despiseth  the  word  shall 
be  destroyed;  but  he  that  feareth  the 

commandment  shall  be  rewarded." 

T[  Haih  broken  the  commandment.  Heb. 
hiephar,  hath  annulled,  frustrated,  made 
void  or  of  none  effect,  in  opposition  to 
establishing  or  confirming.  It  is  a 
term  usually  applied  to  breaking  the 
covenant  with  God,  as  Gen.  17  :  14. 
Lev.  15  :  44  ;  and  often  in  the  prophets. 
Sometimes  spoken  of  the  law  and  the 
commandments,  as  Ps.  119  :  126.  Ezra 

9  :  14.  Heb.  10.:  28. ^  That  soul  shall 

he  utterly  cut  off.    Heb.  "  Shall  be  cut 


broken  his  commandment,  that 
soul  shall  utterly  be  cut  off;  his 
iniquity  ^  shall  he  upon  him. 
32  And   while  the    children 

y  Lev.  5.  1.    rs.  3'^.  4.    Ezek.  18.  20.    2  Pet.  2.  21. 


off,  shall  be  cut  off";  "  reduplicated  for 

the  sake  of  emphasis. H  His  iniquity 

shall  be  upon  him.     Heb.  "  Its  iniquity 
shall  be  upon  it."    That  is,  the  iniquity 
of  that  soul ;  which  however  stands  for 
the  person,  and  is  correctly  enough  ren- 
dered.   By  "iniquity"  maybe  under- 
stood the  punishment  of  iniquity,  as  in 
Gen.  19  :  15.  Lev.  22 :  9.     It  is  observa- 
ble, however,  that  several  of  the  Jew- 
ish commentators  give  a  more  interior 
sense.     Thus  Sol.  Jarchi  says,  **  its  ini- 
quity shall  be  in  it,"  means,  "  when  his 
iniquity  is  in  him,  and  he  repenteth  not." 
Rab.  Menahem  also  gives  the  following 
as  an  exposition  of  the  ancients  :  "  That 
soul  shall  be  cut  off",  and  the  iniquity 
thereof  with  it,"  as  if  he  should  say, 
The  iniquity  shall  cleave  unto  it  after 
it  is  cut  off,  to  be  punished  for  ever,  ac- 
cording to  that  (Is.  66  :  24),  Their  worm 
shall  not  die,  which  Jonathan  (the  Chal- 
dee  Paraphrast)  expounds,  Their  soul 
shall  not  die.      And  our  doctors  have 
said,  It  shall  be  cut  ofi"  in  this  world,  it 
shall  be  cut  off  in  the  world  to  come." 
Jonathan's  words  are,  "  That  man  shall 
be  destroyed  in   the  world   that  is  to 
come,  and  shall  give  account  of  his  siu 
at  the  great  day  of  judgment."     Pool 
explains  it,  that  his  punishment  shall 
be  confined  to  himself,  and  not  fall  upon 
the  congregation,  as  it  would  do  if  they 
were  to  neglect  to  cut  him  off.    After 
every  attempt  at  a  true  solution  of  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase,  some  doubt  will 
still  remain. 

The  Case  of  the  Sabbath  Breaker. 
V.  32.    While  the  children  of  Israel 
were  in  the  wilderness.    Several  of  the 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


227 


of  Israel  were  in  the  wilderness, 
they  found  a  man  that  gathered 
sticks  '  upon  the  sabbath-day. 

33  And  they  that  found  him 
gathering  sticks  brought  him 
unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  un- 
to all  the  congregation : 

34  And    they   put    him   in 


foregoing  ordinances  it  was  not  expect- 
ed would  be  observed  during  their  jour- 
nejings  to  the  promised  land,  but  the 
sabbath  was  to  be  honored  wherever 
they  were ;  therefore  it  is  expressly 
mentioned  that  this  incident  occurred 
"  in  the  wilderness."  It  is  doubtless 
cited  as  an  instance  of  presumptuous 
sin ;  for  as  the  law  of  the  sabbath 
was  plain  and  positive,  this  transgres- 
sion must  of  course  have  been  known 
and  wilful.  The  offence,  according  to 
the  purport  of  the  original,  was  gath- 
ering and  binding  or  bundling  up 
ivood. 

V.  33.  Brought  him  unto  Moses  and 
Aaron,  and  unto  all  the  congregation. 
Not  perhaps  literally  into  the  presence 
of  the  whole  congregation,  consisting 
of  hundreds  of  thousands,  but  before 
the  heads  and  representatives  of  the 
vrhole  body,  to  which  the  name  of  the 
congregation  was  often  given. 

V.  34.  And  they  put  him  in  ward. 
Heb.  bammishmor,  in  Iceeping  ;  as  they 
had  previously  dealt  with  the  blas- 
phemer. Lev,  24  :  12. ^  Because  it 

%cas  not  declared  what  should  be  done  to 
him.  Gr.  "  They  had  not  judged,  or 
determined."  They  knew,  indeed,  that 
the  sabbath-breaker  was  to  die  (Ex. 
31 :  4.  35 :  2),  but  by  what  death  he 
should  die,  or  whether  this  gathering 
of  sticks  made  him  obnoxious  to  that 
sentence,  they  were  not  certain.  It  was 
clear  that  he  had  done  it  presumptu- 
ously, but  whether  the  act  came  fairly 


ward",  because  it  was  not  de- 
clared what  should  be  done  to 
him. 

35  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  The  man  *  shall  be  sure- 
ly put  to  death  :  all  the  congre- 
gation shall  stone  '  him  with 
stones  without  the  camp. 


Lev.  24.  1-2.      h  Ex. 


14,  15.       c  Lev.  M.  14. 


within  the  compass  of  the  law,  and  in 
what  precise  manner  it  was  to  be  dealt 
with,  they  were  not  fully  resolved  in 
their  own  minds.  As  this  was  the  first 
offence  of  the  kind,  and  as  neither  Mo- 
ses nor  the  people  were  disposed  to  act 
precipitately  in  the  matter,  they  saw 
fit  to  await  a  specific  direction  from  the 
Lord  himself. 

V,  35,  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mo- 
ses. Probably  in  answer  to  the  special 
inquiry  which  Moses  went  into  the  tab- 
ernacle to  make,  as  he  did  in  another 
case  of  difficulty  mentioned  before,  ch, 

9  :  8. H  Shall  stone  him  ^vith  stones 

without  the  camp.  Stoning  was  the 
most  dreadful  of  all  the  punishments 
inflicted  upon  malefactors  under  the 
Jewish  dispensation  ;  the  event  record- 
ed furnishes,  therefore,  a  striking  and 
solemn  testimony  to  the  sacredness  and 
divine  obligation  of  the  sabbath  law, 
and  one  which  should  not  be  lost  upon 
us  at  the  present  day.  The  offence  was 
apparently  light  and  trivial,  and  for 
which  we  should  be  apt  to  suppose 
such  a  punishment  entirely  dispropor- 
tioned  ;  but  the  dignity  and  majesty  of 
the  divine  Being  against  whom  it  is 
committed  is  to  be  considered,  and  such 
an  example  teaches  how  enormous  those 
acts  become,  which,  though  not  sinful 
in  their  own  nature,  are  yet  forbidden 
by  the  supreme  authority  of  the  uni- 
verse. Actions  ventured  upon  in  defi- 
ance or  contempt  of  an  express  divine 
command,  draw  after  them  a  fearful 


228 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


36  And  '^  all  the  congregation 
brought  him  without  the  camp, 
and  stoned  him  with  stones,  and 
he  died ;  as  the  Lord  command- 
ed Moses. 

37  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

d  Josh.  7.  25. 

load  of  responsibility.  See  Note  on 
Lev.  20 :  2  for  a  particular  account  of 
the  manner  in  which  this  punishment 

was  inflicted. T[  Without  the  camp. 

Hence  arose  the  custom  of  taking  those 
who  were  to  be  stoned  to  a  distance 
from  cities  and  from  the  judgment-hall, 
as  is  remarked  by  Sol.  Jarchi.  Thus 
they  dealt  with  Stephen,  casting  him 
"out  of  the  city,"  and  stoning  him, 
Acts  7  :  58 ;  likewise  with  Naboth, 
1  Kings  21  :  13,  and  with  the  blas- 
phemer, Lev.  24 :  14.  This  aggravated 
the  punishment,  from  involving  a  de- 
gree of  reproach,  as  is  evident  from  the 
language  of  the  apostle,  Heb.  13  :  11-13, 
"  For  the  bodies  of  those  beasts,  whose 
blood  is  brought  into  the  sanctuary  by 
the  high  priest  for  sin,  are  burned  with- 
out the  camp.  Wherefore  Jesus  also, 
that  he  might  sanctify  the  people  with 
his  own  blood,  suffered  without  the 
gate.  Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto 
him  without  the  camp,  bearing  his  re- 
proach." The  severity  of  the  punish- 
ment in  cases  of  the  violation  of  the 
sabbath  no  doubt  points  typically  to 
the  sad  lot  of  those  who  do  not  keep 
the  true  spiritual  sabbath,  "entering 
into  the  rest  of  God  by  faith,  and  ceas- 
ing from  their  own  works,  as  God  did 
from  his,"  Heb.  4  : 1-11. 

Law  respecting  Fringes. 

V.  38.  Bid  them  that  they  make 
fringes  in  the  'borders  of  their  gar- 
ments.    Heb.    tzitzith,    from    tzitZy    a 


38  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  bid  them  that  they 
make  them  '  fringes  in  the  bor- 
ders of  their  garments,  through- 
out their  generations,  and  that 
they  put  upon  the  fringe  of  the 
borders  a  riband  of  blue  : 

e  Dent. '22.  12.     Mat.  23.  5. 


flower,  probably  from  the  fact  that  the 
fringe  was  an  ornamental  appendage 
somewhat  resembling  a  flower.  The 
English  term  occurs  Deut.  22  :  12, 
"  Thou  shalt  make  thee  fi^inges  upon 
the  four  quarters  (Heb.  wings)  of  thy 
vesture,"  but  in  this  case  the  original 
is  gedilim,,  of  a  somewhat  difierent,  but 
related  purport,  as  it  denotes  the  tufts 
or  tassels  which  were  inserted  in  the 
fringe.  From  the  threads  or  thrums 
of  a  fringe  hanging  down  from  the  edge 
of  the  garment  somewhat  like  locks  of 
hair,  the  original  word  tzitzith  is  so 
rendered  Ezek.  8:3,  "  And  he  put  forth 
the  form  of  an  hand,  and  took  me  by  a 
loch  of  mine  head."  It  is  rendered  in 
the  Gr.  by  wpasTreSa  kraspeda,  which 
occurs  Mat.  23 :  5,  where  our  version 
has  "borders" — "they  make  broad 
their  phylacteries  and  enlarge  the  bor- 
ders of  their  garments,"  i.  e.  the  fringes. 
"  There  have  been  various  conjectures 
as  to  the  object  of  this  law.  The  most 
probable  is  that  the  'fringe*  was  in- 
tended as  a  sort  of  badge  or  livery,  by 
which,  as  well  as  by  circumcision  and 
by  the  fashion  of  their  beards,  and  by 
their  peculiar  diet,  the  Hebrews  were 
to  be  distinguished  from  other  people. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  much  superstition 
came  in  the  end  to  be  connected  with 
the  use  of  these  fringes.  The  Pharisees 
are  severely  censured  by  our  Saviour 
for  the  ostentatious  hypocrisy  with 
which  they  made  broad  the  '  borders ' 
of  their  garments.  Our  Lord  himself 
wore  the  fringe,  which  is  commonly 


B.  0.  1490.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


229 


89  And  it  shall  be  unto  you 
for  a  fringe,  that  ye  may  look 

culled  in  the  New  Testament  the  '  hem 
or  border,'  and  it  was  this  part  of  his 
diess  which  the  sick  desired  to  touch, 
under  the  impression  that  the  contact 
would  make  them  whole.  It  was  prob- 
ably the  peculiar  sanctity  of  this  part 
of  the  dress,  which  directed  attention 
to  it  in  preference,  for  we  may  be  cer- 
tain that  Christ  himself  did  not  point 
it  out.  We  think  that  we  may  thus  ob- 
tain a  new  light  on  the  subject  which 
has  escaped  observation.  In  Luke  S  : 
43,  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood 
comes  held  ad  him,  touches  the  'bor- 
der' of  his  garment,  and  is  healed. 
She  afterwards  falls  down  at  his  feet 
and  acknowledges  what  she  has  done. 
Hence  the  '  fringe,'  so  to  call  it,  was  not, 
aS  the  modern  Jews  think,  before  ex- 
clusively, but  behind  also,  if  not  wholly 
behind  ;  and  hence  also  the  same  fringe 
could  scarcely  have  been  at  the  bottom 
of  the  robe,  as  the  other  account  sup- 
poses. We  may  therefore  ask  whether 
it  was  not  in  fact  such  an  embroidered 
edge,  of  various  breadth,  as  we  now  see 
wrought  with  colored  worsted  or  silk 
around  the  opening  for  the  neck  and 
down  the  breast  of  the  a}>ba,  or  woollen 
mantle,  now  in  use  among  the  Arabs 
(see  the  note  on  Ex.  22  :  27)  and  which 
is  a  very  ancient  article  of  dress,  and 
probably  in  use  among  the  Jews.  This 
border  might,  on  the  one  hand,  be 
touched  by  a  person  behind  the  wearer, 
while  on  the  other,  the  part  in  front 
would  be  under  his  own  eye,  as  the  law 
seems  to  require.  We  would  by  no 
means  make  a  stand  upon  this  conjec- 
ture ;  but  being  founded  on  a  real  Ori- 
ental usage,  it  is  at  least  entitled  to  as 
much  attention   as  the   others,  which 

are  not  so." — Pict.  Bible. IT  In  the 

borders  of  their  garments.  Heb.  "  On 
the  wings."    The  shirt,  edge,  or  border 


upon  it,  and  remember  all  the 
commandments    of    the    Lord, 


of  a  garment  is  usually  called  a  wing, 
as  Ruth  3:9.  1  Sam.  15  :  17.  Deut.  22  : 
30.  Zech.  8  :  13.  So  the  four-corners  of 
the  earth  are  called  iis,  four  wings,  Is. 
11 :  12.  Ezek.  7  :  2.  Job  37  :  3.  The 
fringes  were  the  threads  left  unwoven 
at  the  end  of  the  web,  on  the  edge  of 
which,  or  just  above  the  fringe,  was  put 
a  band  or  lace  of  blue,  or  rather  of  pur- 
ple color,  binding  the  fringe,  which  was 
of  the  same  color  with  the  garment,  and 
that  was  usually  white.  This  band  or 
ribbon  served  not  only  to  distinguish 
them  from  other  people,  but  when  they 
looked  down  upon  it  they  were  remind- 
ed of  the  duty  they  owed  to  God,  as  a 
holy  and  consecrated  nation.  Such 
among  them  as  laid  claim  to  greater 
sanctity  than  others,  enlarged  their 
fringes  and  extended  them  to  so  great 
a  length  that  they  sometimes  swept  the 
ground,  which  made  them  the  more  no- 
ticeable, of  which  they  were  ambitious. 
The  modern  Jews  wear  a  long  tassel  at 
each  corner,  consisting  of  eight  white 
woollen  threads,  knotted  with  five  knots 
like  small  buttons,  and  open  and  un- 
twisted at  the   ends. T|   Riband  of 

blue.  The  blue  color,  the  color  of  the 
firmament  of  heaven,  with  which  the 
purple  was  closely  allied,  seems  to  have 
been  deemed  of  peculiar  sanctity,  and 
as  it  was  the  color  of  the  priest's  robe, 
so  it  would  naturally  tend  to  put  the 
Israelites  in  mind  that  they  were  a 
kingdom  of  priests,  and  thus  bound  to 
act  in  accordance  with  their  holy  desig- 
nation. 

V.  39.  That  ye  may  look  v.pon  it,  and 
remember,  etc.  This  appendage  to  their 
dress  was  appointed  as  a  badge,  a  me- 
mento, by  which  they  were  constantly 
reminded  of  their  peculiar  relation  to 
God,  and  of  their  obligations  to  walk 
holily  and  religiously  before  him. 


230 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1490. 


and  do  them  ;  and  that  ye  seek 
not  after  your  ■''  own  heart,  and 
your  own  eyes,  after  which  ye 
use  to  go  a  ^  whoring  : 

40    That    ye     may    remem- 
ber, and  do  *  all  my  command- 


/  Dent.  •>%  19. 
6.  9.     Ps.  73.  27. 


Job  31.  7. 
106.  39. 


Jer.  9.  14.  <?  Ezek. 

A  Ps.  119.  4. 


Tl  T7iat  ye  seek  not  after  your  own  Jieart, 
etc.  Heb.  tdthoru,  from  the  root  toor, 
which  we  have  explained  in  the  Note 
on  ch.  14 :  36,  where  it  is  employed  in 
reference  to  the  searching  or  exploring 
the  land  of  Canaan  by  the  spies,  and 
implies,  as  we  have  shown,  a  turning 
or  circling  alout  in  opposition  to  pur- 
suing a  direct  and  straight-forward 
course.  Gr.  "Ye  shall  not  turn  back 
after  your  imaginations,  and  after  (the 
sight  of)  your  eyes  in  the  things  after 
which  ye  go  a  whoring."  Chald.  "  Ye 
shall  not  err,  or  wander,  after  the  cogi- 
tation of  your  heart."  The  Chald.  term 
here  used  does  not  signify,  says  Fa- 
gius,  mere  cogitation,  but  that  kind  of 
thought  which  proceeds  from  an  impi- 
ous curiosity,  when  we  do  not  simply 
believe  in  and  cleave  to  the  word  of 
God,  but  indulge  in  a  spirit  of  vain 
speculation  and  disputation,  against 
the  nature  of  true  faith.  The  "  seeking 
after  their  own  heart  and  their  own 
eyes"  implies  therefore  a  giving  way 
to  their  own  imaginations  and  inven- 
tions in  the  matter  of  worship  and 
general  obedience,  and  lapsing  into 
idolatry,  which  is  spiritual  fornication 
and  adultery. 

V.  40.  That  ye  may  remeniber,  and  do 
all  my  commandments.  The  end  of  re- 
rrtemhering  is  doing  /  and  we  have  rea- 
son to  be  thankful  for  any  appointed 
means  or  appliances  which  shall  assist 
us  in  impressing  our  minds  more  deep- 
ly with  our  religious  obligations,  and 
keep  us  in  the  way  of  the  actual  per- 
formance of  every  duty.     The  Israelites 


ments,  and  be  holy '  unto  your 
God. 

41  I  ^  am  the  Lord  your 
God,  which  brought  you  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  to  be  your 
'God:  I  am  the  Lord  your  God. 


k  Lev.  2-2. 


I  Heb.  11.16. 


were  not  to  regard  the  wearing  of  these 
fringes  as  having  in  it  any  real  intrin- 
sic sanctity,  but  only  as  an  instrumen- 
tal and  sensible  help  to  the  dulness  and 
sluggishness  of  their  minds  in  relation 
to  the  deportment  which  they  were  re- 
quired, as  a  holy  people,  to  observe. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Tlie  Rebellion  of  Korah,  Dathan,  ai\d 
Ahiram. 
We  have,  in  the  present  chapter,  an 
account  of  the  most  formidable  con- 
spiracy against  the  authority  of  Moses 
and  Aaron  which  occurs  anywhere  in 
the  compass  of  the  sacred  narrative. 
It  took  place  soon  after  the  doom  of 
the  forty  years'  wandering  had  been 
pronounced,  and  the  effect  of  that  sen- 
tence would  naturally  be  to  beget  a 
disposition  to  plots  and  conspiracies 
among  the  people.  Being  distressed 
and  uneasy,  they  were  in  a  fit  condition 
to  listen  to  the  suggestions  of  factious 
spirits.  As  they  were  doomed  to  die, 
at  any  rate,  before  entering  the  pro- 
mised land,  they  would  be  apt  to  cher- 
ish a  certain  desperation  that  could 
easily  be  turned  into  the  channel  of  re- 
volt. And  as  the  circumstances  were 
favorable  for  such  a  schism,  so  the 
concoctors  of  it  were  the  very  persons 
among  whom  we  might  expect  it  to 
originate.  We  see  a  twofold  interest 
at  work — one  against  the  civil  suprem- 
acy of  Moses,  and  the  other  against  the 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


231 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

VrOW  Korahnhe  son  of  Izhar, 
X\    the  son  of  Kohath,  the  son 

a  Ex.  6.  21.     c.  '2i.  9.     Judo  11. 


priestly  pre-eminence  of  Aaron.  Apart 
of  the  conspirators  were  of  the  tribe  of 
Reuben,  which  had  been  subordinated 
to  that  of  Judah  in  the  recent  arrange- 
ments, and  thej  would  naturally  aim 
to  regain  the  precedency  which  they 
deemed  their  birthright.  Korah,  again, 
was  a  Kohathite,  descended  from  a 
brother  of  Levi,  and  probably  an  elder 
brother ;  and  his  feeling  seems  to  have 
been,  that  the  priesthood  should,  by 
right  of  birth,  have  belonged  to  his  fam- 
ily, and  by  consequence  that  he  should 
himself  have  been  high-priest.  Setting 
himself  forth,  therefore,  as  the  cham- 
pion of  the  whole  Levitical  body,  he 
might  readily  enlist  great  numbers  of 
them  in  the  schism ;  and  this  result 
would  be  facilitated  by  the  local  prox- 
imity of  these  two  tribes,  which  would 
give  the  projectors  an  opportunity  of 
conferring  together  in  regard  to  their 
plans.  The  Kohathites  and  the  Reuben- 
ites  were  encamped  on  the  same  side  of 
the  Tabernacle.  Considering  the  nature 
of  the  conspiracy  and  the  standing  of  the 
parties  engaged  in  it,  it  was  all-import- 
ant that  it  should  be  put  down  by  some 
signal  and  terrible  judgment,  and  of 
such  a  judgment  the  history  proceeds 
to  give  an  impressive  account.  The 
event  is  celebrated  by  the  Psalmist,  Ps. 
106  :  16, 17,  in  brief  but  emphatic  terms : 
"  They  envied  Moses  also  in  the  camp, 
and  Aaron,  the  saint  of  the  Lord.  The 
earth  opened  and  swallowed  up  Dathan, 
and  covered  the  company  of  Abiram." 
V.  1.  JVbio  KoraTh  'the  son  of  Izhar, 
etc.  Gr.  "  Kore,"  which  occurs  in  near- 
ly the  same  form,  Jude  11,  "the  gain- 
saying of  Core."  This  Korah  was  a 
Levite,  and  cousin-german  to  Moses 
and  Aaron ;  for  Am  ram,  the  father  of 


of  Levi,  and  Dathan  and  Abi- 
ram the  sons  of  Eliab,  and  On 
the  son  of  Peleth,  sons  of  Reu- 
ben, took  men : 


Moses  and  Aaron,  and  Izhar,  the  father 
of  Korah,  were  brothers,  being  the  sons 
of  Kohath,  as  appears  from  Ex.  6  :  18. 

TI  The  sons  of  Elmb.     This  Eliab 

was  the  son  of  Pallu,  the  second  son  of 

Reuben.     Ch.  26  :  7-9,  Gen.  46  :  9. 

1l  On  the  son  of  Peleth.  It  appears  that 
he  was  a  descendant  of  Reuben,  but  of 
what  particular  family  we  are  not  in- 
formed. As  nothing  further  is  said  of 
him,  as  he  does  not  appear  at  all  in  the 
further  progress  of  the  plot,  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  though  he  entered  into  it 
in  the  outset,  yet  he  subsequently  with- 
drew, and  we  may  hope  escaped  the 

doom  of  his  accomplices. ^  Tooh 

(men).  Heb.  va-i/ikah,  from  Idkah,  to 
take.  This  verb  is  the  first  word  of  the 
verse,  and  though  in  the  singular  num- 
ber, yet  it  evidently  includes  the  sev- 
eral nominatives  that  follow.  But  Ge- 
senius  remarks  it  as  a  peculiarity  of  the 
Hebrew,  that  when  the  verb  precedes  it 
may  have  several  nominatives,  though 
in  itself  singular,  whereas  if  it  follows 
it  will  be  plural.  Still  it  is  to  be  inferred 
that  Korah  was  the  prominent  actor, 
and  to  him  the  verb  would  naturally 
have  primary  reference.  But  the  main 
question  is  in  regard  to  the  true  im- 
port of  "  took  "  in  this  connection.  As 
"  men  "  does  not  occur  in  the  original, 
what  was  it  that  Korah  and  his  associ- 
ates took  ?  By  some  it  is  supposed  that 
the  "and"  before  Dathafci  is  superflu- 
ous, or  is  equivalent  to  "both,"  and 
that  Dathan,  Abiram  and  On  are  the 
true  objects  of  the  verb,  the  persons 
whom  Korah  took,  that  is,  took  into 
association  with  himself  in  carrying  out 
his  purposed  insurrection.  This  view, 
however,  we  reject  as  doing  a  certain 
violence  to  the  more  simple  and  natural 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1471. 


2  And  they  rose  up  before 
Moses,  with  certain  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  princes  of  the    assembly, 

construction  of  the  text.  If  we  have  re- 
course to  the  ancient  versions  we  find 
ourselves  but  little  assisted,  as  they 
evince  great  diversity.  Gr.  "  And  Kore 
spoke,"  implying  that  he  wrought  upon 
others  by  persuasion  to  join  his  faction. 
Chald.  "  And  Korah  separated  himself," 
that  is,  he  took  himself  aside,  he  with- 
drew himself  in  a  scheming,  plotting 
manner,  as  did  also  his  associates.  In 
like  manner  the  Syr.  "And  Korah  dis- 
sented," that  is,  started  an  opposition. 
The  Arab,  exhibits  "aggressus  est," 
lie  made  an  attempt,  and  this  we  think 
comes  very  near  the  true  sense.  "  He 
took  "  we  understand  to  be  here  equiv- 
alent to  "he  undertook;"  or,  if  the 
reader  pleases,  he  may  supply  the  word 
"  counsel " — "  he  took  counsel  " — but 
the  idea  is  substantially  the  same ;  he 
engaged  in  an  enterprise,  he  took  hold 
of  a  scheme,  he  adventured  upon  some- 
thing, and  to  make  out  the  complete 
sense,  this  word  should  be  read  in  im- 
mediate connection  with  the  first  words 
of  the  ensuing  verse, — "He  (and  his 
accomplices)  undertook  a  project,  and 
they  rose  up,  etc."  A  similar  use  of 
the  Heb.  verb  without  an  objective  ex- 
pressed occurs  2  Sam.  18  :  18,  "  Now  Ab- 
salom in  his  life-time  Tiad  tahen  (IdkaJi) 
and  reared  up  for  himself  a  pillar,"  i.  e., 
had  taken  counsel,  or  had  undertaken 
an  enterprise  with  a  view  to  erect  a  pil- 
lar. How  could  he  have  talccn  a  pillar 
before  erecting  it,  when  it  was  no  doubt 
constructed  of  stone  on  the  spot?  As 
to  the  time  to  which  this  transaction  is 
to  be  referred,  we  have  no  special  data 
on  which  to  form  an  opinion.  Con- 
jecture assigns  it  to  the  period  of  their 
stay  at  Kadesh-barnea  after  their  re- 
pulse by  the  Canaanites  and  Amalekites. 


famous  *  in    the    congregation, 
men  of  renown  : 

3  And  "  they  gathered  them- 


V.  2.  And  they  rose  up  before  Moses. 
Heb.  va-yd-kumu,  they  rose  up  rebel- 
liously  or  mutinously ;  they  made  an  in- 
surrection. As  the  verb  in  this  case  fol- 
lows its  nominatives  occurring  in  the 
preceding  verse,  it  assumes  the  plural 

form. T[  With  certain  of  the  children 

of  Israel.  Heb.  "  And  men  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel."  That  is,  the  men  whom 
Korah  had  inveigled  and  drawn  in  to  be 

his  accomplices  in  the  plot. \Princea 

of  the  assembly.  Gr.  "Leaders  of  the 
congregation." T[  Famous  in  the  con- 
gregation. Heb.  "  The  called  ones  of 
the  congregation."  See  this  phrase  ex- 
plained in  the  Note  on  ch.  1  :  IC.  The 
expression  is  applied  to  Dathan  and 
Abii'am,  ch.  26  :  9,  where  it  is  rendered 
"famous  in  the  congregation."  Gr. 
"  The  called  in  council."  Chald.  "  The 
princes  of  the  congregation  who  were 
called  by  their  names  in  the  time  of 
council."  It  is  clear  that  they  were 
persons  of  so  much  consideration  and 
standing  in  the  tribes  as  to  give  a  very 
dangerous  character  to  the  conspiracy. 

1  Men  of  renown.     Heb.  "Men  of 

name."  Gr.  "  Men  of  renown."  The 
original  phrase  occurs  with  respect  to 
the  giants,  Gen,  6  :  4,  where  see  Note. 

V.  3.  And  they  gathered  themselves 
together.  Heb.  "  Were  gathered  togeth- 
er ;"  the  Niphal  or  passive  form.  Gr. 
"  They  rose  up  against."  The  above 
named  company  assembled  in  a  body 
against  Moses  and  Aaron  as  the  usurp- 
ers and  arbitrary  dispensers  of  all  pre- 
ferment.  T[  ( Ye  take)  too  much  upon 

you.  Heb.  "  Much  to  you ;"  or  "  Enough 
for  you."  The  phrase  is  rendered  "  let 
it  suffice,"  in  Deut.  3  :  26.  Vulg.  "  Let 
it  be  enough  for  you  that  all  the  multi- 
tude consisteth  of  holy  ones."  Sol.  Jar 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


233 


selves  together  against  Moses 
and  against  Aaron,  and  said  un- 
to them,  Ye  take  too  much  up- 
on you,  seeing  all  '^  the  congre- 
gation a7^e  holy,  every  one  of 
them,  and  the  Lord  *  is  among 
them  :  wherefore  then  lift  ye  up 


chi  paraphrases  the  passage,  "  Ye  have 
taken   to   yourselves   greatness   much 

more  than  enough." ^  Seeing  all  the 

congregation  {are)  holy,  every  one  of 
them.  Heb.  "  For  all  the  congregation, 
all  of  them,  are  holy."  The  language 
is  emphatic,  indicating  that  there  was 
no  adequate  ground  in  point  of  sanctity 
for  the  distinction  between  the  priest- 
hood and  the  laity ;  consequently  that  he 
and  his  associates  were  as  worthy  the 
otfice  of  ruler  and  priest  as  Moses  and 
Aaron.  This,  however,  was  a  direct 
encroachment  upon  a  divine  institution, 
for  the  office  of  priesthood  was  an  honor 
which  no  man  was  to  take  to  himself, 
*'  but  he  that  was  called  of  God  as  was 
Aaron,"  Heb.  5  : 4.  Under  the  Christian 
dispensation  the  priesthood,  properly 
so  termed,  is  abolished,  as  all  Christians 
constitute  "  a  holy  nation,  a  royal 
priesthood ;"  but  still  it  does  not  follow 
from  this  that  all  the  men  of  the  church 
are  equally  qualified  to  discharge  the 
functions  of  leaders  and  teachers.  This 
depends  upon  their  spiritual  gifts,  which 
are  the  true  basis  of  ministerial  charac- 
ter.  ^   The  Lord  is  among  them. 

Chald.  "And  the  majesty  (Shekinah) 
of  the  Lord  dwells  among  them."  That 
is  to  say,  the  Lord,  by  the  sublime  sym- 
bol of  his  presence,  dwells  among  the 
congregation  at  large,  and  not  merely 
among  the  tents  of  Moses  and  Aaron 
and  the  Levites.  This  was  in  itself 
true,  but  it  did  not  authorize  them  to 
aspire  to  an  ofiice  which  the  Lord  had 
specially  appropriated  to  another  par- 


yourselves  above  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  Lord  ? 

4  And  when  Moses  heard  it, 
he  -^  fell  upon  his  face  : 

5  And  he  spake  unto  Korah 
and  unto  all  his  company,  say- 


ing, 


Even  to-morrow  the  Lord 


/  c.  14.  5.     20. 


ty. T  Wherefore  then  lift  ye  up  your- 
selves above  the  congregation  oftheLord  ? 
As  we  are,  in  fact,  upon  a  level,  no  one 
portion  of  the  people  standing  higher 
in  the  Lord's  sight  than  another,  why 
do  you  arrogate  to  yourselves  such  a 
lofty  superiority  over  your  brethren? 
The  original  for  "above"  is  the  same 
with  that  rendered  "against"  as  ap- 
plied to  Moses  and  Aaron  in  this  verse, 
and  carries  with  it,  perhaps,  a  latent 
intimation  that  they  were  actually  tak- 
ing a  stand  not  only  over  but  against 
the  mass  of  the  people,  that  is,  in  such 
a  way  as  to  be  oppressive  to  them. 

Y.  4.  Fell  upon  his  face.  In  conjunc- 
tion probably  with  Aaron,  as  they  had 
both  done  on  a  former  occasion,  ch. 
14  :  5.  Aware  of  the  aggravated  na- 
ture of  the  ofience,  and  fearful  of  the 
tremendous  judgment  it  would  be  like- 
ly to  incur,  they  fell  prostrate  before 
God,  both  to  deprecate  his  displeasure 
in  behalf  of  the  people,  and  to  seek  di- 
rection in  what  manner  to  proceed  in 
this  trying  emergency.  A  Jewish  com- 
mentator says  upon  this  passage,  "  He 
was  abashed,  and  cast  down  his  face  on 
the  ground  unto  prayer,  and  then  it  was 
said  unto  him  what  he  should  say  unto 
Korah," 

Y.  5.  Even  to-morroio  the  Lord  will 
sh/)iv,  etc.  Heb.  "And  he  spake,  say- 
ing. The  morning,  and  the  Lord  will 
make  known."  Wait  but  till  the  morn- 
ing, and  the  Lord  will  discover  by 
manifest  tokens  whether  you  or  we  are 
in  the  right.    The  delay  would  also  af- 


234 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1471. 


will  show  who  are  his,  and  wlio 
is  holy  ^ ;  and  will  cause  him  ^ 
to  come  near  unto  him  :  even 
him  whom  he  hath  chosen  will ' 
he  cause  to  come  near  *  unto  him. 

6  This  do :  Take  you  censers, 
Korah,  and  all  his  company ; 

7  And  put  fire  therein,  and 


g  Lev.  21.  6,  etc. 
k  Lev,  10.  3.  21 
44.  15,  16. 


h  Heb.  12.  14.  «■  c.  17.  5. 

17,  18.       c.  3.  10.       Ezek.  40.  4fi. 


ford  them  time  to  reflect  upon  their 
course,   and,   as   a   consequence,   per- 

adventure  to  retrace  their  steps. ^ 

^  Will  sliow  who  {are)  his.  Heb. 
"  Will  make  known  him  that  is  his," 
or,  "those  that  are  his."  Gr.  "The 
Lord  knoweth  (or  hath  known)  those 
that  are  his,"  which  precise  words  are 
quoted  by  Paul,  2  Tim.  2  :  17,  as  if  hay- 
ing the  present  history  in  his  eye : 
"  Nevertheless,  the  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal.  The 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his." 
Chald.  "  Will  make  known  him  that  is 

fit  for  him." T[  And  who  is  holy. 

Heb.  "And  the  holy  one."  That  is, 
the  one  who  is  solemnly  set  apart  and 
consecrated,    by  divine    appointment, 

to  the  sacred  office  of  priesthood. 

T[  And  will  cause  {him)  to  come  near 
unto  him.  Heb.  hikrib,  of  the  import 
of  which  see  Note  on  Lev.  10  :  3.  Num. 
3  :  5,  6.  The  Gr.  rendering  of  this  verse 
is  as  follows :  "  God  hath  seen  and 
known  who  are  his,  and  who  are  holy, 
and  hath  brought  them  near  to  him- 
self; even  those  whom  he  chose  he  hath 
brought  near  to  himself"  The  Chald. 
has  :  "  God  will  make  known  him  that 
is  right  (or  fit)  for  him,  and  who  is  holy 
that  he  may  approach  him,  in  his  sight ; 
and  whomsoever  he  shall  choose,  he 
will  apply  him  to  his  service  (or,  min- 
istry)."  TF  Cause  to  come  near  him. 

That  is,  for  the  purpose  of  constantly 
ministering  before  him.     The  term  has 


put  incense  in  them  before  the 
Lord  to-morrow :  and  it  shall  be       m 
that  the  man  whom   the  Lord      I 
doth  choose,  he  shall  he  holy  ' :      " 
ye  take  too  much   upon  you'", 
ye  sons  of  Levi. 

8  And  Moses  said  unto  Ko- 
rah, Hear,  I  pray  you,  ye  sons 
of  Levi : 

;Eph.  1.4.  »»Heb.  5.  4. 


an  appropriated  sense,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  Note  on  Lev.  10  :  3.  Num. 
3 :  6,  6.  The  two  ideas  of  " choosing" 
and  "  bringing  near  "  are  exhibited  in 
the  parallel  passage,  Ps.  65  :  5,  "  Bless- 
ed is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest  and 
causest  to  approach  unto  thee."  This 
latter  clavise  of  the  verse  is  rendered 
negatively  in  the  Gr.  "  And  those  whom 
he  hath  not  chosen  to  himself,  he  hath 
not  brought  near  to  himself" 

V.  6.  Take  you  censers.  Rendered 
"fire-pans,"  Ex.  27  :  3,  where  see  Note. 
The  command  for  them  thus  to  take 
censers  and  burn  incense  in  them,  was 
in  effect  the  same  as  saying,  Perform 
the  office  of  priests,  as  you  see  fit  to 
deny  my  claim  to  it  as  a  right. 

V.  7.  Put  jire  therein,  etc.  Heb. 
"Give  fire  therein  and  put  incense  on 
them."  We  give  this  literal  rendering 
that  it  may  be  known  that  "put"  in 
the  two  clauses  does  not  represent  the 

same  w^ord  in  the  original. \  Wliom 

the  Lord  shall  choose.  That  is,  whom 
the  Lord  shall  indicate  by  manifest  to- 
kens to  be  the  man  of  his  choice. 

11  Ee  {shall  he)  holy.  That  is,  shall  be 
declared  to  be  holy,  or  to  be  officially 
sacred,  and  thus  confirmed  as  a  priest. 
11  Before  the  Lord.  Before  the  sym- 
bol of  the  divine  presence ;  with  their 
faces  turned  towards  the  sanctuary,  at 

the  gate  of  which  they  stood. H  ( Ye 

take)  too  much  upon  you.  The  same 
phrase  with  that  occurring  above,  verse 


B.C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


235 


9  Seemeth  it  hut  a  small "  !  to  bring  you  near  to  himself  to 
thing  unto  you,  that  the  God  |  do  the  service  of  the  tabernacle 
of  Israel  hath  separated  "  you  j  of  the  Lord,  and  to  stand  be- 
from  the  congregation  of  Israel,  !  fore  the  congregation  to  minis- 


n  ver.  13.  Is.  7. 13.     o  c.  3.  41, 45.    8.  14.  Deut.  10.  8. 

8,  which  Moses  here  justly  retorts  upon 
them :  "  You  accuse  me  of  taking  too 
much  upon  myself;  it  is  precisely  this 
charge  which  I  bring  against  you ;  the 
result  will  show  with  how  much  jus- 
tice." So  Elijah  retorted  upon  Ahab 
the  charge  of  troubling  Israel,  1  Kings 
IS :  17,  18. 

V.  9.  {Seemeth  it  hut)  a  small  thing 
unto  you  ?  Heb.  lit.  "  Is  it  small 
from  you  ?"  which  may  properly  admit 
the  construction,  "Do  you  regard  it 
as  something  less  than  becomes  you  ?  " 
Such  is  the  force  of  the  original  form  of 
expression,  as  the  preposition  iz,  m,  de- 
noiQs  from  rather  than  to,  and  from  has 
in  such  connections  the  import  of  a 
comparative.  He  appeals  to  them  to 
consider  how  ungrateful  a  part  they 
were  acting  towards  the  Lord  for  the 
honor  done  them  in  selecting  their  tribe 
to  minister  at  his  tabernacle  and  serve 
him  as  his  own  domestics.  He  would 
have  them  reflect  how  unworthily  they 
demeaned  themselves  by  thus  contem- 
ning the  honorable  post  assigned  them, 
and  mutinously  aspiring  to  an  office 
previously  bestowed  upon  others.  How 
weak  and  foolish,  moreover,  was  their 
spite  at  Aaron,  who  was  but  passive  in 
the  case,  and  appointed  a  superior  min- 
ister with  his  family  under  him,  by  the 

Lord's  special  direction. T[  Separated 

you.  As  the  people  of  Israel,  as  a  body, 
was  separated  from  all  other  nations, 
and  set  apart  as  the  Lord's  peculium. 
Lev.  20  :  26,  1  Kings  8  :  53,  so  were  the 
Levites  separated  from  the  mass  of 
their  brethren  to  be  the  especial  attend- 
ants upon  the  Most  High  in  every  thing 
pertaining  to  his  worship.     It  is  per- 


ter  unto  them  ? 


haps  in  reference  to  this  that  the  apos- 
tle Paul  speaks  of  himself  as  "  separated 

unto  the  gospel  of  God." T[  To  bring 

you  near  to  himself  to  do  the  service  of 
the  t-alernacle.  Heb.  "  To  serve  the  ser- 
vice." They  were  not,  indeed,  brought 
so  near  as  the  priests,  but  still  nearer 
than  all  other  men,  being  the  constant 
assistants  of  the  priests  in  their  duties. 

^  To  stand  before  the  congregation. 

Standing  is  a  sign  of  seiwice,  and  occa- 
sionally used  for  it,  as  where  the  sacred 
writer  in  one  place,  Jer.  52  :  12,  says  of 
Nebuzar-adau,  that  he  "stood  before 
the  king ; "  in  the  parallel  history, 
2  Kings  25  :  8,  it  is  said  he  was  "  a 
servant  of  the  king."  Accordingly  the 
"  standing  "  of  the  Levites,  Neh.  12  :  44, 
is  equivalent  to  their  "serving"  or 
"waiting,"  and  as  they  are  said,  Dcut. 
10  :  8,  to  "  stand  before  the  Lord  to 
minister  unto  him,"  so  here  it  is  said, 
"  to  stand  before  the  congregation  to 
minister  unto  them,"  thus  acting  with 
a  twofold  reference,  to  the  Lord  and  to 
the  people,  as  servants  to  both.  So  Jo- 
siah  said  to  the  Levites,  2  Chron.  35  :  3, 
"Serve  now  the  Lord  your  God,  and 
his  people  Israel."    Comp.  Ezek.  44 :  11. 

TI   To  minister  unto  them.    Heb. 

lesharetliam.  This  word,  in  strictness, 
should  perhaps  be  rendered,  "to  per- 
form their  service,"  or,  "  to  minister 
for  them,"  as  the  Levites  rather  minis- 
tered/or  the  congregation  than  to  them. 
The  service  of  the  tabernacle  was  orig- 
inally incumbent  on  the  whole  congre- 
gation, but  the  Levites  were  chosen  by 
special  appointment — were  chosen  as 
deputies  or  proxies  of  the  whole  people. 
In  this  sense  they  officiated/o;*  them. 


236 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


10  And  he  hath  brought  thee 
near  to  him,  and  all  thy  breth- 
ren the  sons  of  Levi  with  thee  : 
and  seek  ye  the  priesthood  also  ? 

11  For  which  cause  both  thou 
and  all  thy  company  are  gath- 
ered together  against  the  Lord  : 

V.  10.  Seeh  ye  the  priesthood  also? 
Not  content  with  the  privileges  and 
honors  ah-eady  conferred  upon  you,  do 
ye  aspire  also  to  the  office  of  the  priest- 
hood, which  the  Lord  holds  at  his  own 
disposal,  and  which  he  has  otherwise 
bestowed?  "Therefore  thou  and  thy 
sons  with  thee  shall  keep  your  priest's 
office  for  every  thing  of  the  altar,  and 
within  the  vail ;  and  ye  shall  serve :  I 
have  given  your  priest's  office  unto  you 
as  a  service  of  gift;  and  the  stranger 
that  Cometh  nigh  shall  be  put  to  death." 
They  doubtless  would  not  say  that  this 
was  their  object,  but  Moses  saw  it  was 
in  their  eye.  The  Chald.  has,  "Seek 
ye  the  great  or  the  high  priesthood  ?  " 
Gr.  "Seek  to  do  the  priest's  office?  " 

Y.  11.  For  loMcli  cause.  Heb.  lak'en, 
tJierefore.  Implying  that  this  is  the 
true  construction  of  their  conduct.  No 
other  inference  can  be  drawn  from  their 
rebellion  against  the  Lord's  chosen  ser- 
vants, than  that  it  was  in  effect  a  rebel- 
lion against  the  Lord  himself.  So  when 
the  people  refused  Samuel's  govern- 
ment, the  Lord  said,  1  Sara.  8  : 7,  "  They 
have  not  rejected  thee,  but  they  have 
rejected  me  that  I  should  not  reign  over 
them."     Comp.  Luke  10  :  16.  John  13  : 

20. 1[  A7id  wJiat  is  Aaron,  etc.   Heb. 

"  And  Aaron,  what  is  he  ?  "  or,  "  Aaron, 
what  hath  he  done  ?  "  What  is  he  more 
or  other  than  the  Lord  has  made  him  ? 
What  ground  is  there  for  finding  fault 
with  him  when  he  was  wholly  passive 
in  his  own  elevation  ?  What  wrong  con- 
duct can  be  laid  to  his  charge  ?  A  sim- 
ilar language  is    employed  by  Paul, 


and  P  what  is  Aaron,  that  ye 
murmur  against  him  ? 

12  And  Moses  sent  and  call- 
ed Dathan  and  Abiram,  the  sons 
of  Eliab ;  which  said,  We  will 
not  come  up. 

p  Ex.  16.8.     1  Sam.  8.  7.     A'-ts  5.  4.     1  Cor.  3.  5. 


1  Cor.  3:5,"  Who  is  Paul,  and  who  is 
Apollos,  but  ministers  by  whom  ye  be- 
lieved ? "  Indeed,  Moses  himself  had 
on  the  occasion  of  a  former  murmur- 
ing expostulated  in  like  style  ;  Ex.  16 : 
7,  8,  "What  are  we  that  ye  murmur 
against  us  ?  Your  murmuriugs  are  not 
against  us,  but  against  the  Lord." 

Y.  12.  We  will  not  come  up.  The 
object  of  Moses  in  sending  for  them 
was  undoubtedly  to  treat  with  them  in 
a  way  of  kindly  admonition  and  remon- 
strance, and  thus  if  possible  recall  them 
from  their  infatuation,  and  save  them 
from  the  doom  that  he  saw  otherwise 
to  impend  over  them.  It  would  ap- 
pear that  from  some  reason  these  indi- 
viduals did  not  present  themselves  with 
Korah  before  Moses,  or  that  they  re- 
tired to  their  tents  before  he  had  ceased 
from  his  prayer.  The  summons  had  re- 
quired their  attendance  at  the  usual 
public  place  of  judgment  in  the  camp, 
and  not  upon  any  mountain  elevation, 
notwithstanding  the  peculiar  phrase- 
ology "  come  up."  It  is  usual  to  find 
this  language  employed  in  reference  to 
the  going  to  the  central  place  of  wor- 
ship or  convention,  wherever  it  might 
be.  Thus  Deut.  25  :  7,  "  And  if  the  man 
like  not  to  take  his  brother's  wife,  then 
let  his  brother's  wife  go  up  to  the  gate 
unto  the  elders,  and  say,"  etc.  Ruth 
4:1,  "  Then  icent  Boaz  up  to  the  gate, 
and  sat  him  down  there."  Sol.  Jarchi 
remarks  that  Dathan  and  Abiram  would 
not  come  vp  because  they  were  destined 
to  go  down.  The  reply  was  full  of  in- 
solence, and  gives  Bp.  Hall  occasion  to 


B.  0. 1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


237 


13  Is  ^  it  a  small  thing  that 
thou  hast  brought  us  up  out  of 
a  land  that  floweth.  with  milk 
and  honey,  to  kill  us  in  the  wil- 
derness, except  thou  make  thy- 
self altogether  a  prince ''  over  us  ? 

14  Moreover,  thou  hast  not 


q  ver.  9. 


Ex.  '2.  14. 


say,  "their  message  was  worse  than 
their  absence."  It  was  one  that  show- 
ed them  ripe  for  judgment. 

V.  13.  Out  of  a  land  that  floweth  with 
milk  and  honey.  Whatever  might  have 
been  the  natural  fertility  and  luxuri- 
ance of  the  land  of  Egypt,  it  certainly 
had  not  proved  to  thtm  "  a  land  flowing 
with  milk  and  honey,"  but  a  land  of 
hard  bondage,  of  misery,  and  affliction. 
And  then  how  outrageous  the  insult  to 
the  divine  majesty  thus  to  describe 
Egypt  in  the  very  terms  in  which  God 
himself  had  often  spoken  of  the  land  of 
promise ! If  To  kill  us  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Heb.  "  To  cause  us  to  die."  That 
is,  to  bring  us  into  circumstances  which 
expose  us  to  death ;  of  which  death  is 
a  very  legitimate  consequence,  whether 

intended  or  not. ^  Except  thou  make 

thyself  altogetlier  a  prince  over  us.  Heb. 
"  That  thou  makest  thyself  a  prince  over 
us,  even  making  thyself  a  prince."  The 
doubling  of  the  clause  has  the  effect  to 
intensify  the  charge.  The  implication 
is,  that  Moses,  without  the  divine  sanc- 
tion, and  prompted  solely  by  his  own 
presumption,  was  only,  wholly,  and 
continuously  intent  upon  self-aggran- 
dizement. 

V.  14.  Wilt  thou  'put  out  the  eyes  of 
these  menf  The  original  is  peculiarly 
strong  ;  tenakker,  wilt  thou  dig  out,  or, 
hore  out,  q.  d.  "  Dost  thou  think  so  ab- 
solutely to  blind  us,  that  none  of  us 
shall  discern  thy  craft  and  ambition? 
Thinkest  thou  that  thou  wilt  be  able  to 
hoodwink  us,  and  to  lead  us  about  at 


brought  us  into  a  land  that  flow- 
eth '  with  milk  and  honey,  or 
given  us  inheritance  of  fields 
and  vineyards  :  wilt  thou  put 
out  the  eyes  of  these  men  ?  we 
will  not  come  up. 

15  And  Moses  was  very  wroth, 


pleasure,  like  blind  men,  under  pre- 
tence of  bringing  us  to  a  rich  and  fer- 
tile country?"  Alas,  their  language 
and  their  conduct  showed  that  they 
were  most  grievously  blinded  by  the 
operation  of  their  discontented,  proud, 
and  rebellious  spirits.  They  could  not 
see  that  they  were  altogether  in  fault, 
while  accusing  Moses,  and  were  quar- 
relling with  their  Maker  in  rejecting  the 
authority  of  his  servants.  By  "  these 
men  "  is  probably  to  be  understood  the 
conspirators,  who  would  lay  claim  to  a 
penetration  which  they  seemed  to  think 
was  not  possessed  by  the  congregation 
at  large. 

V.  15.  And  Moses  was  very  wroth. 
The  Gr.  would  seem  to  understand  from 
this  nothing  more  than  that  Moses  took 
it  heavily : — "  It  made  him  exceeding 
sad."  But  this  seems  not  to  come  up 
to  the  force  of  the  original,  which  im- 
plies a  glowing  indignation.  The  an- 
ger, however,  excited  on  this  occasion 
we  do  not  look  upon  in  the  light  of  a 
sinful  infirmity,  or  as  the  ebullition  of 
a  personal  resentment  on  the  part  of 
Moses,  but  as  a  holy  indignation  stirred 
up  in  his  mind  in  view  of  the  indignity 
and  insult  cast  upon  the  Lord.  It  was, 
we  suppose,  the  working  of  a  devout 
and  active  zeal  for  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
similar  to  that  which  was  kindled  with- 
in him  when  he  came  down  from  the 
mount  and  found  the  people  engaged  in 
the  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  by  which 
he  was  prompted  to  throw  down  and 
break  to  pieces  the  two  tables  of  stone. 


238 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471 


and  said  unto  the  Lord,  Respect ' 
not  thou  their  offering  :  I "  have 
not  taken  one  ass  from  them, 
neither  have  I  hurt  one  of 
them. 

u  1  Sam.  12.  3. 


t  Gen.  4.  5.  Is.  1. 10-15. 
Acts  20.  33.     2  Cir.  7.  2. 


A  truly  good  man  will  be  incensed  at 
a  dishonor  put  upon  God,  when  he 
would  meekly  forgive  an  injury  done  to 

himself. T[   Respect    not  thou  their 

offering.  Heb.  "  Turn  not  to  their  ofler- 
ing."  That  is,  turn  not  thy  face  to- 
wards them ;  bestow  not  thy  favorable 
regards  upon  them.  Chald.  "Accept 
not  with  favor  their  oblation."  It  was 
a  prayer  that  the  Lord  would  treat  their 
offering  with  the  same  want  of  respect 
that  he  did  that  of  Cain  as  compared 
with  that  of  Abel.  The  sin  could  not 
admit  of  any  palliation,  and  therefore 
the  sinners  could  not  hope  for  any  ac- 
ceptance. The  original  for  "offering" 
is  mincha^  'meat  or  meal-offering,  of 
which  see  in  the  Notes  on  Gen.  4 : 3. 
Lev.  2:1.  The  true  reference  of  the 
term  is  not  easily  settled.  One  of  the 
Rabbinical  writers  says  it  points  to  the 
incense  which  they  were  to  offer  on  the 
morrow.  Another  explains  it  thus: 
"  I  know  they  have  a  part  in  the  daily 
sacrifices  of  the  congregation ;  let  not 
their  part  be  accepted  before  thee." 
This  latter  we  think  the  most  probable 
interpretation,  as  it  seems  forced  to  ap- 
ply the  term  "  meat  or  meal-offering  " 
to  the  incense  which  they  proposed  to 

offer. T[  I  have  not  taken  one  ass  from 

them.  This  was  an  appeal  to  the  Lord 
on  the  part  of  Moses  whether  he  had 
ever  in  any,  even  the  slightest  particu- 
lar, abused  his  power,  or  encroached 
upon  the  rights  or  the  property  of  any 
person.  He  was  accused  by  the  con- 
spirators of  usurpation,  which  would  of 
course  imply  oppression  and  extortion. 
But  as  he  had  committed  neither  op- 


16  And  Moses  said  unto  Ko- 
rah.  Be  thou  and  all  thy  com- 
pany before  the  Lord,  thou,  and 
they,  and  Aaron,  to-morrow  : 

17  And  take  every  man  his 
censer,  and  put  incense  in  them, 


pression  nor  extortion,  he  can  boldly 
affirm  his  innocence  of  the  charge  of 
usurpation.  So  far  was  he  from  this, 
that  he  declares  before  God  that  he  had 
not  taken,  i.  e.  received  by  gift  or  re- 
ward, even  the  vilest  beast ;  much  less 
had  he  appropriated  any  thing  of  the 
kind  by  violent  seizure.  In  like  man- 
ner Samuel  appeals,  1  Sam.  12  :  3,  to 
the  people  of  Israel  to  bear  witness  to 
his  integrity.  "  Behold,  here  I  am  ; 
witness  against  me  before  the  Lord, 
and  before  his  anointed ;  whose  ox  have 
I  taken  ?  or  whose  ass  have  I  taken  ?  or 
whom  have  I  defrauded  ?  whom  have  I 
oppressed?  or  of  whose  hand  have  I 
received  any  bribe  to  blind  mine  eyes 
therewith  ?  and  I  will  restore  it  you." 
Despotic  power  all  over  the  East,  and 
from  the  earliest  ages,  has  always  as- 
serted itself  by  imposing  the  most  gall- 
ing burdens  of  tribute  and  taxation. 
Comp.  1  Sam.  8  :  16. 

V.  16.  Be  thou  and  all  thy  company 
before  the  Lord.  Cause  thyself  to  be  ; 
present  thyself;  an  emphatic  expres- 
sion which  receives  light  from  what  we 
have  said  on  the  verb  "  to  be,"  in  the 
Note  on  ch.  3  :  17.  Gr.  "  Sanctify  thy 
congregation,  and  be  ye  ready  before 
the  Lord."  As  the  rebellion  was  rather 
against  the  Lord  than  against  Moses, 
therefore  he  leaves  the  decision  of  the 
controversy  to  him.  "  Before  the  Lord  " 
in  this  connection  is  equivalent  to  "at 
the  door,  or  in  the  court,  of  the  taber- 
nacle" mentioned  v.  18. 

V.  17.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  censers. 
It  is  a  question  how  such  a  number  of 
censers  was  obtained.    As  Korah  and 


B.C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


239 


and  bring  ye  "  before  the  Lord 
every  man  his  censer,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  censers ;  thou  also, 
and  Aaron,  each  of  you  his  cen- 
ser. 

18  And  they  took  every  man 


others  associated  with  him  were  merely 
Levites  and  not  priests,  they  could  not 
have  belonged  to  them  in  the  former 
capacity.  The  presumption  therefore 
is,  that  they  were  among  the  utensils 
brouglit  by  the  Israelites  out  of  Egypt, 
of  which  the  present  number  may  in 
some  way  have  come  into  the  hands  of 
Korah  and  his  party. 

V.  18.  They  took  every  man  his  cen- 
ser. That  is,  the  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men  exclusive  of  Korah,  Dathan  and 
Abiram.  Korah,  it  would  appear,  was 
employed  in  mustering  as  many  as  he 
could  gather  of  the  congregation  against 
Moses,  V.  19,  and  after  that,  he  seems  to 
have  gone  to  his  tent,  v.  24.  But  the 
making  out  distinctly  the  various  items 
of  the  transaction  is  a  matter  attended 
with  some  little  difficulty.  Bp.  Patrick 
even  says,  "  it  may  be  doubted  in  what 

way  Korah  perished." •,[  Stood  in  the 

door  of  the  tabernacle.  This  was  not  of 
course  the  usual  place  where  incense 
was  to  be  offered,  which  was  within  the 
Holy  Place  of  the  Tabernacle.  But  as 
that  room  was  not  sufficiently  large  to 
contain  so  great  a  number,  and  as  the 
occasion  was  extraordinary,  the  scene 
of  the  trial  was  transferred  to  the  court 
of  the  Tabernacle.  As  this  event  was 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  require  to  be 
witnessed  by  the  people  in  general, 
which  it  could  not  have  been  within 
the  Tabernacle,  therefore  a  place  was 
chosen  which  would  give  it  the  utmost 
publicity.  So  Moses,  on  another  impor- 
tant occasion,  v.  46,  47,  offered  incense 
"  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation." 


his  censer,  and  put  fire  in  them, 
and  laid  incense  thereon,  and 
stood  in  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation  with 
Moses  and  Aaron. 

19  And  Korah  gathered  all 
the  congregation  against   them 

Y.  19.  And  Korah  gathered  all  th& 
congregation  against  them.  The  ques- 
tion naturally  suggested  here  is,  what 
congregation  is  intended  by  these 
words.  Had  the  rebellious  spirit  of 
Korah  and  his  company  infected  so 
large  a  part  of  the  whole  body,  that 
this  expression  can  be  understood  of 
them?  Did  Moses  and  Aaron  and  a 
faithful  few  alone  remain  unmoved  by 
this  deep-laid  and  wide-spread  con- 
spiracy ?  This  has  been  the  opinion  of 
some  commentators,  especially  those 
who  by  "all  the  congregation"  under- 
stand more  especially  the  distinguished 
or  leading  men  of  the  congregation. 
But  we  may  perhaps  adopt  the  con- 
struction of  the  Gr.,  which  renders, 
"  Collected  all  his  congregation,"  mean- 
ing those  who  took  sides  with  him.  Or 
we  may  adopt  yet  another  construction, 
which  we  are  inclined  to  think  comes 
nearer  the  truth  than  either  of  the 
others  ;  viz. :  that  Korah,  without  any 
special  active  agency,  teas  the  means  of 
gathering  a  multitude  of  the  congrega- 
tion together.  A  man  who  raises  a  dis- 
turbance in  the  streets  of  a  populous 
city,  causing  hundreds  to  flock  together 
to  the  spot  to  witness  what  is  going  on, 
may  be  said  to  gather  them  together, 
simply  because  he  is  the  occasion  of  the 
I  concourse.  So  with  Korah  here.  In 
j  this  case,  the  original,  a  lehem,  is  prop- 
!  er\j  rendered  to  or  npon  them,  which 
j  is  its  literal  sense.  Still  it  is  evident, 
j  from  V.  41,  that  the  number  of  the  dis- 
I  affected  was  large,  as  several  thousand 
I  were  slain  by  the  plague  for  their  mur- 


240 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1471. 


unto  the  door  of  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation  :  and '"  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  appeared  un- 
to all  the  congregation. 

20  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  unto  Aaron,  saying, 

21  Separate  ^  yourselves  from 


muring  over  the  doom  of  Korah  and  his 
company,  implying  that  they  had  pre- 
viously sympathized  with  him  in  his 

enterprise. If  The  glory  of  the  Lord 

appeared,  etc.  The  Shekinah,  or  the 
Divine  Majesty,  suddenly  made  its  ap- 
pearance in  a  visible  and  tremendous 
manner  in  the  pillar  of  cloud  over  the 
sanctuary,  as  it  did  in  several  other 
cases  when  the  emergency  called  for  it. 
See  V.  42.  ch.  12  :  5.  14 :  10.  This  super- 
natural symbol  of  the  Divine  presence 
was  made  on  these  occasions  to  assume 
some  new  and  striking  phase,  to  which 
Moses  gives  the  name  of  the  *'  Glory  of 
the  Lord,"  and  out  of  this  appearance 
now  issued  a  voice,  addressing  itself  to 
Moses  and  Aaron,  and  uttering  the 
words  that  follow. 

V.  21.  Separate  yourselves.  Heb.  A*'5- 
hridelu,  he  ye  separated  or  divided.  The 
address  was  made  to  all  those  who  were 
disposed  to  give  heed  to  it.  A  discrim- 
ination was  to  be  made,  and  all  those 
who  would  be  found  on  the  Lord's  side 
are  here  commanded  to  withdraw  from 
a  position  where  they  would  be  in  dan- 
ger of  sharing  in  the  impending  destruc- 
tion. The  phrase,  "  from  among  this 
congregation,"  goes  rather  to  counte- 
nance the  suggestion  above  made,  that 
Korah  and  his  company  are  especially 

alluded  to  in  the  terms. T[  That  I 

may  consume  them  in  a  Tnoment.  Heb. 
"  May  eat  or  devour  them."  The  lan- 
guage is  fearfully  emphatic,  as  if  the 
judgment  was  just  ready  to  burst  upon 
the  culprits,  and  scarcely  knew  how  to 


among  this  congregation,  that  I 
may  ^  consume  them  in  a  mo- 
ment. 

22  And  they  fell ""  upon  their 
faces,  and  said,  0  God,  the  God  ** 
of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  shall 

V  Heb.  VI.  M,  29.  z  c.  14.  5.  a  c.  27.  16. 

Job  VI.  10.  Eccl.  12.  7.  Is.  57.  16.  Zech.  12.  1.  Heb. 
12.  9. 


brook  delay,  when  yet  at  the  same  time 
it  is  evident  that  as  wrath  did  not  come 
upon  Sodom  till  Lot  and  his  family  were 
removed,  so  here,  also,  was  an  impedi- 
ment until  the  commanded  separation 
should  take  place.  His  arm  is  withheld 
while  the  possibility  of  salvation  for  any 
remains. 

V.  22.  And  they  fell  upon  their  faces, 
and  said,  etc.  "  The  same  tongue  that 
prayed  against  the  conspirators,  prays 
for  the  people.  Korah  had  so  far  pre- 
vailed, that  he  had  drawn  the  multi- 
tude to  his  side.  God,  the  avenger  of 
treason,  would  have  consumed  them  all 
at  once.  Moses  and  Aaron  pray  for  the 
rebels.  Although  they  were  worthy  of 
death,  and  nothing  but  death  could  stop 
their  mouths,  yet  their  merciful  leaders 
will  not  buy  their  own  peace  with  the 
loss  of  such  enemies.  Oh  rare  and  ad- 
mirable mercy!  The  people  rise  up 
against  their  governors  ;  their  govern- 
ors fall  on  their  faces  to  God  for  the 
people.  So  far  are  they  from  plotting 
revenge,  that  they  will  not  endure  God 

should  revenge  for  them."  Bp.Hall. • 

T[  The  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh. 
By  "  all  flesh  "  is  meant  "  all  mankind," 
as  in  Gen.  6  :  13.  Is.  40  :  5,  6.  Ezek.  20 :  48. 
Joel  3  :  28.  A  similar  phraseology  oc- 
curs in  Job  12  :  10,  "  In  whose  hand 
is  the  soul  of  every  living  thing,  and 
the  breath  of  all  mankind."  (Heb. 
"  the  spirit  of  all  flesh  of  man.")  Moses, 
with  a  beautiful  propriety,  gives  to  the 
Most  High  this  title,  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  power  to  save  or  to  destroy, 


B.C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


241 


one  *  man  sin,  and  wilt  thou  be 
wroth  with  all  the  congregation  ? 

23  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

24  Speak  unto  the  congrega- 
tion, saying.  Get  you  up  from 
about  the  tabernacle  of  Korah, 
Dathan,  and  Abiram. 

25  And  Moses  rose  up  and 
went  unto  Dathan  and  Abiram ; 

b  Gen.  18.  32.    Josh.  7.  1,  etc.   Rom.  5.  18. 


as  he  had  threatened  to  consume  all  Is- 
rael. It  implies  a  strong  motive  to 
urge  the  divine  compassion  :  "  0  God, 
the  father  and  creator  both  of  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  men,  and  who  hast  there- 
fore the  power  of  preserving  as  well  as 
of  destroying;  deign  to  display  that 
power  in  the  exercise  of  mercy  towards 
this  people.  Thou,  the  Searcher  of 
hearts,  knowest  the  authors  of  this  se- 
dition, and  distinguishest  them  from 
those  who  have  been  made,  through 
weakness  and  credulity,  their  dupes. 

Have    mercy  upon    the    latter !  " 

^  Shall  one  man  sin,  etc.  Alluding,  of 
course,  to  Korah,  the  ringleader  of  the 
revolt.  Gr.  "  If  one  man  hath  sinned." 
As  all  have  not  sinned,  why  wilt  thou 

be  angry  with  all  ? ^  With  all  the 

congregation.  That  is,  all  that  portion 
of  the  congregation  which  formed  Ko- 
rah's  company. 

V.  24.  Get  you  up  from  about  the 
tabernacle,  etc.  Heb.  mishkan,  which 
is  here,  we  think,  collective,  equivalent 
to  tabernacles  or  dwellings.  Gr.  "De- 
part from  the  congregation  of  Kore 
round  about,"  It  will  be  observed,  too, 
that  in  v.  26,  it  is  said,  "  Depart  from 
the  terits  of  these  wicked  men." 

V.  25.  Moses  rose  up  and  went  unto 
Dathan  and  Abiram.  Having  pro- 
claimed the  preceding  order  first  at  the 
Tabernacle  to  the  people  that  followed 
11 


and  the  elders  of  Israel  followed 
him. 

26  And  he  spake  unto  the 
congregation,  saying.  Depart  % 
I  pray  you,  from  the  tents  of 
these  wicked  men,  and  touch 
nothing  of  theirs,  lest  ye  be 
consumed  in  all  their  sins. 

27  So  they  gat  up  from  the 
tabernacle   of  Korah.    Dathan, 


c  Gen.  19.  1-',  14.     U.  5i.  11.      2  Cor.  6.  17. 
5.  2-2.    Rev.  IS.  4. 


Korah  and  his  party,  Moses  then  went 
in  person  to  the  camp  where  Dathan 
and  Abiram  still  persisted  in  remain- 
ing, after  having  treated  so  contemptu- 
ously the  summons  sent  them.  He 
went,  accompanied  by  a  train  of  elders, 
and  gave  notice  to  all  that  dwelt  round 
about,  to  remove  themselves  and  all 
they  had  from  the  dangerous  vicinity, 
lest  they  also  should  share  in  the  com- 
ing doom  of  the  rebels. 

Y.  26.  Depart,  I  pray  you,  etc.  "  God 
and  Moses  knew  how  to  distinguish  be- 
twixt the  heads  of  the  faction  and  the 
train ;  though  neither  be  faultless,  yet 
the  one  is  plagued,  the  other  for- 
given. God's  vengeance,  when  it  is  at 
the  hottest,  makes  differences  of  men. 
Even  before  common  judgment  there  is 
a  separation."  £p.  Mall.  It  does  not 
appear  that  any  thing  was  said  to  Da- 
than and  Abiram  personallv,  but  only  to 
the  congregation  gathered  about  their 

tents. Ti  Touch  nothing  of  theirs.  As 

they  themselves  had  become  unclean 
and  execrable,  they  accordingly  com- 
municated a  kind  of  pollution  to  every 
thing  with  which  they  came  in  contact, 
bringing  it  under  an  anathema  or  curse. 
Accordingly  every  thing  perished  to- 
gether, as  we  learn  from  v.  32.  Comp. 
Deut.  13:16,  17. 

V.  27.  77ie  tabernacle  of  Korah,,  Da- 
than, and  Abiram.     "Had  Korah  re- 


242 

and  Abiram,  on  every  side : 
and  Dathan  and  Abiram  came 
out,  and  stood  in  the  door  of 
their  tents,  and  their  wives,  and 
their  sons,  and  their  little  chil- 
dren. 

moved  his  tent  near  to  those  of  Dathan 
and  Abiram  ?  As  a  Kohathite,  his  tent 
could  not  properly  be  in  the  camp  of 
Keuben,  and  still  less  could  the  tents  of 
Reubenites  be  in  the  camp  of  the  Le- 
vites.  The  present  direction  seems  to 
imply  that  the  tents  were  together ;  yet 
further  on,  we  only  read  of  Dathan  and 
Abiram ;  and  it  does  not  from  this  chap- 
ter appear,  unless  by  inference,  that 
Korah's  tent  was  swallowed  up  ;  and 
that  it  actually  was  not,  would  appear 
from  the  fact,  that  whereas  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Reubenite  rebels  perished 
with  their  parents,  those  of  Korah  did 
not.  (See  en.  26  :  11.  1  Chron.  6  :  22-38, 
where  his  genealogy  is  reckoned.)  We 
therefore  think  that  Moses  here  merely 
uses  the  names  of  the  leaders  to  describe 
the  rebellious  party ;  but  that  Korah's 
tent  remained  in  the  Kohathite  camp, 
and  that  he  was  himself  afterwards  de- 
stroyed with  those  that  offered  incense. 
4s  a  Levite  aspiring  to  priestly  func- 
tions, that  is  the  place  where  we  should 
certainly  expect  to  find  him.  It  is  true 
that  he  is  not  mentioned  by  name  among 
those  destroyed  there ;  and  it  is  equally 
trqe  that  the  present  Heb.  text  of  ch. 
26  :  10,  describes  Korah  as  swallowed  up 
with  the  rest.  But  that  obscure  pas- 
sage is  differently  read  in  the  Samaritan, 
which  expressly  says  that  Korah  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  with  the  men  that 
offered  incense.  With  this  the  narrative 
of  Josephus  concurs  ;  and  the  Psalmist, 
in  his  rapid  view  of  the  transactions  in 
the  wilderness,  only  mentions  the  Reu- 
benites as  being  swallowed  up.  (Psl. 
106  :  17.)  "—Pict.  Bible. H  Came  out 


LUMBERS.  [B.C.  1471. 

28  And  Moses  said.  Hereby 
ye  ''  shall  know  that  the  Lord 
hath  sent  me  to  do  all  these 
works  ;  for  I  have  not  done 
them  of  mine  own  mind  \ 

d  Ex.  3.  12.  Zecli.  2.  9.  John  5.  36.        e  Jer.  23.  16. 

and  stood.  Heb.  "  Came  out  standing ;" 
implying  an  easy,  unconcerned,  and 
sauntering  kind  of  air;  they  came  out 
and  stood  in  a  leaning  or  lounging  way 
at  the  door  of  their  tents,  as  if  to  see  what 
or  whether  any  thing  would  take  place. 
Those  who  were  not  actually  partners 
in  the  conspiracy  appear  to  have  taken 
timely  warning  and  fled  ;  while  the  rest, 
with  astonishing  recklessness,  came 
forth  with  their  fivmilies  and  put  them- 
selves in  the  very  jaws  of  destruction. 
"  Moses  had  well  hoped  that  when  these 
rebels  should  see  all  the  Israelites  run 
from  them,  as  from  monsters,  and  look- 
ing affrightedly  upon  their  tents,  and 
should  hear  that  fearful  proclamation 
of  vengeance  against  them,  their  hearts 
would  have  misgiven.  But,  lo,  these 
bold  traitors  stand  impudently  staling 
in  the  door  of  their  tents,  as  if  they 
would  out-face  the  revenge  of  God  ;  as 
if  Moses  had  never  wrought  a  miracle 
before  them ;  as  if  no  one  Israelite  had 
ever  bled  for  rebellion.  Those  that  shall 
perish  are  blinded.  Pride  and  infidelity 
obdvire  the  heart  and  make  even  cow- 
ards fearless."- — Bp.  Hall. 

V.  28.  Hereby  ye  shall  knoio,  etc.  The 
works  to  which  he  here  especially  al- 
ludes were  the  institution  of  the  priest- 
hood, the  appointment  of  the  Levites, 
ana  other  matters  of  government;  to 
which  we  may  add  also  the  ordering 
of  Korah  and  his  company  to  appear 

with  censers  on  this  occasion. T[  JVot 

{done  them)  of  my  own  mind.  Heb. 
millibbi,  of  my  own  heart.  Chald.  "  Not 
of  my  own  will,  or  pleasure."  Gr. ''  Not 
of  myself"     Vulg.  "  That  I  have  not 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


243 


29  If  these  men  die  the  com- 
mon death  of  all  men,  or  if  they 
be  visited  after  the  visitation-' 
of  all  men  ;  ihen  the  Lord  hath 
not  sent  me. 

/  l8.  10.  3. 

forged  them  of  my  own  head."  For  a 
kindred  purport  of  the  phrase,  see  Num. 
24  :  13.  Ezek.  13  :  2.  It  was  no  device, 
design,  or  assumption  of  my  own.  I 
did  it  not  from  any  ambitious  prompt- 
ings tending  to  my  own  aggrandize- 
ment, nor  from  any  private  atfection  or 
favoritism  towards  my  brother. 

Y.  29.  If  these  men  die  the  common 
death,  etc.  Heb.  "  If  according  to  the 
dying  of  all  men,  these  men  die,"  And 
so  substantially  the  Gr.  and  the  Chald. 
That  is,  if  they  shall  die  a  natural  death. 
Moses  now  intimates  that  the  issue  of 
the  controversy  is  to  be  put  upon  what 
the  Lord  is  about  to  do  in  vindication 
of  his  servants.  If  these  men  that  now 
oppose  and  scandalize  us  shall  die  the 
common  death  of  other  men,  then  you 
are  all  at  liberty  to  think  of  us  as  ill  as 
you  please.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
an  immediate  and  unheard  of  miracle 
is  wrought  for  their  destruction,  by 
causing  the  earth  to  open  her  mouth 
and  swallow  them  up,  and  all  that  be- 
long to  them ;  then  you  will  have  no 
excuse  for  refusing  to  acknowledge  that 
Aaron  and  myself  are  acting  as  we  do 
by  a  divine  commission,  and  that  the 
conspiracy  now  formed  is  less  against 
us  than  against  the  Lord  himself. 
"  From  the  beginning  of  the  world 
unto  this  day,"  says  Mr,  Kitto,  "  no 
man  ever  made  so  bold  and  noble  an 
assertion  of  divine  approval,  or  sub- 
jected his  claims,  in  the  presence  of  a 
nation,  to  a  test  so  immediate  and  so 
infallible."  It  would,  of  course,  have 
been  the  height  of  folly  to  have  made 
such  an  appeal  to  God,  even  though 


30  But  if  the  Lord  make  a 
new  ^  thing,  and  the  earth  open 
her  mouth,  and  swallow  them 
up,  with  all  that  appertain  unto 


g  Joh  31.  3. 

conscious  of  his  own  divine  appoint- 
ment, and  also  of  the  sin  and  rebellion 
of  the  guilty  parties,  if  he  had  not  at 
the  same  time  felt  within  himself  that 
special  and  extraordinary  impulse,  by 
which  he  knew  that  the  event  would  be 
as  he  predicted.     And  by  the  event  he 

was  justified. ^  If  they  he  lisited 

after  the  visitation  of  all  men.  That  is,  if 
such  a  judgment  is  now  seen  to  come 
upon  them  as  is  common  and  familiar 
in  the  world,  viz.  pestilence,  the  sword, 
or  famine,  then,  indeed,  you  may  infer 
that  the  Lord  hath  not  sent  me. 

Y.  30.  But  if  the  Lord  make  a  new 
thing,  etc.  Heb.  "  beridh  yihra,  create  a 
creature ;''^  that  is,  perform  a  new,  un- 
precedented, and  wonderful  work,  by 
dooming  them  to  such  a  death  as  men 
never  died  of  before.  Of  the  import  of 
the  word  'barn,  see  Note  on  Gen.  1  : 1. 
It  is  there  given  as  one  of  its  leading 
senses  to  denote  the  production  or  effec- 
tuation of  something  new,  rare,  and  won- 
derful;  the  bringing  something  to  pass 
in  a  striking  and  marvellous  manner. 
Thus  in  Is.  45  :  7,  God  is  said  to  "  create 
evil,"  by  which  is  meant,  however,  not 
the  evil  of  sin,  but  of  judgment.  Ex. 
34 :  10,  "  Before  all  thy  people  I  will  do 
marvels  such  as  have  not  been  done 
{nibre-u,  created),  in  all  the  earth." 
Is.  48  :  6,  7,  "  I  have  showed  thee  new 
things  from  this  time,  even  hidden 
things,  and  thou  didst  not  know  them. 
They  are  created  now,  and  not  from  the 

beginning,"       Comp,    Is.    65  :  18. • 

^  The  earth  open  her  mouth  and  swal- 
low them  up.  That  is,  on  a  sudden  ;  at 
a  time  when  all  is  calm  and  still,  with 


244 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


them,  and  they  go  down  quick 
into  the  pit ;  ^  then  ye  shall  un- 
derstand that  these  men  have 
provoked  the  Lord. 

31  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking 


33.   Ps.  55.  15. 


no  premonitions  of  an  earthquake ;  and 
in  such  a  way,  moreover,  that  only  the 
guilty  shall  be  involved,  the  rest  being 
delivered. T[  With  all  that  (apper- 
tain) to  them.  Heb.  hoi  asher  laheiriy 
all  that  is  to  them.  This  the  Vulg. 
probably  correctly,  refers  to  "  things  " 
rather  than  "persons:" — "All  things 
that  belong  to  them."  The  Gr.  ampli- 
fies upon  the  original : — "  Swallow  them 
up,  and  their  houses,  and  their  tents, 
and  all  that  belongs  to  them."  The 
whole  history  of  the  divine  providence 
shows  that  it  has  ever  regarded  a  man's 
surroundings  and  appendages  as  a  part, 

as  it  were,  of  himself. Tf  And  they 

go  down  quick  into  the  fit.  That  is, 
alive  and  active,  hale  and  sound,  not 
dead,  as  men  usually  are  before  they 
descend  into  the  grave.  Gr,  "Shall 
descend  alive  into  Hades."  But  upon 
the  true  import  of  "  pit "  in  this  con- 
nection, see  Note  on  v.  33,  below. 

T[  That  these  men  haiie  provoked  the 
Lord.  Rather,  perhaps,  according  to 
the  Heb.  "  have  contemptuously  treat- 
ed."    Vulg.  "  Have  blasphemed." 

V,  31.  The  ground  clave  asunder,  etc. 
The  response  to  the  awful  appeal  of 
Moses  was  speedily  made.  He  had 
scarce  done  speaking  ere  the  earth 
opened,  as  it  were,  its  ponderous  jaws, 
and  the  guilty  band  with  all  their  house- 
holds and  efi'ects  were  precipitated  into 
the  yawning  abyss.  "So  soon  as  the 
innocent  are  severed,  the  guilty  per- 
ish ;  the  earth  cleaves  and  swallows  up 
the  rebels.  This  element  was  not  used 
to  such  moisels.    It  devours  the  car- 


all  these  words,  that  the  ground 
clave  asunder  that  iijas  under 
them : 

32  And  '  the  earth  opened  her 
mouth,  and  swallowed  them  up, 
and  their   houses,   and  all  the 

»■  c.  26.  10.  11.     Dent.  11.  6.  Ps.  106.  17,  18. 


cases  of  men ;  but  bodies  informed  with 
living  souls,  never  before.  To  have 
seen  them  struck  dead  upon  the  earth 
had  been  fearful ;  but  to  see  the  earth 
at  once  their  executioner  and  grave, 
was  more  horrible." — Bp.  Hall.  As 
we  have  already  seen,  the  fate  of  Korah 
himself  is  by  the  narrative  left  doubt- 
ful. The  Psalmist  speaks  thus  of  the 
event,  making  no  allusion  to  Korah ; 
Ps.  106  :  17,  "  The  earth  opened,  and 
swallowed  up  Dathan ;  and  covered  the 
company  of  Abiram."  So  in  the  paral- 
lel passage,  Deut.  11 :  6,  "And  what  he 
did  unto  Dathan  and  Abiram,  the  sons 
of  Eliab,  the  son  of  Reuben  ;  how  the 
earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  swallow- 
ed them  up,  and  their  households,  and 
their  tents,  and  all  the  substance  that 
was  in  their  possession,  in  the  midst  of 
all  Israel." 

V.  32.  And  their  houses.  That  is, 
their  households,  a  very  frequent  sense 
of  "  house."  Chald.  "  The  men  of  their 
houses."  Moses  himself  thus  explains 
it  Deut,  11  :  6,  "  Their  households,  and 
their  tents,  and  all  the  substance  that 

was  in  their  possession." T[  All  the 

men  that  {appertained)  unto  Korah. 
With  the  exception  of  his  children,  of 
whom  it  is  expressly  said,  ch.  26  :  11, 
"  Notwithstanding  the  children  of  Ko- 
rah died  not."  Their  names  are  enu- 
merated 1  Chron.  6  :  22-24,  and  we 
find,  moreover,  several  of  the  Psalms 
bearing  the  title,  "For  the  sons  of  Ko- 
rah," as  Ps.  42  :  44  :  45  :  48  :  4i),  Indeed, 
it  was  from  the  stock  of  Korah  that 
Samuel  the  prophet  derived  his  pedi- 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


245 


men  that  appertained  unto  Ko- 
rali,  and  all  their  goods. 

33  They,  and  all  that  apper- 
tained to  them,  went  down  alive 
into  the  pit,  and  the  earth  closed 
upon  them  :  and  they  perished 
from  among  the  congregation. 

34  And  all  Israel  that  ivere 

gree,  1  Chron.  6  :  28.  Some  commenta- 
tors have  suggested  that  the  original 
word  for  appertained  might  as  properly 
be  rendered  adhered,  which  would  tend 
to  simplify  the  account,  by  restricting 
it  to  those  only  who  were  his  accom- 
plices.  H  And  all  their  goods.     Or, 

Heb.  "Substance."  Gr.  "Their  cat- 
tle," a  sense  which  the  original  un- 
doubtedly bears,  1  Chr.  11 :  6.  2  Chr. 
81:3.   35:7. 

V.  33.  Went  down  alive  into  the  pit. 
Heb.  n^K'O  sheoldh,  to  Sheol,  the  term 
which  is  usually  rendered  by  the  Gr. 
"  Hades,"  and  in  English  sometimes  by 
"grave,"  and  sometimes  by  "hell." 
Here  it  is  unquestionably  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  of  pit,  gulf,  or  cha^m  in  the 
earth,  as  it  would  be  absurd  to  suppose 
that  the  houses  descended  into  hell,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  unreasonableness  of 
the  idea  that  the  souls  of  the  little  chil- 
dren were  doomed  to  that  abode,  al- 
though their  bodies,  in  the  course  of 
the  divine  providence,  perished  in  the 
overthrow  of  their  parents.  Thus,  says 
Theodoret,  those  who  had  marched 
through  the  sea  (in  safety)  were  swal- 
lowed up  on  the  land. 1[  And  the 

earth  closed  upon  them.  "  It  was  a  mar- 
vel that  the  waters  opened  (for  Israel) ; 
it  was  no  wonder  that  they  shut  again ; 
for  the  retiring  and  flowing  was  natu- 
ral. It  was  no  less  a  marvel  that  the 
earth  opened ;  but  more  marvel  that  it 
shut  again  ;  because  it  had  no  natural 
disposition  to  meet  when  it  was  divided. 
Now  might  Israel  see,  they  had  to  do 


round  about  them  fled  at  the  cry 
of  them  :  for  they  said.  Lest  the 
earth  swallow  us  up  aho. 

35  And  there  came  out  a  fire 
*  from  the  Lord,  and  consumed 
the  two  hundred  and  fifty  '  men 
that  offered  incense. 


k  Lev.  10. 


c.  11.  1. 


with  a  God  that  could  revenge  with 
ease." — Bp.  Hall.  The  deprecatory 
prayer  of  David,  Ps.  69  :  15,  seems  to 
allude  to  this  terrible  judgment : — "  Let 
not  the  water-flood  overflow  me,  neither 
let  the  deep  (i.  e.  gulf)  swallow  me  up, 
and  let  not  the  pit  shut  her  mouth  upon 
me." 

V.  34.  Fled  at  the  cry  of  them.  Heb. 
"  At  the  voice  of  them."  At  the  cry  or 
noise  they  made  in  perishing,  for  we 
can  well  believe  that  the  most  heart- 
rending shrieks  would  be  heard  from 
the  multitude  when  they  found  them- 
selves being  ingulfed  in  the  opening 
caverns  of  the  earth. 

V.  35.  And  there  came  out  a  fire  from, 
the  Lord.  That  is,  from  the  divine 
glory  enthroned  in  the  pillar  of  cloud 
over  the  tabernacle,  as  is  to  be  inferred 
from  the  general  usus  loquendi.  As  the 
sin  was  not  unlike  that  of  Nadab  and 
Abihu,  so  the  punishment  was  similar. 
Korah,  as  before  remarked,  was  prob- 
ably in  this  company,  and  perished  in 
their  destruction.  This  catastrophe, 
like  the  other,  is  celebrated  by  the 
Psalmist,  Ps.  106:18,  "And  a  fire  was 
kindled  in  their  company ;  the  flames 
burned  up  the  wicked." T[  Con- 
sumed. Heb.  "Ate  up."  "  There  were 
two  sorts  of  traitors  ;  the  earth  swal- 
lowed up  one,  the  fire  the  other.  All 
the  elements  agree  to  serve  the  ven- 
geance of  their  Maker.  Nadab  and 
Abihu  brought  fit  persons,  but  unfit  fire 
to  God ;  these  Levites  bring  the  right 
fire,  but  unwarranted  persons  before 


246 


NUMBEPwS. 


[B.C.  1471. 


36  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

37  Speak  unto  Eleazar  the 
son  of  Aaron  the  priest,  that  he 
take  up  the  censers  out  of  the 
burning,  and  scatter  thou  the 
fire  yonder ;  for  ""  they  are  hal- 
lowed. 


m  Lev.  -27.  28. 


him ;  fire  from  God  consumes  both.  It 
is  a  dangerous  thing  to  usurp  sacred 
functions.  The  ministry  will  not  grace 
the  man;  the  man  may  disgrace  the 
ministry." — Bp.  Hall. 

V.  37.  Speak  unto  Eleazar.  The  par- 
ticular grounds  on  which  this  order  was 
given  to  Eleazar,  it  is  not  easy  to  de- 
termine with  precision.  The  Jewish 
writers  say  it  was  because  the  Lord 
would  not  have  Aaron,  as  a  representa- 
tively holy  person,  run  the  risk  of  pol- 
lution by  going  among  the  dead ;  which 
is  perhaps  as  probable  a  suggestion  as 

any  other T[    Out  of  the  hurning. 

Heb.  mihhen  hasse7'epMh,from  between 
or  among  the  hurning.  Gr.  "  From  the 
midst  of  those  who  were  burnt."  That 
is,  from  among  the  mass  of  the  dead 
bodies  upon  which  the  fire  had  just 
done  such  a  destructive  work.  Burn- 
ing is  supposed  to  stand  here  for  those 
who  were  burnt,  the  abstract  for  the 
concrete,  as  captivity  for  captives,  Num. 
21  : 1,  &nA poverty  {or  poor,  2  Kings,  24 : 

14. T[  Scatter  thou  the  fire  yonder. 

Whatever  fire,  or  cinders,  still  remained 
in  the  smoking  censers  was  to  be  hurled 
away  at  once,  and  to  the  farthest  possi- 
ble distance,  probably  to  the  spot  where 
all  the  refuse  of  the  camp  was  cast,  in 
order  to  indicate  that  the  service  per- 
formed by  them  was  rejected  with  the 
utmost  loathing  and  detestation  as  pro- 
fane. Gr.  "As  for  the  strange  fire, 
scatter  it  there ;"  in  which  rendering 
we  have  no  clue  to  lead  us  to  the  pre- 


38  The  censers  of  these  sin- 
ners "  against  their  own  souls,  let 
them  make  them  broad  plates 
for  a  covering  of  the  altar ;  for 
they  offered  them  before  the 
Lord,  therefore  they  are  hal- 
lowed :  and  they  shall  be  a  sign " 
unto  the  children  of  Israel. 


20.  2.     Hab.  2.  10. 


cise  import  of  "  there." \  For  they 

are  halloived.  Heb.  hadeshu,  they  are 
sanctified,  consecrated,  hallowed;  the 
original  being  a  verb  and  not  an  ad- 
jective. The  reason  is  given  in  the 
next  verse,  viz. :  that  having  once  been 
employed,  by  divine  command,  in  the 
holy  service  of  the  sanctuary,  they  were 
henceforth  forbidden  to  be  put  to  any 
other  use. 

V.  38.  TJie  censers  of  these  sinners 
against  their  oivn  souls.  That  is,  against 
their  own  lives:  Ged.  "  The  censers  of 
these  men,  who  by  sinning  have  lost 

their  lives." T[  Let  them  mahe  them 

hroad  plates.  Heb.  '*  Outspreadings  of 
plates."  That  is,  plates  beaten  out  and 
spread  broad  so  as  to  cover  with  them 
the  brazen  altar.  The  original  is  from 
the  same  root  with  the  word  rendered 
*'  firmament,"  which,  as  we  have  shown 
in  the  Note  on  Gen.  1 :  6,  involves  the 
idea  of  spreading  out  by  beating.  They 
were  to  be  laid  on  over  the  precious 
covering  of  brass  which  enveloped  the 
brazen  altar,  or  the  altar  of  sacrifice,  as 

described,  Ex.  27  :  12. H  They  shall 

he  a  sign.  That  is,  a  memorial  to  put 
Israel  in  mind  of  the  transgression  in 
which  the  fact  originated,  and  to  serve 
as  a  perpetual  warning  to  them  against 
repeating  the  ofience.  "  Not  only  the 
Israelites  in  general,  but  also  the  Le- 
vites  in  particular,  save  Aaron's  sons 
only,  are  counted  strangers  in  respect 
of  the  priest's  ofiice ;  and  this  covering 
of  the    altar,   with  those  censers  of 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


247 


39  And  Eleazar  the  priest 
took  the  brazen  censers,  where- 
with they  that  were  burnt  had 
offered  ;  and  they  were  made 
broad  plates  for  a  covering  of 
the  altar : 

40  To  he  a  memorial  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  ^  no 
stranger  which  is  not  of  the 
seed   of  Aaron   come   near   to 

p  c.  3.  10.     2  Chr.  26.  18. 

polished  splendid  brass,  was  as  a  look- 
ing-glass for  all  to  behold,  that  none 
might,  afterwards,  like  Korah,  pre- 
sume to  the  priesthood." — JS'ess.  Thus 
Aaron's  rod  was  kept  for  a  sign,  Num. 
17  :  10,  and  God  threatens,  by  destroy- 
ing the  wicked  man,  to  make  him  "  a 
sign  and  a  proverb,"  Ezek.  14 :  8.  "  Now 
all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for 
ensamples;  and  they  are  written  for  our 
admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the 
world  are  come." — 1  Cor.  10  :  11. 

V.  39.  And  they  were  made  hroad 
{plates),  etc.  Heb.  lit.  "  And  they  broad- 
ened them;"  that  is,  by  a  process  of 
beating  expanded  them  into  thin  lam- 
inae, adapted  to  serve  as  a  covering  to 
the  altar. 

V.  40.  That  he  he  not  as  Korah.  This 
would  seem  tb  imply  that  Korah  perish- 
ed by  fire  with  the  company  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  who  oflered  incense.  The 
force  of  the  example  is  drawn  from  the 
case  of  these  men,  with  whom  Korah  is 
evidently  classed.  This  confirms  the 
suggestions   offered   above  relative  to 

his  fate. T[  As  tlie  Lord  said  to  him. 

Implying  that  he  had  had  fair  warn- 
iig.  Others  understand  the  "him"  of 
Lleazar. 

V.  41.  All  the  congregation  mur- 
mured. So  fearful  a  judgment  as  they 
had  just  been  called  to  witness  would 
have  been  sufficient,  one  would  suppose, 
to  prevent  the  outbreak  of  any  further 


offer  incense  before  the  Lord  ; 
that  he  be  not  as  Korah,  and  as 
his  company :  as  the  Lord  said 
to  him  by  the  hand  of  Moses. 

41  But,  on  the  morrow  all 
the  congregation  of  the  children 
of  Israel  ^murmured  against  Mo- 
ses and  against  Aaron,  saying. 
Ye  have  killed  the  people  of  the 
Lord. 

q  c.  14.  2.    Ps.  106.  25,  etc. 


murmurings  or  discontent.  Yet  how 
different  the  matter  of  fact!  As  the 
vessel,  in  its  course  through  the  deep, 
leaves  a  track  of  foam  behind  it  which 
is  a  little  while  distinct  and  well  de- 
fined, but  soon  mingles  with  the  mass 
of  waters  and  is  seen  no  more,  so  was 
it  with  the  judgment  of  heaven  on  this 
occasion,  and  the  impression  it  created. 
It  endured  for  the  night,  but  discontent 
and  rebellion  came  in  the  morning. 
With  a  unanimity  that  is  amazing,  "  all 
the  congregation  " — not  merely  the  ru- 
lers or  a  few  intractable  spirits — but 
the  great  mass  of  the  people,  gave  way 
to  groundless  complaints.  With  tu- 
multuous outcries  and  accusations,  they 
press  upon  Moses  and  Aaron,  charging 
them  with  the  destruction  of  a  multi- 
tude of  their  brethren,  the  peculiar  peo- 
ple of  the  Lord ;  as  if  these  atrocious 
transgressors  had  been  good  and  holy 
people,  and  Moses  and  Aaron  had  been 
their  persecutors.  Alas,  how  will  pride, 
passion,  and  self-will  prevail  to  blind 
the  understanding  of  men,  so  that  they 
will  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil,  and 
put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for 
darkness.  Especially  does  this  hold 
among  large  bodies  of  men  in  times  of 
public  tumult.  By  saying,  however, 
that  they  had  killed  them,  their  mean- 
ing doubtless  was  that  they  had  been 
the  means,  the  procuring  cause,  of  their 
losing  their  lives,  and  not  that  they  had 


248 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


42  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  the  congregation  was 
gathered  against  Moses  and 
against  Aaron,  that  they  look- 
ed toward  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation  :  and  behold,  the 
cloud  '  covered  it,  and  the  glo- 
ry *  of  the  Lord  appeared. 

43  And  Moses  and  Aaron 
came  before  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation. 


directly  slain  them.  Accordingly  the 
Chald.  renders,  "ye  have  caused  the 
death." 

V.  42.  They  looked  toward  the  taber- 
nacle. The  intimation  is  that  they,  i.  e., 
Moses  and  Aaron  more  especially,  look- 
ed imploringly  in  that  direction,  that 
they  invoked  help  from  the  Lord  in  his 
dwelling-place,  and  the  consequence 
was  an  immediate  manifestation  in 
their  favor.  That  awful  phenomenon 
termed  "  the  glory  of  the  Lord,"  shone 
forth,  as  on  former  occasions,  with  an 
aspect  of  threatening  which  they  well 
understood.  It  was  now,  however,  un- 
accompanied by  any  voice,  but  a  silent 
judgment  proceeded  from  it,  as  we  learn 
from  the  effect  that  followed,  which  was 
the  cutting  off  of  more  than  14,000  of 
the  host  by  a  deadly  plague  or  stroke 
from  the  divine  hand. 

V.  45.  And  they  fell  upon  their  faces. 
Doubtless  to  intercede  afresh  for  these 
high-handed  offenders.  No  provoca- 
tions avail  to  abate  their  charity  and 
compassion  in  behalf  of  the  people, 
however  undeserving.  A  true  benevo- 
lence seems  unable  to  discover  that 
point  in  the  divine  displeasure  beyond 
which  it  is  in  vain  to  sue  for  mercy.  It 
will  still  lift  up  its  prayer  in  the  very 
article  of  inflicted  vengeance.  Comp. 
1  Chron.  21  :  16. 

V.  46.  Take  a  censer  andputfre  there- 


44  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

45  Get '  you  up  from  among 
this  congregation,  that  I  may 
consume  them  as  in  a  moment. 
And  "  they  fell  upon  their  faces. 

46  And  Moses  said  unto 
Aaron,  Take  a  censer,  and  put 
fire  therein  from  off  the  altar, 
and  put  on  incense,  and  go  quick- 
ly unto   the   congregation,   and 


t  ver.  21.  -24. 


in,  etc.  Incense  was  regularly  to  be 
offered  nowhere  but  at  the  golden  altar 
within  the  sanctuary ;  but  on  the  pres- 
ent extraordinary  emergency,  Aaron  is 
sent  with  it  into  the  camp  in  order  to 
stay  the  plague,  by  making  an  atone- 
ment for  the  people ;  the  natural  effect 
of  which  would  be  to  afford  them  a  con- 
vincing proof  of  the  sanctity  and  au- 
thority which  should  henceforth  per- 
tain to  his  ministry.  "  God  might  have 
stayed  the  plague  without  the  interven- 
tion of  Aaron ;  but  in  this  time  of  dis- 
content, it  pleased  him  to  afford  another 
convincing  testimony  that  the  high- 
priest  was  acting  in  his  sacred  office  by 
his  appointment  and  under  his  direc- 
tion. They  must  have  been  hardened 
indeed  who  could  doubt  Ihe  authority 
under  which  the  high-priest  acted,  after 
such  a  striking  evidence  of  the  Lord's 
respect  to  his  official  intervention." — • 
Kitto.  The  Jewish  writers  say  on  this 
passage  that  Moses  intended  to  warn 
Aaron  lest  perchance  he  should  err 
through  haste,  and  offer  strange  fire, 
as  Nadab  and  Abihu  had  done,  as  also 
those  who  had  recently  perished.  They 
remark,  too,  that  *'  the  incense  which 
caused  death  when  it  was  not  in  the 
hand  of  the  priest,  giveth  life  when  it  is 

in  the  hand  of  the  priest." T[  Make 

an  atonement.  That  is,  by  acting  as  a 
mediator  or  interceder  on  behalf  of  the 


( 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


249 


make  an  atonement  for  them; 
for  there  is "  wrath  gone  out 
from  the  Lord;  the  plague  is 
begun. 

47  And  Aaron  took,  as  Mo- 
ses commanded,  and  ran  into 
tl:e  midst  of  the  congregation  ; 
and,  behold,  the  plague  "■  was 
begun  among  the  people  :  and 
he  put  on  incense  ^,  and  made  an 
atonement  for  the  people. 


V  Lev.  in.  6.        c.  11.  33.         IS.  5.         1  Chr.  27. 
to  Ps.  106.  29.        X  Deut.  33.  10. 


le.     There  is  nothing  of  an  expia- 
tory kind  implied  in  the  use  of  the  term 

in  this  connection. ^  The  plague  is 

begun.  The  Heb.  negeph  from  nagaph 
to  strike,  to  smite,  is  a  term  of  general 
import  denoting  any  severe  stroke  or 
infliction  from  the  divine  hand.  Our 
English  word  plague  is  derived  from 
the  Latin  plaga,  and  that  from  the  Gr. 
irX7]yr),  pleg'e,  in  both  which  languages 
it  is  used  to  signify  a  stroke,  a  bloic,  a 
stripe,  a  wound.  By  an  extension  of 
the  import  of  the  word  it  is  made  to  de- 
note &  pestilence  or  some  oi\iQY fatal  dis- 
ease, which  would  naturally  be  regarded 
as  an  extraordinary  scourge  proceeding 
directly  from  the  Lord.  This  is  proba- 
bly to  be  considered  its  sense  in  the 
present  connection.  The  Chald.  ren- 
ders it  "  the  death."  It  is  impossible 
to  elicit  from  the  term  any  more  definite 
import.  As  to  the  fact  itself,  we  know 
not  how  Moses  became  possessed  of  it 
so  as  to  be  able  to  announce  it,  though 
it  is  altogether  probable  it  was  con- 
veyed to  his  mind  by  a  divine  monition. 
In  proportion  as  we  are  faithful  and  fa- 
miliar with  God,  so  much  the  earlier  do 
we  discern  his  judgments  in  the  earth. 
We  become,  as  it  were,  of  his  council. 
V.  47.  And  Aaron  took  as  Moses  com- 
manded. Aaron  was  as  full  of  anxiety 
for  the  people  as  his  brother.    He  in- 

11* 


48  And  he  stood  between  ^ 
the  dead  and  the  living  ;  and  the 
plague  was '  stayed. 

49  Now  they  that  died  in  the 
plague  were  fourteen  thousand 
and  seven  hundred,  beside  them 
that  died  about  the  matter  of 
Korah. 

50  And  Aaron  returned  unto 
Moses,  unto  the  door  of  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation  :  and 
the  plague  was  stayed. 


y  Heb.  1.  24,  -lb. 


z  1  Chr.  21.  26,  27. 


stantly  did  as  he  was  commanded.  He 
ran  into  the  midst  of  the  congregation, 
fearless  of  their  wrath,  fearless  of  the 
contagion  of  the  plague ;  he  put  the  in- 
cense upon  the  sacred  fire  in  the  cen- 
ser, and  made  an  atonement  with  it  for 
the  people ;  and  he  stood  between  the 
living  and  the  dead;  and  the  plague 

was  stayed. T[  Ban  into  the  midst 

of  the  congregation.  The  spirit  evinced 
both  by  Aaron  and  Moses,  on  this  occa- 
sion, was  pre-eminently  worthy  of  such 
distinguished  servants  of  heaven.  In- 
sulted and  opposed  as  they  had  been, 
taunted  and  falsely  accused,  they  have 
no  ill  will  or  resentment,  they  seek  no 
revenge  for  themselves,  nor  feel  grati- 
fication at  the  punishment  of  their  fac- 
tious and  rebellious  people.  On  the 
contrary,  they  suifer  long  and  are  kind. 
They  count  not  their  own  lives  dear 
unto  themselves  if  so  be  that  they  may 
save  the  lives  of  these  oftenders.  This 
is  the  conduct  of  men  who  are  taught 
and  governed  by  the  laws  of  heaven. 

V.  48.  And  he  stood  between  the  dead 
and  the  living.  Thus  interposing  be- 
tween the  infected  and  the  uninfected 
portions  of  the  camp,  and  exposing 
himself  to  the  ravages  of  the  plague  in 
behalf  of  the  people.  "As  one  that 
would  part  a  fray,  he  thrusts  himself 
under  the  strokes  of  God,  and  puts  it  to 


250 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1471. 


A 


CHAPTER  XYIL 
ND    the    Lord   spake   unto 

Moses,  saying, 
2  Speak  unto  the  children  of 


the  choice  of  the  revenger  whether  he 
will  smite  him  or  forbear  the  rest ;  he 
stands  boldly  between  the  living  and 
the  dead,  as  one  that  will  either  die 
with  them  or  have  them  live  with  him  ; 
the  sight  of  fourteen  thousand  carcases 
dismayed  him  not ;  he  that  before  feared 
the  threats  of  the  people  now  fears  not 
the  strokes  of  God." — Bp.  Ball.  How 
striking  a  type  of  the  intervention  of 
our  Lord  do  we  recognize  in  the  con- 
duct of  Aaron  on  this  occasion.  Our 
great  and  compassionate  High-Priest, 
moved  by  the  contemplation  of  our 
danger,  not  only  at  the  hazard  of  life, 
but  in  the  sure  prospect  of  death, 
hastened  into  our  midst  to  make  atone- 
ment for  us. 

"  With  pitying  eyes  the  Prince  of  Peace 
Beheld  our  helpless  grief; 
He  saw,  and  oh,  amazing  love, 
He  ran  to  our  relief." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TJie  Budding  and  Blossoming  of 
Aaron^s  Bod. 

V.  1.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses, 
etc.  At  what  particular  time  we  are 
not  informed,  but  probably  within  a 
short  period  after  the  plague  above  de- 
scribed had  ceased.  It  is  reasonable  to 
infer  that  the  miracle  here  recorded 
took  place  while  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple were  yet  in  an  excited  state,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  poisonous  insinuations 
of  Korah  and  his  associates,  who  had  so 
recently  perished  in  their  presumption. 
Every  divine  judgment  executed  upon 
transgressors  has  a  merciful  intention 


Israel,  and  take  of  every  one  of 
them  a  rod  "  according  to  the 
house  of  their  fathers,   of  all 


a  Ezek.  37.  16. 


towards  survivors.  The  design  is  to 
inspire  a  salutary  fear,  and  thus  to  pre- 
vent the  commission  of  similar  iniqui- 
ties. The  present  chapter  affords  an 
instance  strikingly  in  point.  The  Lord 
is  pleased,  as  here  recorded,  to  put  the 
appointment  of  his  priests  to  another 
proof,  and  to  work  another  miracle,  that 
he  might  effectually  silence  all  future 
murmurings  on  the  score  of  the  authori- 
ty claimed  by  Moses  and  Aaron.  The 
test  was  unequivocally  decisive. 

V.  2.  TaTce  of  every  one  of  them  a  rod 
according  to  the  house  of  their  fathers. 
Heb.  "  Take  of  them  a  rod,  a  rod,  for 
(or  according  to)  every  father's  house." 
The  duplication  is  a  Hebraism  of  com- 
mon occurrence,  carrying  with  it  a  dis- 
tributive sense.  Gr.  "  Take  of  them  a 
rod  (or  staff),  a  rod  according  to  the 
houses  of  their  patriarchal  families." 
Chald.  "  Receive  from  them  a  rod  each 
throughout  the  houses  of  (their)  fa- 
thers." It  is  evident  from  what  follows 
that  the  requisition  was,  not  a  rod  from 
each  individual  Israelite,  but  one  from 
each  tribe ;  and  this  was  to  be  presented 
in  the  name  of  the  leading  man  or 
"  prince  "  of  each  tribe.  The  order  here 
given  seems  to  imply  that  it  was  not  the 
subordinate  Levites  alone  who  aspired 
to  the  priesthood,  for  in  that  case  we 
cannot  well  see  why  there  should  not 
have  been  two  rods  instead  of  twelve, 
one  for  Aaron  and  one  for  his  opponents. 
But  by  all  the  tribes  being  required  to 
contribute  a  rod,  it  would  appear  that 
all  would  put  in  a  claim  to  the  dignity, 
according  to  what  is  said,  ch.  16  :  3, 
"  Ye  take  too  much  upon  you,  seeing 
that  all  the  congregation  are  holy,  every 
one  of  them."    The  decision,  therefore, 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


251 


their  princes  according  to  the 
house  of  their  fathers,  twelve 
rods :  write  thou  every  man's 
name  upon  his  rod. 

3  And  thou  shalt  write  Aaron's 

was  to  be  final  for  the  whole  host.  The 
original  word  for  "rod"  {matteh)  is  for 
the  most  part  used  to  denote  a  staff, 
stick,  walking -stick,  or  wand,  rather 
than  a  green  rod,  hrancli,  or  hough.  It 
would  seem,  from  Num.  21 :  18,  that  the 
princes  of  the  tribes  carried  staves  in 
their  hands,  as  a  kind  of  baton,  that 
should  serve  as  a  badge  of  authority. 
"The  rods  or  staves  were  doubtless 
official  ensigns  of  the  authority  with 
which  the  heads  of  tribes  were  invest- 
ed. Hence  the  Scripture  frequently  uses 
the  word  '  rod '  as  equivalent  to  '  scep- 
tre ;'  and  indeed  the  more  modern  use 
of  sceptres  is  derived  from  this  ancient 
custom.  These  staves  were  of  course 
dry,  and  had  probably  been  for  years  in 
use  ;  and  that  such  should  blossom  and 
bear  fruit  again,  is  such  a  moral  impos- 
sibility, that  the  ancient  heathen  used 
to  swear  by  their  rods  or  sceptres  with 
a  view  to  that  circumstance.  Thus 
Achilles,  in  Homer,  when  enraged 
against  Agamemnon,  says  : 

*  But  hearken.   I  shall  swear  a  solemn  oath. 
By  this  sceptre,  which  shall  never  hud, 
Nor  houghs  bring  forth,  as  once;  which 

having  left 
Its  stock  on  the  high  mountains,  at  what 

time 
The  woodman's  axe  lopt  off  its  foliage 

green, 
And   stript    its   hark,    shall   never   grow 

again ; — 
By  this  I  swear,'  etc.  Cowpee. 

The  king  Latinus,  in  Virgil,  confirms, 
by  a  similar  oath,  his  covenant  with 
jEneas.  To  preclude  mistake  or  impo- 
sition in  the  present  transaction,  the 
name  of  each  tribe  was  inscribed  on 


name  upon  the  rod  of  Levi :  for 
one  rod  shall  he  for  the  head  of 
the  house  of  their  fathers. 

4  And  thou  shalt  lay  them 
up  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 


the  rod  of  its  chief;  and  the  question 
being  to  try  the  right  to  the  priesthood, 
this  method  of  settling  the  point  seems 
to  indicate  that  other  tribes  (proba- 
bly that  of  Reuben  in  particular)  had 
thought  their  claims,  as  tribes,  as  good 
or  better  than  those  of  Levi." — Fict. 

Bible. \  Write  thai:  every  man^s 

name  upon  his  rod.  In  what  manner 
the  writing  was  executed  we  have  no 
means  of  determining  with  any  certain- 
ty. It  may  have  been  by  some  kind  of 
incision  on  the  surface,  or  possibly  by 
some  sort  of  label  attached  to  the  sev- 
eral rods.  By  some  means  a  signature 
was  afiixed  that  should  serve  to  identify 
the  rods  to  the  owners. 

V.  3.  Thou  shalt  write  Aaron's  name 
vp&n  the  rod  of  Levi.  This  preference 
was  given  to  Aaron,  because  that,  by 
being  invested  with  the  office  of  high- 
priest,  he  was  made  prince  of  that  tribe, 
or  "  head  of  the  house  of  their  fathers." 
Moreover,  if  Levi's  name  had  been  on 
the  rod,  it  would  have  left  the  contro- 
versy undecided  as  between  Aaron  and 
the  Levites. 

Y.  4.  And  thou  shalt  lay  them  up. 
Heb.  "  Thou  shalt  cause  them  to  rest." 

-Tf   Tabernacle  of  the  congregation. 

Heb.  beohel  moid,  tent  of  meeting. 

T[  Before  the  testimony.  That  is,  before 
the  Ark  wherein  were  deposited  the 
tables  of  the  Law,  called  "the  Testi- 
mony." See  Notes  on  Ex.  25  :  16.  Above 
was  the  Mercy-Seat,  where  the  divine 
Glory  resided.  To  lay  the  rods  "  before 
the  testimony"  was  to  lay  them  before 
the  divine  Presence  and  Majesty,  who 
intended  thereby  to  determine  the  pres- 
ent controversy. T[  Where  I  will 


252 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1471. 


gregation,  before  the  testimony, 
where  *  I  will  meet  with  you. 

5  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
ihat  the  man's  rod,  whom  I  shall 
choose',  shall  blossom:  and  I 
will  make  to  cease  from  me  the 
murmurings  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  whereby  '^  they  murmur 
against  you. 


6  Ex.  25.  22. 
d  c.  16.  11. 


.42,43.     30.36. 


meet  you.  Heb.  ivvded,  from  yaad,  to 
appoint  a  7neeting,  and  in  the  Niphal  or 
passive,  to  he  gathered  together.  This  is 
the  form  in  which  it  occurs  in  the 
present  connection,  and,  as  such,  is  re- 
markable, as  it  represents  ihe  Lord  as 
being  acted  up>on  and  drawn  into  con- 
vention by  the  foi'ce  of  his  own  self-as- 
sumed obligations,  or  by  his  fidelity  to 
his  covenant  engagements,  which  are 
thus  represented  as  operating  as  if  by 
an  external  influence.  This  is  the  rea- 
son why  the  Tabernacle  was  called  the 
tent  of  meeting,  or  of  congregation,  a 
phrase  which  is  usually  understood  sim- 
ply of  men's  meeting  together,  or  con- 
gregating; whereas,  in  fact,  the  Lord 
gave  the  appellation  to  the  Tabernacle 
on  the  express  ground  of  his  meeting 
there  with  his  people  in  the  person  of 
their  representative  Moses.  See  Note 
on  Ex.  29  :  42.  30  :  36.  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served, however,  that  the  import  here 
is  that  of  the  Lord's  hahitual presence — 
"  where  I  am  accustomed  to  meet  with 
you."  Four  manuscripts,  and  several 
of  the  ancient  versions,  here  exhibit 
leTca,  with  thee,  instead  of  laJcem,  with 
you.  But  the  latter  is  probably  correct, 
being  confirmed  by  Ex.  29  :  42, 43,  where 
the  like  phraseology  occurs.  But  it  is 
still  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Lord 
neither  met  then  with  the  people,  nor 
with  Aaron,  any  otherwise  than  through 
Moses  as  a  representative  medium. 


6  And  Moses  spake  unto  the 
children  of  Israel ;    and   every     J 
one  of  their  princes  gave  him  a     \ 
rod  apiece,  for  each  prince  one,  ac- 
cording to  their  fathers'  houses, 
even  twelve  rods  :   and  the  rod 

of  Aaron  was  among  their  rods. 

7  And  Moses  laid  up  the  rods  i 
before  the  Lord  in  the  taberna-  i 
cle '  of  witness. 

e  Ex.38.  21.    Acts  1.44. 


V,  5,  The  man's  rod  xvhom  I  shall 
choose.  Heb.  "  The  man  (as  to)  whom  I 
shall  have  complacency  in  him."  This  is 
not  essentially  difierent  from  ''  choose," 
but  it  preserves  the  prepositional  usage 
"in  him,"  which  is  quite  common  with 

the  original  verb. T[  Shall  blossom. 

This  would  have  been  better  rendered 
"shall  bud,"  as  is  the  case  in  v.  8, 
where  there  is  a  marked  distinction  in- 
dicated between  budding,  blosso7ning, 
and  yielding  fruit.  The  original  yiphra 
here  is  the  word  there  that  answers  to 

bud. H  Will  maJce  to  cease  from  me, 

etc.  The  Heb.  is  used  elsewhere  in  ref- 
erence to  the  ceasing  or  assuaging  of 
waters.  Gen.  8  : 1,  and  also  of  wrath. 
Est.  2:1,  It  is  here  applied  to  the 
murmurings  of  the  people,  which  were 
like  raging  waters.  It  will  be  observed 
how  strikingly  the  Lord  identifies  him- 
self wdth  his  people :  "  I  will  make  to 
cease  from  me  the  murmurings  where- 
by they  murmur  against  ^ow." 

V.  6.  2Vte  rod  of  Aaron  was  among 
their  rods.  The  Vulg.  has  here,  "  And 
there  were  twelve  rods  besides  the  rod 
of  Aaron,"  supposing  that  the  tribe  of 
Joseph  was  divided  into  two — Ephraim 
and  Manasseh  —  which  would  make 
twelve  besides  that  of  Levi.  But  this 
is  unwarranted  by  the  original.  The 
probability  is  much  stronger  that  there 
were  only  twelve  and  not  thirteen  rods. 
V.  7.  Before  the  Lord  in,  ihe  tabcr- 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTEK  XVII. 


253 


8  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on 
the  morrow,  Moses  went  into  the 
tabernacle  of  witness  ;  and,  be- 
hold, the  rod'' of  Aaron  for  the 
house  of  Levi  was  budded,  and 
brought  forth  buds,  and  bloomed 
blossoms,  and  yielded  almonds. 

/  Ps.  110.  2.  Ezek.  19.  1-2,  14. 

iiacle  of  witness.  The  inference  is,  that 
the  rods  were  deposited  in  the  Most 
Holy  Place  in  the  presence  of  the  divine 
Glory,  whither  Moses  alone  had  ordina- 
ry access.  There  it  was  kept  according  to 
the  statement  of  the  apostle,  Heb.  9  :  3, 4. 
V.  8.  Was  budded,  and  hrouglit forth 
buds,  and  hloomed  blossoms,  and  yielded 
almonds.  Gr.  and  Targ.  Jon.  "  Xiits." 
The  miracle  consisted  in  the  sudden 
vegetation  of  the  rod,  and  that  in  dif- 
ferent degrees.  It  would  seem  that  in 
some  places  of  the  rod  tender  buds 
were  seen  just  emerging  from  the  sur- 
face ;  in  others  the  buds  were  fully  de- 
veloped ;  in  others,  again,  they  had  blos- 
somed, and  those  blossoms,  in  other 
parts,  had  ripened  into  fruit,  the  fruit 
of  the  almond-tree.  On  the  name  and 
peculiar  properties  of  the  almond,  see 
Kote  on  Ex.  25 :  33.  It  is  a  tree  that 
blossoms  and  bears  fruit  earlier  than 
other  trees,  and  hence  its  appellation, 
sMTctd,  from  sMkad,  to  maize  haste,  to  he 
in  a  hurry,  and  thence  to  awalce  early, 
to  he  vigilant,  to  watch.  That  this  ef- 
fect should  have  been  produced  in  a 
single  night  upon  Aaron's  rod,  while 
all  the  rest  were  as  dry  as  before,  could 
not  but  be  looked  upon  with  amaze- 
ment, and  prove  an  incontestable  evi- 
dence of  the  Lord's  designation.  "  It 
could  not  but  be  a  great  comfort  unto 
Aaron  to  see  his  rod  thus  miraculously 
flourishing ;  to  see  this  wonderful  testi- 
mony of  God's  favor  and  election.  Sure 
he  could  not  but  think.  Who  am  I,  0 
God,  that  thou  shouldst  choose  me  out 


9  And  Moses  brought  out  all 
the  rods  from  before  the  Lord 
unto  all  the  children  of  Israel : 
and  they  looked,  and  took  every 
man  his  rod. 

10  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Bring  Aaron's  rod  again 
before    the    testimony,    to    be 


of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel !  My  weakness 
hath  been  more  worthy  of  the  rod  of  cor- 
rection, than  my  rod  hath  been  woi-thy 
of  these  blossoms.  How  hast  thou  mag- 
nified me  in  the  sight  of  all  thy  people ! 
How  able  art  thou  to  uphold  my  imbe- 
cility by  the  rod  of  thy  support !  How 
able  art  thou  to  defend  me  with  the  rod 
of  thy  power,  who  hast  thus  brought 
fruit  out  of  the  rod  of  my  profession  !  " — ■ 
£p.  Hall. 

Y.  9.  And  Moses  hrought  out  all  the 
rods — unto  all  the  children,  of  Israel.  It 
would  plainly  be  all-important  that  no 
suspicion  of  fraud  should  attach  at  all 
to  the  transaction.  We  may  suppose, 
therefore,  that  as  the  rods  were  to  be 
deposited  "  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,"  or  in  the  sacred  pre- 
cincts, they  were  sealed  up  in  one  re- 
ceptacle, the  princes,  or  others  author- 
ized by  them,  watching  it  through  the 
night  to  see  that  no  dishonesty  was 
practised.  Certainly,  they  were  not  in 
Moses's  custody ;  for  "on  the  morrow 
Moses  went  to  the  Tabernacle  of  wit- 
ness to  examine  them."  No  charge  of 
unfair  dealing  could  be  brought  against 
him,  and  he  submits  the  rods  openly  to 
the  view  of  the  parties  interested,  who 
took  them  into  their  hands,  and,  by 
close  inspection,  satisfied  themselves  of 
their  identity. 

Y.  10.  Bring  Aaron's  rod  again  he- 
fore  the  testimony.  That  is,  return,  re- 
store it,  after  sufficient  examination,  to 
the  place  where  it  was  deposited  before 
the  ark  of  the  testimony. U  To  be 


254 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1471. 


kept  ^  for  a  token  against  the 
rebels;  and  thou  shalt  quite 
take  away  their  murmurings 
from  me,  that  they  die  not. 

11  And  Moses  did  so  :  as  the 
Lord  commanded  him,  so  did  he. 

12  And  the  children  of  Is- 


heptfor  a  token.  Heb.  "  For  a  keeping, 
or  reservation."  As  a  specimen  of  the 
manna  was  preserved  in  the  golden  pot 
within  the  Most  Holy  Place  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, "  for  a  keeping,"  Ex.  16  :  33, 
that  subsequent  generations  might  see 
the  bread  which  their  fathers  ate  in  the 
wilderness,  so  this  rod  was  kept  in  the 
same  place  "for  a  reservation"  and 
"  for  a  sign,"  that  all  that  lived  after- 
wards might  be  aware  of  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  priesthood  in  Aaron's  line. 

TI  For  a  token  against  the  rebels. 

Heb.  "  For  a  sign  to  the  sons  of  rebel- 
lion." Gr.  "  A  sign  for  the  children  of 
the  disobedient."  This  appellation  is 
given  to  the  Israelites  from  the  fact, 
that  they  were  so  much  given  to  rebel- 
lion that  they  might  be  said  to  be  born 
of  it  as  of  a  parent.  This  is  equivalent 
to  the  testimony  of  Moses,  Deut.  9  :  24, 
**  Ye  have  been  rebellious  against  the 
Lord  from  the  day  that  I  knew  you." 
The  use  of  "  sons  "  in  the  sense  oi sub- 
jects of  certain  qualities  is  quite  com- 
mon in  holy  writ,  as  Ps.  89  :  22,  "  Son  of 
wickedness ;"  Prov.  31  :  5,  "  Sons  of  af- 
fliction "  (marg.) ;  Deut.  13  :  13,  "  Sons 
of  Belial ;"  and  also  1  Sam.  2:12;  Eph. 
2:2,  "  Sons  of  disobedience."  Comp. 
Eph.  5  :  6.  Mat.   11  :  19.  1  Pet.   1  :  14. 

• 1  JTiou  shalt  quite  take  away  their 

murmurings,  etc.  Heb.  tekel,  thou  shalt 
end,  finish,  do  utterly  away  with.  Gr. 
"  Let  their  murmuring  cease  from  me, 
and  they  shall  not  die."  "  Take  away 
from  me"  is  literally  according  to  the 
original,  ''  take  away  from  upon  me." 


rael  spake  unto  Moses,  saying, 
Behold,  we  die,  we  perish''',  we 
all  perish. 

13  Whosoever  '  cometh  any 
thing ''  near  unto  the  tabernacle 
of  the  Lord  shall  die  :  shall  we 
be  consumed  with  dying  ? 

A  Ps.  90.  7.  Is.  57.  16.  t  c.  1.  51,  53.     18.  4,  7. 

k  Kph.  i.  13.  Heb.  10.  19-22. 

V.  12.  Behold,  we  die,  we  perish,  we 
all  perish.  Heb.  gavanu,  we  expire. 
The  term  signifies  not  so  precisely  to 
die,  as  to  be  brought  into  that  state  of 
painful  siiffocation  which  is  very  likely 
to  end  in  death.  "  We  give  up  the 
ghost." — Ains.  A  miracle  of  mercy 
seems  to  have  extorted  from  them  the 
confession  which  the  previous  miracles 
of  judgment  had  failed  to  do.  We  take 
the  words  as  implying  not  an  unjust 
complaint  or  the  outbreak  of  a  still  re- 
maining discontent,  but  an  humble  ac- 
knowledgment of  their  just  deserts  and 
of  the  imminent  peril  from  which  they 
had  barely  escaped.  The  Chald.  para- 
phrases the  words  thus :  "  Behold,  the 
sword  hath  killed  some  of  us,  and  be- 
hold, the  earth  hath  swallowed  sOme  of 
us,  and  behold,  some  of  us  are  dead 
with  the  pestilence."  The  Targ.  Jon. 
thus:  "Behold,  some  of  us  are  con- 
sumed with  flaming  fire,  and  some  of 
us  are  swallowed  up  into  the  earth ; 
behold,  we  think  as  did  they,  so  we  all 
of  us  shall  perish."  They  virtually  con- 
fess that,  by  reason  of  their  rebellion, 
they  were  as  good  as  dead,  and  that 
they  would  certainly  incur  that  doom 
should  they  hereafter  ofieud.  Their  lan- 
guage shows  how  much  more  efficacious 
is  the  mercy  than  the  tokens  of  the  di- 
vine wrath  to  touch  the  conscience  and 
awaken  the  emotions  of  godly  sorrow 
and  repentance  for  sin. 

V.  13.  Wliosoever  cometh  any  thing 
near,  etc.  The  following  is  the  literal 
rendering  of  the  verse:  "Every  one 


B.  0. 1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVni. 


255 


A 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

ND    the    Lord    said    unto 
Aaron,  Thou,  and  thy  sons, 


that  cometh  near,  every  one  that  com- 
eth  near  unto  the  tabernacle  of  Jeho- 
vah shall  die ;  shall  we  be  consumed  in 
expiring,  or  giving  up  the  ghost  ?"  Our 
translators  have  aimed  to  indicate  the 
repetition,  in  the  conamencement  of  the 
verse,  by  inserting  the  words  *'  any 
thing,"  which  answers  somewhat  to  the 
import  of  the  duplicated  clause,  hinting 
at  the  prohibition  of  any  degree  of  ap- 
proach. The  doubling  of  words  and 
phrase  has  often  the  eflfect,  in  Hebrew, 
of  giving  greater  emphasis  and  inten- 
sity to  the  expression. 1[  Shall  we  be 

consumed  with  dying  f  "Will  the  Lord 
proceed  with  us  in  this  course  of  un- 
sparing justice  ?  "Will  he  show  us  no 
mercy  till  all  the  people,  doomed  to  die 
one  after  another,  are  cut  off?  "  The 
name  of  Aaron  was  not  more  plainly 
written  in  that  rod  than  the  sin  of  Is- 
rael was  in  the  fruit  of  it;  and  how 
much  Israel  finds  their  rebellion  beaten 
with  this  rod,  appears  in  their  present 
relenting  and  complaint :  "  Behold,  we 
are  dead,  we  perish." — Bjp.  Hall. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  special  Charge  assigned  to  the 
Priests  and  the  Levites. 

V.  1.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
etc.  The  recent  manifestations  record- 
ed in  the  two  preceding  chapters,  had 
operated  so  effectually  upon  the  con- 
gregation as  to  fill  them  with  a  kind  of 
panic  consternation  in  view  of  the  dan- 
ger of  approaching  the  Tabernacle,  or 
dealing  in  any  way  with  the  sanctities 
of  worship.  The  divine  benignity  de- 
signs, in  the  present  chapter,  to  reas- 


and  thy  father's  house  with  thee, 
shall  bear  "  the  iniquity  of  the 

a  Ex.  28.  38.  Is.  53.  6, 11.     1  Pet.  2.  24. 


sure  their  confidence,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  impress  Aaron  himself  with  a 
deep  and  abiding  sense  of  the  responsi- 
bility that  rested  upon  him  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  that  sacred  office 
which  had  been  so  signally  confirmed 
to  him  by  the  miraculous  tokens  of  the 
Lord's  appointment.  These  indications 
might  tend  to  puff"  him  up  with  a  con- 
ceit of  his  own  importance,  and  there- 
fore he  is  here  reminded  of  the  burden 
laid  upon  him  and  the  duty  required 
of  him  as  a  priest.  The  consequence 
would  naturally  be  that  instead  of  be- 
ing made  proud  of  his  preferment,  he 
would  receive  the  honors  of  his  office 
with  reverence  and  holy  awe,  being 
made  aware  of  the  danger  arising  from 
any  default  in  his  service.  "When  men 
are  invested  with  authority,  their  re- 
sponsibility rises  in  proportion.  It  is 
a  law  running  through  the  whole  prov- 
idential economy  of  heaven,  that  to 
whom  much  has  been  given,  from  them 

much   is  required. T[   Thy  father's 

house.  That  is,  the  house  or  posterity 
of  Levi,  who  was  father  to  all  the  priests 
and  Levites. T[  Shall  hear  the  ini- 
quity of  the  sanctvxiry.  That  is,  shall 
bear  the  punishment  for  all  the  iniquity 
that  is  done  in  the  sanctuary,  in  which 
term  is  embraced  the  courtyard,  and 
the  sacred  precincts  generally.  Chald. 
"  Shall  propitiate  over  the  sins  of  the 
sanctuary."  Arab.  "  Shall  make  expi- 
ation for  the  faults  of  the  holy  things." 
If  the  sanctuary  should  be  profaned  by 
the  intrusion  of  strangers  or  the  un- 
clean, the  priests  and  the  Levites  were 
to  be  held  answerable  for  the  offence, 
to  whose  negligence  it  was  owing. 
Jarchi :  "  Upon  you  will  I  bring  the 
punishment  of  the  strangers  that  shall 


256 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


sanctuary :  and  thou  and  thy 
sons  with  thee  shall  bear  the 
iniquity  of  your  priesthood. 

2  And  thy  brethren  also  of 
the  tribe  of  Levi,  the  tribe  of 

sin  concerning  the  sanctified  things 
that  are  delivered  unto  ;^ou."  See  Note 
on  ch.  1 :  51. T[  Shall  hear  the  ini- 
quity of  your  priesthood.  Shall  be  re- 
sponsible for  whatever  iniquity  might 
be  committed  in  connection  with  the 
discharge  of  the  priestly  functions. 
This  charge  is  more  fully  amplified  in 
the  ensuing  verse.  Rab.  Menahem : 
"  By  this  admonition  was  signified,  that 
the  priests  should  not  intermeddle  with 
the  service  of  the  Levites,  nor  the  Le- 
vites  with  the  service  of  the  priests." 
All  this  would  tend  to  calm  the  appre- 
hensions of  the  people,  who  were  afraid 
they  should  die  for  every  error  commit- 
ted in  their  approaches  to  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  it  would  serve  also  to  extin- 
guish any  degree  of  envy  they  might 
cherish  in  respect  to  the  priestly  digni- 
ty, when  they  saw  with  how  much  peril 
its  possession  and  exercise  was  at- 
tended. 

V.  2.  Tlie  tribe  of  Levi,  the  tribe  of 
thy  father.  The  original  here  exhibits 
two  different  words  for  tribe,  matteh 
{the  tribe)  of  Levi,  and  shebet  {the  tribe) 
of  thy  father  ;  of  which  the  former  sig- 
nifies a  staff,  the  latter  a  rod,  and  both 
of  them  being  occasionally  used  to  de- 
note a  tribe  or  Tcindred,  on  the  same 
principle  on  which  any  distinguishing 
badge  or  ensign  is  in  our  own  and  other 
languages  employed  to  signify  the  per- 
sons or  bodies  by  whom  it  is  borne. 

Tl   That  they  may  be  joined  unto 

thee.  Heb.  yillavu,  from  the  root  Idvdh, 
signifying  to  join,  to  couple,  to  associate. 
From  this  root  comes  the  name  Levi, 
the  reason  of  which  was  assigned  by 
his  mother  at  his  birth.  Gen.  29 :  34, 


thy  father,  bring  thou  with  thee, 
that  they  may  be  joined  *  unto 
thee,  and  minister ''  unto  thee  : 
but   thou  and  '^  thy  sons    with 


.6,7. 


"Now  this  time  will  my  husband  be 
joined  unto  me."  And  the  term  here 
employed  displays  a  peculiar  parano- 
masia,  or  play  upon  words,  equivalent 
to  "  may  be  Levited,"  i.  e.  adjoined  to 
or  associated  with  the  priests.  They 
shall  conjointly  perform  the  sacred  of- 
fice, but  the  priests  shall  be  principal, 
the  Levites  their  associates  or  assist- 
ants. Gr.  prostethetosan,  let  them  be 
added.  This  Gr.  word  as  the  rendering 
of  the  Heb.  Idvdh  occurs  several  times 
in  the  Old  Testament,  and  is  thence 
transferred  to  the  New.  The  following 
passages  especially  receive  illustrative 
light  from  the  usage  now  adverted  to. 
Is.  14:1,  "And  the  stranger  shall  be 
joined  {nilvdh,  Gr.  prostethesetai)  with 
them."  Is.  56  :  3,  "  Neither  let  the  son 
of  the  stranger  that  hath  joined  himself 
{hannilveh,  Gr.  prosheimenos)  to  the 
Lord  speak,  saying,"  etc.  Comp.  Is. 
56  :  6.  Jer.  50 :  5,  "  Come  and  let  w^join 
ourselves  {nilvu)  to  the  Lord  in  a  per- 
petual covenant."  Esth.  9:27,  "Upon 
all  such  as  joined  themselves  {hannilvim, 
Gr.  prostetheimenois)  unto  them."  Acts 
2 :  41,  47,  "  And  the  same  day  there 
were  added  unto  thtm  {(av.prosetethesan) 
about  three  thousand  souls."  Acts  2 :  47, 
"  And  the  Lord  added  (Gr.  prosetithei) 
unto  the  church  daily  such  as  should  be 
saved."  Acts  5  :  14,  "  And  believers 
were  the  more  added  {prosetithento)  to 
the  Lord."  Acts  11 :  24,  "  And  much 
people  was  added  (Gr.  prosetethe)  unto 
the  Lord."  These  heathen  converts, 
brought  into  the  Christian  church  by 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  were  the 
"  strangers  "  pointed  at  by  the  prophets 
of  the  old  economy  as  those  who  were 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


257 


thee  shall  minister  before  the 
tabernacle  of  witness. 

3  And  they  shall  keep  thy 
charge,  and  the  charge  of  all 
the  tabernacle  :  only  they  ^  shall 
not    come  nigh  the  vessels  of 


to  be  Levitically  adjoined  or  added  to 
the  covenant  people  in  the  latter  day. 
Their  accession  to  the  church  and  its 
divine  Head  was  represented  by  the 
adjunction  of  the  Levites  to  the  priestly 
order  under  the  Jewish  dispensation. 
The  following  passage  may  be  cited  in 
this  connection  as  a  parallelism  of  strik- 
ing character  : — Is.  66  :  21,  "  I  will  also 
take  of  them  for  priests  and  Levites, 
saith  the  Lord."  The  prophet  is  here 
speaking  of  the  accession  of  heathen 
converts  at  a  future  day  of  the  church. 

^  And  minister  unto  thee.     Heb. 

vesTidritTiuha,  lit.  sTiall  minister  thee, 
i.  e.  to  thee  ;  although  in  the  original, 
both  here  and  elsewhere  the  preposition 
to  or  for,  which  properly  pertains  to  the 
word,  is  wanting.  Gr.  leitourgeitosan, 
let  them  liturgize  for  thee.  Comp.  Xum. 
3:6.  8  :  26.  Deut.  10  :  8.  18  :  6,  7.  1  Sam. 

3  : 1.    2  Chron.  29  :  11. H  Before  the 

tabernacle  of  witness.  Heb.  "  Before 
the  tent  of  the  testimony."  Before  the 
Most  Holy  Place  in  which  the  ark  stood. 
The  common  priests,  but  not  the  Le- 
vites, ministered  before,  i.  e.  on  the  out- 
side of,  but  not  within,  this  inner  room, 
which  was  separated  from  the  outer  by 
a  vail.  It  was  only  the  high  priest  who 
penetrated  beyond  this  vail.  The  office 
of  the  Levites  was  to  assist  in  killing 
the  sacrifices,  taking  the  blood,  and  giv- 
ing it  to  the  priests  for  sprinkling,  and 
in  general  performing  all  the  more  me- 
nial parts  of  the  requisite  service  about 
the  Tabernacle  and  its  court.  The 
priests  served  at  the  altar  and  in  the 
Holy  Place. 


the  sanctuary  and  the  altar, 
that  neither  they,  nor  ye  also, 
die. 

4  And  they  shall  be  joined 
unto  thee,  and  keep  the  charge 
of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation, for  all  the  service  of  the 


Y.  3.  Th£y  shall  keep  the  charge.  Or, 
Heb.  "  Observe  thine  observation,  thy 
custody."  See  the  Note  on  ch.  3 :  7, 
where  this  phraseology  is  explained. 
TT  -^nd  the  charge  of  all  the  taber- 
nacle. Aaron  is  here  commanded  to 
make  a  strict  discrimination  between 
the  priestly  and  the  Levitical  orders ; 
the  Levites  having  nothing  to  do  but  to 
be  keepers  and  carriers  of  the  Taberna- 
cle and  its  utensils.  Upon  any  move- 
ment of  the  camp,  they  were  not  allow- 
ed so  much  as  to  handle  or  touch  the 
ark,  altar,  table,  or  candlestick,  but 
only  to  take  them  from  the  priests  when 
they  had  packed  them.  The  priests,  on 
the  other  hand,  were  to  use  the  Levites 
as  ministers,  and  by  their  constant  c&re 
and  admonitions  were  to  prevent  all 
others  from  incurring  the  divine  dis- 
pleasure, on  account  of  profane  intru- 
sions into  so  holy  a  function. ^  That 

neither  they  nor  ye  also  die.  They  for 
so  doing,  and  you  for  suffering  it. 

Y.  4.  And  they  shall  be  joined  unto 
thee.  Heb.  nihu,  that  is,  shall  be  ad- 
joined Levitically — the  same  term  with 
that  previously  used  in  a  similar  con- 
nection. A  Levite  was  an  adjunct. 
They  were  to  be  considered  as  an  ap- 
pended portion  of  that  general  body  of 
men  who  were  devoted  to  the  special 
service  of  God  in  the  work  of  the  sanc- 
tuary.  T[  For  all  the  service  of  the 

tent.  That  is,  for  the  heaviest  part  of 
the  service,  called  their  burden,  and 
mentioned  particularly  ch.  4  :  3,  4,  and 
throughout  the  rest  of  that  chapter. 
This  is  the  peculiar  import  of  the  ori- 


258 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


tabernacle  :  and  a  stranger  shall 
not  come  nigh  unto  you. 

5  And  ye  shall  keep  the 
charge  of  the  sanctuary,  and 
the  charge  of  the  '  altar ;  that 
there  be  no  wrath  ^  any  more 
upon  the  children  of  Israel. 

6  And  I,  behold,  I  have 
taken  your  brethren  the  Le- 
vites  from  among  the  children 


/  Ex.  30.  7,  etc.   Lev.  24. 


g  c.  16.  ■ 


of  Israel  ;  to  you  they  are  ^ 
given  as  a  gift  for  the  Lord,  to 
do  the  service  of  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation. 

7  Therefore  thou  '  and  thy 
sons  with  thee  shall  keep  your 
priest's  ofl&ce  for  every  thing  of 
the  altar,  and  within  ^'  the  vail ; 
and  ye  shall  serve  :  I  have  given 
your  priest's  office  unio  you  as 


ginal  aboddJi  from  the  root  dbdd,  to 
serve,  denoting  the  more  menial  kind 
of  services  such  as  pertained  especially 

to   bondmen. T[  A  stranger.     Even 

any  one  of  the  Israelites  who  was  not  a 
Levite  was  counted  a  stranger  in  this 
relation  ;  and  as  to  the  functions  of  the 
priests,  the  Levites  themselves  fell  into 
the  category  of  strangers,  v.  7.  See 
Note  on  ch.  3  :  10. 

V.  5.  Ye  shall  keep  the  charge  of  the 
sanctuary.  Heb.  "  Of  the  holy,  or  holi- 
ness." Gr.  "  Of  the  holies ;"  the  same 
term  as  that  employed  by  the  apostle, 
Heb.  9:2,  3,  in  reference  to  the  first 
tabernacle,  i.  e.  the  first  or  outer  room 
of  the  tabernacle  wherein  was  contain- 
ed the  Candlestick,  the  Table,  and  the 
Shew-bread.  The  inner  room,  by  way 
of  contradistinction,  was  called  the 
Holy  of  holies,  or  the  Holiest  of  all. 
To  "keep  the  charge  of  the  taber- 
nacle "  was  to  exercise  continual  care 
night  and  day  that  all  things  were 
kept  pure  and  uncorrupted,  and  admin- 
istered strictly  according  to  the  divine 

will. 1"  That  there  he  no  wrath  any 

more,  etc.  That  by  constant  care  and 
vigilance  all  occasions  of  wrath  might 
be  precluded.  "  The  preventing  of  sin 
is  the  preventing  of  wrath ;  and  the  mis- 
chief sin  has  done,  should  be  a  warn- 
ing to  us  for  the  future,  to  watch  against 
it  both  in  ourselves  and  others." — 
Henry. 


V.  6.  Have  taken  your  brethren  the 
Levites.  See  ch.  3  :  12,  41,  45.  8  :  6,  16, 
18,  with  the  Notes.  The  Levites  are 
here  denominated  "  brethren,"  that  the 
priests  might  not  be  prompted  to  de- 
spise or  disparage  them  by  reason  of 
the  inferior  capacity  in  which  they 
served.  On  the  contrary,  they  were  re- 
quired to  treat  them  with  kindness  and 

brotherly  affection. 1[  From  among 

the  children  of  Israel.     Heb.  "From 

out  of  the  midst." If  To  you  {they 

are)  given  (as)  a  gift  for  the  Lord. 
Though  directly  assigned  to  you  as 
servitors  and  assistants,  yet  let  it  not 
be  overlooked  that  this  gift  is  to  re- 
dound ultimately  to  the  Lord,  to  whom 
you  are  yourselves  given  as  ministers. 
V.  7.  Keep  yov,r  priesV  s  office  for  every 
thing  of  the  altar  and  within  the  vail. 
Keep  or  preserve  it  to  yourselves,  dis- 
charging its  functions,  and  allow  no 
other  person  to  invade  it.  This  you  are 
to  do  with  a  twofold  reference  to  the 
altar  of  burnt  offerings,  where  the  sacri- 
fices are  to  be  performed,  the  blood 
sprinkled,  etc. ;  and  also  to  all  that  is 
to  be  done,  whether  within  the  outer  or 
the  inner  vail,  as,  for  instance,  burning 
incense,   putting  on    the   shew-bread, 

and  lighting  the  lamps. T[  And  ye 

shall  serve.  "Not,  'Ye  shall  rule;'  it 
was  never  intended  that  they  should 
lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  but  '  Ye 
shall  serve  God  and  the  congregation.' 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


259 


a  service  of  gift :  and  the  stran- 
ger that  cometh  nigh  shall  be 
put  to  death. 


Note,  The  priesthood  is  a  service.  '  If 
anj  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  de- 
sireth  a  good  work.'  Ministers  must 
remember  that  thej  are  ministers,  that 
is,  servants ;  of  whom  it  is  required 
that  they  be  humble,  diligent,  and  faith- 
ful."— Henry. ^  A  service  of  gift. 

That  is,  a  service  freely  given  you,  and 
to  be  regarded  as  a  favor  and  a  privi- 
lege, imparting  at  the  same  time  a 
corresponding  duty  and  service.  The 
priest's  office,  viewed  as  a  "gift,"  was 
a  privilege,  and  as  a  "  service,"  a  work, 
according  to  the  language  of  the  apostle, 
1  Tim.  3:1,  "  If  a  man  desire  the  office 
of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work.'" 
The  Jewish  writers  explain  the  clause  ! 
t^s  :  "  I  have  given  it  unto  you  by  gift,  I 
that  none  should  say,  Ye  are  come  into 
it  of  yourselves,"  which  is  true  as  far 
as  it  goes,  but  comprises  not  the  whole 
sense.  It  is  a  declaration  clearing  the 
incumbents  of  the  sin  of  usurpation. 
T[  T/ie  stranger.  That  is,  any  Israel- 
ite, Levite,  or  whosoever  were  not  of  the 
seed  of  Aaron.    See  Note  on  ch.  3 :  10. 

Provision  for  the  Maintenance  of  fhe 
Priests  and  the  Levites. 
V.  8.  Behold,  I  also  have  given,  etc. 
The  general  line  of  duty,  both  for  priests 
and  Levites,  having  been  above  pre- 
scribed, the  Lord  now  provides  for 
their  maintenance,  which  was  to  be  de- 
rived from  certain  parts  of  the  votive 
and  free-will  offerings  that  came  upon 
the  altar.  They  had  the  skins  of  almost 
all  the  sacrifices,  and  they  had  a  con- 
siderable share  of  the  meat-oflfe rings, 
sin-offerings,  etc.  In  addition  to  this, 
they  had  a  money  stipend  also,  as  they 
were  entitled  to  the  price  of  what  was  re- 
deemed, as  the  first-born  of  man,  and  of 
those  beasts  which  could  not  be  offered 


8  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Aaron,  Behold,  I  also  have  given 
thee  the  charge  of  mine  heave- 
in  sacrifice.  The  various  first-fruits 
were  also  appropriated  to  them,  to- 
gether with  the  tithes  of  the  produce  of 
the  land ;  so  that  they  were,  on  the 
whole,  amply  provided  for.  On  this 
head,  the  following  remarks  of  Mi- 
chaelis  (Zaws  of  Moses,  p.  1,  §  52)  will 
be  seen  to  have  a  peculiar  pertinence  : 
"  If  we  would  duly  understand  the  ge- 
nius of  the  Mosaic  polity,  and  be  able, 
without  idle  wonder,  to  account  for  the 
rich  revenues  of  the  priests  and  Levites, 
we  must  learn  to  entertain  of  these  two 
descriptions  of  persons  ideas  complete- 
ly opposite  to  those  which  commonly 
prevail.  For  if  we  look  upon  them  in  no 
other  point  of  view  than  that  of  ministers 
of  religion,  their  revenues  cannot  but 
appear  exorbitant  beyond  all  bounds. 
A  tribe,  including  no  more  than  22,000 
males,  and,  of  course,  not  above  12,000 
arrived  at  man's  estate,  received  the 
tithes  of  600,000  Israelites ;  consequent- 
ly each  individual  Levite,  without  hav- 
ing to  deduct  seed  and  charges  of  hus- 
bandry, had  as  much  as  five  Israel- 
ites reaped  from  their  fields  or  gained 
from  their  cattle.  A  tribe,  which  did 
not  make  the Jifteenth  part  of  the  peo- 
ple, enjoyed  one  tenth,  of  the  whole  pro- 
duce of  the  lands,  and  many  other  priv- 
ileges besides.  For  mere  ministers  at 
the  altar,  mere  clergymen,  this  would 
have  been  far  too  much.  Guides  to  hap- 
piness we  certainly  should  have  cheaper ; 
nor  are  they  requisite  in  so  great  a  mul- 
titude. It  will,  however,  probably  be 
granted  me  that  for  the  whole  hody  of 
litei^ati,  that  is,  for  the  ministers  of  re- 
ligion, the  judges,  the  scribes,  and  keep- 
ers of  the  genealogical  registers,  and  the 
mathematicians  employed  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  police,  the  revenues  of  the 
Levites,  considerable  as  they  may  ap- 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


offerings  '  of    all   the   hallowed 
things  of  the  children  of  Israel; 


pear,  were  by  no  means  too  great."  It 
is,  however,  to  be  observed  in  this  con- 
nection, that  the  Levitical  tribe  cannot 
justly  be  compared  with  the  preachers 
of  the  Christian  dispensation.  "We 
nowhere  find,"  says  Michaelis,  "  that 
Moses  mentions,  even  en  passant^  any 
such  profession  as  that  of  our  clergy- 
men, or  that  he  instituted  preaching  on 
the  Sabbath.  The  circumstance  of  the 
priests  and  Levites  having  their  abode 
fixed  in  forty-eight  distinct  cities  of  their 
own,  altogether  incapacitated  them  from 
performing  the  duties  of  the  clergy  in  re- 
gard to  religious  instruction,  and  what 
we  call  the  cure  of  souls  :  for  what  more 
absurd  could  be  imagined,  than  our 
having  cities  in  which  several  hundred 
preachers  dwelt  together,  while  not  one 
lived  in  our  other  cities,  or  was  dispersed 
through  the  country.  A  clerical  class 
of  men  was  wanting  in  the  constitution 
of  the  Mosaic  church  and  state.  A  body 
of  doctors,  properly  so  called,  did  not 
exist  among  the  Jews  until  after  the 
Babylonish  captivity,  when  the  press- 
ing emergencies  of  the  church  required 
its  establishment ;  as  the  people,  from 
the  change  of  their  language  and  man- 
ners, could  no  longer  understand  their 
ancient  law  without  the  aid  of  expound- 
ers. With  all  this,  however,  the  Le- 
vites were  in  so  far  ministers  of  re- 
ligion as  they  performed  holy  cere- 
monies, copied  the  law,  and,  in  doubt- 
ful cases,  explained  it.  To  them  the 
original  of  the  law  was  committed, 
Deut.  31 :  9  ;  they  were  to  be  its  guard- 
ians, and  take  care  to  make  correct  tran- 
scripts of  it.  Printing  was  yet  for  many 
ages  unknown ;  and  an  order  of  learned 
clerks  {clerici),  that  is,  of  scribes,  was 
very  necessary  for  the  preservation  of 


unto  thee  have  I  given   them, 
by   reason   of  the    anointing"', 


books.  The  king  had  to  take  his  copy 
of  the  law  from  theirs,  Deut.  17  :  18. 
They  were  bound,  at  the  end  of  every 
seven  years,  to  read  over  the  law  in 
the  hearing  of  all  the  people,  Deut.  31 : 
10-13  ;  and  even  to  be  so  conversant  in 
it  that  they  could,  at  least  when  ques- 
tioned, give  instructions  concerning  re- 
ligion. In  so  far,  therefore,  were  they 
a  Spirituality,  and,  exactly  according 
to  the  ideas  of  the  middle  ages,  clerks, 
that  is,  people  who  could  handle  the 
pen,  and  who  transcribed  books  of 
importance.  All  these  circumstances 
taken  together,  rendered  the  Levites  a 
class  highly  important  and  useful  to 
the  state ;  and  it  was  not  unreasog- 
able  that,  as  a  learned  noblesse,  destined 
to  discharge  such  grave  duties,  they 
should  have  enjoyed  considerable  rev- 
enues." 

These  abundant  revenues  thus  pro- 
vided, would  have  the  effect  of  giving 
them  respectability  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people,  while  they  would  enable  them 
to  devote  themselves  the  more  entirely 
to  their  ministry  without  the  danger  of 
diversion  or  interruption  from  the  pres- 
sure of  worldly  cares.  The  principle  of 
this  provision  is  very  distinctly  recog- 
nized by  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  9  :  13,  14, 
"  Do  ye  not  know  that  they  which  min- 
ister about  holy  things  live  of  the  things 
of  the  temple?  and  they  which  wait  at 
the  altar  are  partakers  with  the  altar  ? 
Even  so  hath  the  Lord  ordained  that 
they  which  preach  the  gospel  should 
live  of  the  gospel."  The  fact  that  the 
priests  and  Levites  lived  thus  in  the 
main  upon  the  sacrifices  about  which 
they  were  employed,  seems  to  point  to 
that  spiritual  sustenance  which  the 
Lord's  ministerial  servants  find  in  the 


B.C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVin. 


261 


and  unto  thy  sons,  by  an  ordi- 
nance for  ever. 

9  This  shall  be  thine  of  the 
most  holy  things,  reserved  from 
the  fire  :  Every  oblation  of 
theirs,  every  "  meat-oflfering  of 
theirs,    and   every  sin-ofifering " 

n  Lev.  '2.  i,  3.     10.  l'>,  13.  o  Lev.  6.  -25,  26. 

duties  of  their  calling,  and  which  gives 
occasion  to  Henry  to  remark,  that 
"  God's  work  is  its  own  wages,  and 
his  service  carries  its  own  recompense 
along  with  it.  Even  in  keeping  God's 
commandments  there  is  great  reward. 
The  present  pleasures  of  religion  are 

part  of  its  pay," T[   The  charge  of 

mine  heave-offerings.  Heb.  "  The  keep- 
ing, or  observation,  of  mine  heave-oifer- 
ings."  Called  a  charge  or  keeping,  be- 
cause the}^  were  to  be  carefully  received 
and  reverently  and  devoutly  used  as 
gifts  from  the  Lord.  They  are  there- 
fore called  holy  things  (Chald.  "  sepa- 
rated things"),  and  were  to  be  eaten 
(some  of  them)  in  the  holy  place,  and 
by  clean  persons  only,  as  v.  9,  10,  11. 
T[  By  reason  of  the  anointing.  Im- 
plying that  it  was  not  so  much  on  the 
ground  of  their  personal  merits  that 
they  had  these  revenues  assigned  them, 
but  on  the  score  of  their  office;  by 
being  anointed  with  the  holy  oil  they 
were  consecrated  to  the  priestly  office. 
Thus,  Lev.  7  :  35,  after  defining  the  por- 
tion of  the  otFerings  which  was  to  the 
priests,  "  This  is  the  portion  of  the 
anointing  of  Aaron,  and  of  the  anoint- 
ing of  his  sons,  out  of  the  offerings  of 
the  Lord  made  by  fire." 

V.  9.  This  shall  be  thine  of  the  most 
holy  things.  Heb.  "  Of  the  holiness  of 
holinesses."  Gr.  "The  hallowed,  or 
sanctified,  holy"  things.  Of  the  dis- 
tinction between  most  holy  and  holy 
things,  see  Note  on  Lev.  2  :  3. H  {Re- 
served) from  the  fire.    That  is,  such 


of  theirs,  and  every  trespass- 
ofi"ering  ^  of  theirs,  which  they 
shall  render  unto  me,  shall  he 
most  holy  for  thee  and  for  thy 
sons. 

10  In  ^  the  most  holy  place 
shalt  thou  eat  it;    every  male 


p  Le^ 


q  Lev.  6.  16,  etc. 


sacrifices,  or  such  parts  of  sacrifices,  as 
were  not  burnt  in  the  fire.  Chald,  "  Left, 
or  remaining,  from  the  fire,"  These, 
however,  did  not  include  all  the  most 
holy  things  allotted  to  the  priests,  for 
they  were  entitled  to  the  twelve  loaves 
taken  off  from  the  table  of  show-bread 

every  Sabbath. T[  Every  ohlation  of 

theirs.  Heb,  hoi  horhandm,  all  their 
korbans,  or  gifts.  This  appears  to  be 
a  general  term  embracing  all  the  par- 
ticulars that  follow,  q.  d,  every  oblation 
of  theirs,  to  wit,  every  meat-offering, 

every   sin-offering,   etc. T[    Which 

they  shall  render  unto  me.  Or,  Heb, 
"  Which  they  shall  return,  or  restore, 
unto  me."  These  words  seem  to  refer 
to  the  clause  immediately  foregoing, 
that  is,  they  allude  to  the  compensation 
which  was  to  be  made  to  the  Lord  for  a 
trespass  committed,  a  ram  of  atone- 
ment being  usually  prescribed  in  that 
case,  as  appears  from  Num.  5  :  8  com- 
pared with  Lev,  6  :  2-6,  All  such  offer- 
ings are  said  to  be  "  most  holy "  to 
Aaron  and  his  sons,  because  they  were 
specially  set  apart  for  them  and  to  be 
used  by  none  else. 

V.  10.  Ifi  the  most  holy  (place)  shalt 
thou  eat  it.  Heb.  "  Holy  of  holies,  oi 
holiness  of  holinesses,"  This  is  the 
term  usually  employed  to  denote  the 
inner  recess  or  room  of  the  Tabernacle 
in  contradistinction  from  the  outer, 
called  "  the  holy  place."  But  here  it 
evidently  has  another  import,  as  the 
most  holy  place  of  the  Tabernacle  was 
never  used  as  a  place  for  eating.    It 


262 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


shall  eat  it:    it  shall  be  holy 
unto  thee. 

11  And  this  is  thine  :  the 
heave-ojffering  ''  of  their  gift, 
with  all  the  wave-offerings  of 
the  children  of  Israel :    I  have 


here  denotes  the  court  of  the  priests, 
where  there  were  places  for  this  use, 
and  which  is  here  called  "  most  holy," 
not  in  an  absolute,  but  in  a  compara- 
tive sense,  as  this  in  respect  to  the 
outer  court,  and  much  more  in  respect 
to  the  whole  camp  of  Israel,  was  a  most 
holy  place,  as  not  being  accessible  for 
this  purpose,  but  to  a  holy  and  sepa- 
rated class  of  persons.  Moreover,  it 
might  properly  be  so  termed  from  its 
being  the  most  holy  of  all  the  places 
appointed  for  the  eating  of  holy  things, 
of  which  some  might  be  eaten  in  any 
clean  place  in  the  camp  (Lev.  10  :  14), 
or  in  their  own  houses.  That  this  is 
the  true  interpretation  appears  from 
Lev.  6  :  16,  where  it  is  said  of  the  un- 
leavened bread,  "  It  shall  be  eaten  in 
the  holy  place  ;  in  the  court  of  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  congregation  shall  they 
eat  it."  See  Note  in,  loc.  Pool  re- 
marks, "  As  the  most  holy  place  is 
sometimes  called  simply  holy,  so  it  is 
not  strange  if  a  holy  place  be  called 
raost  holy,  especially  this  place  which 
was  near  to  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings, 
which  is  called  most  holy,  and  made  all 
that  touched  it  holy,  Ex.  29  :  37."  It 
appears  that  there  were  chambers  for 
similar  uses  in  the  temple,  Neh.  13  :  5, 
9.  Compare  also  what  is  said,  Ezek. 
42  :  13,  respecting  the  spiritual  temple 
that  was  to  distinguish  the  latter  days. 
"Then  said  he  unto  me.  The  north 
chambers  and  the  south  chambers, 
which  are  before  the  separate  place, 
they  be  holy  chambers,  where  the 
priests  that  approach  unto  the  Lord 


given  them  unto  thee  *,  and  to 
thy  sons,  and  to  thy  daughters 
with  thee,  by  a  statute  for  ever: 
every  one  that  is '  clean  in  thy 
house  shall  eat  of  it. 

12  All  the  best  of  the  oil. 


shall  eat  the  most  holy  things :  there 
shall  they  lay  the  most  holy  things,  and 
the  meat-oflering,  and  the  sin-ofiering, 
and  the  trespass-offering ;  for  the  place 

is  holy." Tl  Every  male  shall  eat  it. 

Restricted  to  males,  because  the  wives 
and  daughters  of  priests  are  el sse where 
forbidden  to  eat  of  the  most  holy  things, 
as  they  did  of  the  simply  holy  and  com- 
mon things.  See  v.  11,  13,  19.  Lev. 
6  :  18,  29.  7  :  .6.  Under  the  Gospel,  all 
such  restriction  is  done  away  ;  "  there 
is  neither  male  nor  female ;  all  are  one 

in  Christ  Jesus."     Gal.  S  :  28. H  It 

shall  he  holy  unto  thee.  Not  lawful  for 
any  one  else.  Vulg.  "Consecrated  to 
thee." 

V.  11.  And  this  is  thine.  The  writer 
here  passes  on  to  the  recital  of  the  lesser 
or  lighter  holy  things,  which  might 
be  eaten  by  the  priests  with  their  sons 
and  daughters,  and  male  and  female 
servants,   and   that,   too,    without  the 

sanctuary. T[  The  heave-offering  of 

their  gift,  etc.  That  is,  the  right 
shoulder  and  the  heave-breast  of  their 
peace-offerings,  for  these  were  to  be 
given  to  the  priests,  as  also  the  right 
shoulder  of  the  ram  of  atonement,  men- 
tioned ch.  6  :  19,  20.  Comp.  Lev.  7  :  11, 
12,  14,  30-34. 

Y.  12.  All  the  lest  of  the  oil.  Heb. 
"  All  the  fat  of  the  new  oil."  Chald. 
"  All  the  best."  Gr.  "  All  the  first- 
fruits."  This  is  an  Hebraism,  whereby 
"  fat"  is  often  used  for  what  is  good  or 
for  the  best  of  any  thing.  Comp.  Gen. 
27  :  28.  45  :  18.  Deut.  32  :  14.  Ps.  81 :  17. 
It  is  equivalent  to  our  phraseology  when 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


263 


and  all  the  best  of  the  wine, 
and  of  the  wheat,  the  first- 
fruits  "  of  them  which  they  shall 
offer  unto  the  Lord,  them  have 
1  given  thee. 

u  Ex.  -3.  19.    Deut.  18.  4.    Neh.  10.  35,  36. 


we  speak  of  the  best  part  as  the  cream 
of  any  thing.  Maimonides  says  ac- 
cordingly of  the  heave-offerings,  "  They 
heave  not  up  any  but  the  fairest."  The 
things  here  mentioned  were  allotted  for 
the  sustenance  of  the  priests.  Some 
of  the  first-fruits  of  their  land  were 
brought  to  the  Lord  at  their  great 
feasts,  as  a  sheaf  of  barley  at  the  feast 
of  the  passover  or  unleavened  bread, 
ch.  23  :  10,  and  two  loaves  of  new 
wheat  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  ch. 
23  :  17,  and  the  first  of  their  wine  and 
oil  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  But  these 
were  brought  in  the  name  of  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land  in  general.  Be- 
sides these,  therefore,  particular  indi- 
viduals were  to  bring  of  their  own  corn 
and  fruits  the  first-fruits  to  the  Lord  as 
prescribed  in  several  places,  Ex.  22  :  29. 
23  :  19,  concerning  which  no  other  direc- 
tions are  given  but  that  they  should  be, 
as  here  intimated,  of  the  first  and  the 
best,  the  precise  quantity  being  left  to 
the  free  impulse  of  the  donor,  who 
would  naturally  give  according  as  the 
divine  Providence  had  blessed  him  in 
his  basket  and  his  store. 

V.  13.  Whatsoever  is  first  r-ipe  in  the 
land.  That  is,  not  only  the  first-fruits 
of  the  oil  and  wine  and  wheat  above 
mentioned,  but  the  first-fruits  of  all 
other  grains,  and  all  fruit-trees,  etc. 
Upon  this  part  of  the  Mosaic  institute 
we  give  in  this  connection  the  substance 
of  what  Michaelis  remarks  on  the  sub- 
ject {Laws  of  Moses,  %  193).  "  First- 
lings and  first-fruits  constituted  a  very 
considerable  portion  of  the  salary  of  the 
priests.    Ever  since  the  exodus  from 


13  And  whatsoever  is  first 
ripe  in  the  land,  which  they 
shall  bring  unto  the  Lord,  shall 
be  thine  :  every  one  that  is 
clean  in  thine  house  shall   eat 

of  a. 

Egypt,  the  first-born  of  every  creature 
was  consecrated  to  God  in  remembrance 
of  the  terrible  judgment  which  accom- 
panied that  event.  But  the  following 
distinctions  were  to  be  observed  :  Beasts 
which  might  be  offered  in  sacrifice 
(that  is,  oxen,  sheep  and  goats)  could 
not  be  redeemed.  Their  blood  must  be 
sprinkled  on  the  altar,  and  their  fat 
consumed  upon  it ;  while  their  flesh  be- 
longed to  the  priest,  who  used  it  as  his 
share  of  the  sacrifice,  v.  17,  18.  All 
other  creatures,  which  could  not  be  of- 
fered as  victims  on  the  altar,  such  as  hu- 
man beings  and  unclean  beasts,  might 
be  redeemed.  In  the  case  of  a  first- 
born son  this  was  an  incumbent  duty 
on  his  parents ;  but  in  the  case  of  un- 
clean beasts,  such  as  asses,  camel'*, 
horses,  etc.,  it  remained  optional  to  the 
owners  to  redeem  them  or  not  as  they 
pleased.  The  redemption  of  a  child 
took  place  when  it  was  a  month  old,  v. 
10  ;  if  it  died  sooner,  the  parents  were 
not  obliged  to  redeem  it.  It  died,  as  it 
were,  to  God  and  to  the  priest,  to  whom 
it  previously  belonged.  As  to  the  child 
that  was  to  be  redeemed,  the  priest  was 
to  put  a  value  upon  it ;  and  as  all  chil- 
dren were  not  of  the  same  value,  it 
would  seem  that  a  weakly  child,  and 
likewise  the  child  of  very  poor  parents, 
were  estimated  at  a  lower  rate  ;  but  the 
father  had  always  to  give  something  as 
a  recognition  of  the  Lord's  right  to  the 
first-born.  Only  there  was  a  fixed  tax, 
beyond  which  the  priest  was  never  to 
go,  viz.,  five  shekels,  v,  16.  The  re- 
demption-money belonged  to  the  prie.st, 
V.  15.     Unclean  beasts  were  redeemed 


264 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


14  Every  "  thing  devoted  in 
Israel  shall  be  thine. 

15  Every  "  thing  that  openeth 
the  matrix  in  all  flesh,  which 
they  bring  unto  the  hoRD,  wheth- 
er it  be  of  men  or  beasts,  shall  be 
thine  :    nevertheless   the    first- 


by  giving  a  sheep  or  a  goat  instead  of 
them  ;  and  if  the  owner  did  not  choose 
to  do  so,  he  was  obliged  to  break  their 
necks,  Ex.  13  :  12,  13,  where  see  Notes. 
The  first-fruits  were  given  to  the  priest 
after  the  harvest  and  the  vintage,  from 
corn,  must,  oil,  and  likewise  from  the 
first  baked  bread  of  the  new  crop,  ch. 
15  :  20,  and  from  the  wool  of  the  sheep 
when  shorn,  Deut.  18  :  4.  This,  how- 
ever, was  a  gift,  the  greatness  of  which 
depended  entirely  on  the  giver's  pleas- 
ure. These  first-fruits  came  not  to  the 
altar;  they  belonged  merely  to  the 
priest ;  and  hence  it  was  lawful  to  use 
honey  and  leaven  along  with  them. 
Lev.  2  :  11.  Of  another  class  of  first- 
lings, see  Deut.  12 :  6.  14:23.  15:19-23, 
and  the  accompanying  Notes. 

V.  14.  Every  tiling  devoted.  Heb. 
^herem,  on  which  see  Note  on  Lev.  27  : 
28.  A  thing  devoted  was  something 
dedicated  to  God  by  vow  or  otherwise. 
Some  things  were  devoted  absolutely, 
and  provided  it  was  any  thing  that 
might  be  eaten  or  consumed  by  use,  it 
went  to  the  priest ;  but  such  things  as 
vessels  or  treasures  of  gold  and  silver 
were  dedicated  to  the  uses  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  could  not  be  otherwise  ap- 
propriated. 

V.  15.  Every  thing  that  openeth  the 
matrix.  Heb.  "  Every  opener,  or  open- 
ing, of  the  womb."  Gr.  "  Every  thing 
that  openeth  every  matrix  (or  womb)." 
See  Note  on  Ex.  13  :  2,  where  it  is  shown 
that  the  first-horn  are  intended,  and 
these  it  appears  from  Deut.  15:19.  Ex. 


born  of  man  shalt  thou  surely 
redeem  ^,  and  the  firstling  of 
unclean  beasts  shalt  thou  re- 
deem. 

16  And  those  that  are  to  be 
redeemed,  from  a  month  old 
shalt  thou  redeem,  according  to 

X  Ex.  13.  13.    34.  'iO. 


34 :  19,  were  to  be  males. — The  Notes 
upon  various  parallel  passages  referred 
to  in  the  margin  will  be  found  to  con- 
tain an  explanation  of  many  particu- 
lars on  which  we  cannot  here  dwell. 
V.  16.  Those  that  are  to  he  redeemed. 
That  is,  of  men,  but  not  the  unclean 
beasts  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
verse,  for  these  were  to  be  redeemed 
by  a  lamb,  Ex.  13 :  13,  and  that  after 
they  were  eight  days  old,  Ex.  22 :  30. 
"  Redemption  of  the  first-born  is  one  of 
the  rites  which  is  still  practised  among 
the  Jews.  According  to  Leo  of  Modena, 
it  is  performed  in  the  following  manner : 
— When  the  child  is  thirty  days  old,  the 
father  sends  for  one  of  the  descendants 
of  Aaron  :  several  persons  being  assem- 
bled on  the  occasion,  the  father  brings 
a  cup  containing  several  pieces  of  gold 
and  silver  coin.  The  priest  then  takes 
the  child  into  his  arms,  and  address- 
ing himself  to  the  mother,  says  :  Is  this 
thy  son? — Mother.  Yes. — Priest.  Hast 
thou  never  had  another  child,  male  or 
female,  a  miscarriage  or  untimely  birth  ? 
— Mother.  No, — Priest.  This  being 
the  case,  this  child,  as  first-born,  be- 
longs to  me.  Then,  turning  to  the 
father,  he  says :  If  it  be  thy  desire  to 
have  this  child,  thou  must  redeem  it, — 
Father.  I  present  thee  with  this  gold 
and  silver  for  this  purpose. — Priest. 
Thou  dost  wish,  therefore,  to  redeem 
the  child  ? — Father.  I  do  wish  so  to  do. 
— The  priest  then,  turning  himself  to 
the  assembly,  says:  Very  well;  this 
child,  as  first-born,  is  mine,  as  it  is 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


265 


thine  estimation ",  for  the  money 
of  five  '  shekels,  after  the  shekel 
of  the  sanctuary,  which  **  is 
twenty  gerahs. 

17  But  the  firstling' of  a  cow, 
or  the  firstling  of  a  sheep,  or  the 
firstling  of  a  goat,  thou  shalt  not 
redeem ;  they  are  holy :  thou 
shalt  sprinkle  '"  their  blood  upon 
the  altar,  and  shalt  burn  their 
fat  ybr  an  offering  made  by  fire, 
for  a  sweet  savour  unto  the 
Lord. 


k 


27.  2,  6.  I  c.  3.  47.  a  Ezek.  45.  12. 

5.  19.        c  Ex.  29.  16.  Lev.  3.  2,  5.  Heb.  li.  24. 


written  in  Bemidbar,  (Num.  18  :  16,) 
Thou  shalt  redeem  the  first-born  of  a 
month  old  for  five  shekels,  but  I  shall 
content  myself  with  this  in  exchange. 
He  then  takes  two  gold  crowns,  or 
thereabouts,  and  returns  the  child  to 
his  parents."—^.  Clarke. ^  Accord- 
ing to  thine  estimation,  for  the  money  of 
five  shekels.  Better,  "According  to 
thine  estimation,  even  the  money  (or 
amount)  of  five  shekels."  That  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  estimation  or  valuation 
prescribed  for  thee,  and  which  is  to  be 
of  universal  application.  The  sum  was 
fixed  at  this  number,  and  was  to  be 
uniform  whether  the  case  were  that  of 
a  rich  or  a  poor  man. 

V.  17.  The  firstling  of  a  cow,  etc.  In 
all  which  cases  a  male  is  to  be  under- 
stood, as  otherwise  it  was  not  sancti- 
fied or  given  to  the  priest. 1  Shalt 

not  redeem.  Thou  majest  not  give  the 
value  of  it,  or  any  other  for  it,  but  the 
beast  itself  was  to  be  given ;  neither 
might  the  owner  use  or  derive  any 
profit  from  it,  from  the  wool,  or  any 
thing  pertaining  to  it,  Deut.  15  :  19. 

V.  19.  It  is  a  covenant  of  salt  for  ever. 
That  is,  a  firm,  stable,  incorruptible  cov- 
enant, salt  being  an  emblem  of  per- 
pf  tuity.  In  like  manner  the  kingdom 
12 


18  And  the  flesh  of  them 
shall  be  thine,  as  '^  the  wave- 
breast  and  as  the  right  shoulder 
are  thiLe. 

19  All' the  heave-offerings  of 
the  holy  things,  which  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  offer  unto  the  Lord, 
have  I  given  thee,  and  thy  sons 
and  thy  daughters  with  thee,  by  a 
statute  for  ever  :  it  is  a  -^  cove- 
nant of  salt  for  ever  before  the 
Lord  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed 
with  thee. 


d  Ex.  29.  2rt,  '28.  Lev.  7.  34. 
2.13.     2Chr.  13.  5. 


/Lev. 


over  Israel  was  given  to  David  and  to 
his  sons  "  by  a  covenant  of  salt,"  2  Chr. 
13  :  5,  where  the  Gr.  has  "  an  everlast- 
ing covenant."  See  Xote  on  Lev.  2  :  13. 
"  It  is  generally  agreed  that  this  de- 
notes a  perpetual  and  incorruptible  cov- 
enant, with  a  particular  allusion  to  the 
preserving  properties  of  salt,  which  has, 
in  different  countries,  been  very  com- 
monly held,  on  that  account,  as  an  em- 
blem of  incorruptibility  and  perma- 
nence, of  fidelity  and  friendship.  It 
also  seems  that  there  is  a  particular 
reference  here  to  some  use  of  salt  in  the 
act  of  contracting  the  covenant;  and 
what  this  use  was,  is  rather  variously 
understood.  Some  think,  that,  as  with 
all  sacrifices  salt  was  offered,  a  cove- 
nant of  salt  means  one  confirmed  by 
solemn  sacrifices.  Others  are  of  opin- 
ion that  it  contains  an  allusion  to  the 
fact  that  covenants  were  generally  con- 
firmed by  the  parties  eating  together — 
an  act  to  which  the  use  of  salt  was  a 
necessary  appendage.  We  are  inclined 
to  combine  both  ideas,  and  to  say,  that 
the  phrase  alludes  generally  to  such  a 
custom  as  in  common  use,  and  more 
particularly  to  the  specific  covenant  in 
view,  in  which  we  may  safely,  from 
general  analogy,  understand,  that  salt 


266 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


20  And  the  Lord  spal^e  unto 
Aaron,  Thou'^  slialt  have  no  in- 
heritance in  their  land,  neither 


g  c.  26.  62. 


was  offered  on  the  altar  with  the  Lord's 
portion,  and  that  the  other  contracting 
party  ate  the  remainder  with  salt.  Thus 
both  parties  ate  the  salt  of  the  cove- 
nant ;  for  whatever  was  offered  on  the 
altar  was,  in  a  certain  sense,  considered 
as  the  Lord's  meat.  We  deduce  this 
interpretation  from  the  fact  that  in  the 
East  it  is  the  act  of  eating  salt  together 
which  constitutes  the  inviolability  of  an 
engagement.  And  this  selection  of  salt 
is,  in  our  apprehension,  not  exclusively 
or  principally  with  a  reference  to  its 
peculiar  properties,  but  because  salt, 
being  generally  mixed  with  all  kinds 
of  food,  does  practically  constitute  a  fair 
representation  of  the  whole  act  of  eat- 
ing. Hence  a  man  will  say  he  has  eaten 
salt  with  you,  when  he  has  partaken  of 
any  kind  of  food ;  and  he  will  also  say 
that  he  has  eaten  with  you,  when  haste 
or  any  other  circumstance  prevents  him 
from  doing  more  than  tasting  salt.  We 
have  been  the  more  desirous  to  explain 
this  matter,  because  travellers  have 
generally  stated  the  oriental  practice  in 
such  a  way  as  to  convey  the  impression 
that  the  act  of  eating  salt  as  a  pledge 
or  token  of  engagement,  was  something 
different  from,  and  more  solemn  than, 
the  act  of  eating  in  a  general  way  to- 
gether. But  the  principle  is  really  the 
same  in  both  ;  or  rather,  salt  is  the 
part,  colloquially  or  practically,  taken 
for  the  whole.  Thus  understood,  the 
act  of  "eating  salt"  is  considered  to 
imply,  even  without  any  explanation  to 
that  effect,  that  the  parties- will  be  faith- 
ful to  each  other  and  will  not  act  to 
each  other's  prejudice.  This  is  strictly 
incumbent  on  the  person  who  eats  the 
salt  of  another.  In  peculiar  cases  and 
emergencies  this  "  covenant  of  salt,"  is 


shalt  thou  have  any  part  among 
them :  I  '^  am  thy  part,  and  thine 


h  Dent.  10.  9. 
13.  14,  33.     14.  3 


12.  12.     14. 
IS.  7.     Ps. 


entered  into  with  a  distinct  understand- 
ing and  declaration  of  its  intention. 
Among  the  Desert  Arabs  and  other 
uncivilized  people,  a  covenant  thus 
ratified  is  rendered,  by  usage  and  the 
sentiment  of  honor,  far  more  inviolable 
than  those  engagements  to  which  they 
have  been  solemnly  sworn  :  and  to  such 
an  extent  does  this  feeling  operate  that 
the  unintentional  eating  with,  or  what 
belonged  to,  a  person  against  whom 
aggressive  designs  were  entertained,  is 
quite  sufficient  not  only  to  secure  him 
from  offensive  measures,  but  to  ensure 
him  protection  from  those  who  other- 
wise would  have  plundered  or  slain  him 
without  pity." — Pict.  Bible. 

V.  20.  TJiou  shalt  Jtave  no  inJieritance 
in  their  land.  The  words  are  address- 
ed to  Aaron  as  if  he  were  personally 
regarded  in  this  appointment,  but  he  is 
evidently  to  be  considered  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  his  order  and  his  tribe. 
He  himself  died  before  entering  the 
promised  land,  consequently  the  words 
have  respect  to  his  posterity.  They 
were  to  have  no  inheritance  in  the  land 
appropriated  to  their  brethren  of  the 
other  tribes  ("  thei)'  land  ").  By  which 
is  meant  that  they  were  not  to  have  a 
distinct  and  separate  allotment  of  terri- 
tory, as  had  each  of  the  other  tribes, 
though  they  had  several  cities,  with  the 
adjacent  suburbs,  appropriated  to  their 
use.  These  cities,  however,  they  did 
not  properly  possess  as  their  own,  as 
an  inheritance.  They  held  them  of  the 
other  tribes,  within  whose  bounds  they 
were  situated.  It  is  not  difficult  to 
assign  adequate  reasons  for  this  law. 
(1.)  The  Lord  had  made  ample  provi- 
sion for  their  support  in  the  tithes, 
first-fruits,  oblations,  etc.  which  were 


B.  0. 1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVm. 


267 


inheritance,  among  the  children 
of  Israel. 

set  apart  to  them  for  that  purpose. 
(2.)  He  would  have  them  free  from 
worldly  encumbrances  and  cares,  that 
they  might  devote  themselves  more  en- 
tirely to  the  service  of  God  in  the  func- 
tions prescribed  them.  (3.)  The  ends 
aimed  at  in  the  institution  of  such  an 
order  required  that  when  not  serving 
at  the  sanctuary  they  should  be  dis- 
persed among  the  people,  to  whom 
they  would  serve  as  a  bond  of  union. 
(4.)  Their  sequestration  from  secular 
interests,  and  their  entire  dependence 
upon  the  special  providence  of  the  Lord, 
would  afford  a  striking  specimen  of  a 
heavenly  life,  and  tend  to  call  off  the 
minds  of  the  nation  at  large  from  pla- 
cing too  great  a  value  upon  earthly 
things.  (5.)  The  arrangement  would 
tend  also  to  strengthen  the  ties  of  char- 
ity and  brotherly  kindness  between 
them  and  the  other  tribes,  the  Levites 
ministering  to  those  tribes  in  spiritual 
things,  and  they  to  them  in  temporal 

things. H  Xeither  shall  thou  have 

part  among  them.  It  is  reasonable  to 
conclude  that  these  words  do  not  mean 
precisely  the  same  with  those  in  the 
preceding  clause.  There  is  doubtless 
some  distinction  to  be  understood  be- 
tween "  inheritance  "  and  "  portion." 
The  original,  'hi-leJ:.,  here  rendered  por- 
tion^ is  indeed  in  some  cases  spoken  of 
a  part  or  portion  of  land,  as  Josh.  15  : 
13.  19  :  9.  Yet  for  the  most  part  it  is 
applied  to  the  part,  portion,  or  share 
of  the  spoils  taken  from  a  conquered 
enemy ;  and  so  it  might  here  be  prop- 
erly understood  of  the  spoils  obtained 
in  the  wars  with  the  Canaanites,  which 
were  of  great  value,  but  which  were 
forbidden  to  the  sous  of  Levi,  because 
the  Lord  himself  was  to  be  their  part 
and  portion.  Of  these  spoils  Joshua 
says,  ch.  22 : 8,  "  Return  with  much 
f 


21  And,  behold,  I  have  given 
the    children   of   Levi   all   the 

riches  unto  your  tents,  and  with  very 
much  cattle,  with  silver,  and  with  gold, 
and  with  brass,  and  with  iron,  and  with 
very  much  raiment :  divide  the  spoil 
of  your  enemies  with  your  brethren." 
But  in  this  division  the  Levites  were  to 
have  no  share,  the  Lord  himself  and  the 
holy  things  of  his  service  having  been 
appointed  their  portion.  They  were 
called  to  war  another  kind  of  warfare 
in  the  Lord's  sanctuary,  as  appears  from 
ch.  4  :  23,  where  see  Note.  The  Hebrew 
writers  say  on  this  head,  "  All  the  tribe 
of  Levi  are  warned  that  they  have  no 
inheritance  in  the  land  of  Canaan ;  like- 
wise they  are  warned  that  they  take  no 
part  of  the  spoil  at  the  time  when  they 

conquer  the  cities." \  I  am  thy  part 

and  thine  inheritance.  As  Israel  was 
a  peculiar  people,  and  not  to  be  num- 
bered among  the  nations ;  so  Levi  was 
a  peculiar  tribe,  and  not  to  be  settled 
as  the  rest  of  the  tribes,  but  in  all  re- 
spects distinguished  from  them.  "  A 
good  reason  is  given  why  they  must 
have  '  no  inheritance  in  the  land,'  for, 
says  God,  '  I  am  thy  part  and  thine  in- 
heritance.' Note.  Those  that  have  God 
for  their  Inheritance  and  their  Portion 
for  ever,  ought  to  look  with  a  holy  in- 
difference and  contempt  upon  the  inher- 
itances of  the  world,  and  not  covet  their 
portion  in  it.  The  Levites  shall  have 
no  inheritance,  and  yet  they  shall  live 
very  comfortably  and  plentifully — to 
teach  us  that  Providence  has  various, 
ways  of  supporting  those  that  live  in  a 
dependence  upon  it ;  the  fowls  reap  not, 
and  yet  are  fed ;  the  lilies  spin  not,  and 
yet  are  clothed ;  the  Levites  have  no 
inheritance  in  Israel,  and  yet  live  bet- 
ter than  any  other  tribe." — Henry. 

Y.  21.  And,  behold,  I  have  given  all 
the  tenth.  He  now  announces  the  pro- 
vision specifically  made  for  the  Levites, 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


tenth '  in  Israel  for  an  inherit- 
ance, for  their  service  which 
they  serve,  even  the  service  of 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion. 

22  Neither  must  the  children 
of  Israel  henceforth  come  nigh 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, lest  they  bear  sin,  and 
die*. 


t  Lev.  Q7.  30,  32. 


k  c.  1.51. 


as  he  had  before  that  made  for  the 
priests.  "  The  covenant  of  salt  for 
ever,"  says  Chazkuni,  "was  to  the  Le- 
vites  also."  Though  the  smallest  of  all 
the  tribes,  yet  they  were  to  have  a  tenth 
part  of  all  the  products  of  the  land, 
without  the  trouble  and  expense  of 
ploughing  and  sowing.  But  the  details 
of  the  provision  will  appear  in  what 

follows. T[  For  their  service  which 

they  serve.  That  is,  as  a  compensation 
for  their  services,  the  specific  nature  of 
which  is  more  fully  declared  in  ch.  4. 

Vs.  22,  23.  Neither  must  the  children 
of  Israel  henceforth  come  nigh.  That  is, 
so  nigh  as  to  do  any  act  appropriate  to 
the  priests  or  Levites,  as  had  been  at- 
tempted by  Korah  and  his  company. 

H  Lest  they  hear  sin  and  die.     Heb. 

"Lest  they  bear  sin  to  die."  That  is, 
incur  guilt  to  such  a  degree  as  to  ex- 
pose ihem  to  die.  Gr.  "  To  bear  a 
deadly,  or  death-bringing  sin."  "  This 
order  seems  set  in  opposition  to  that 
concerning  the  priests  and  Levites,  that 
they  should  have  "no  inheritance  in 
Israel,"  to  show  how  God  dispenses  his 
favors  variously.  The  Levites  have 
the  honor  of  attending  the  Tabernacle, 
which  is  denied  to  the  Israelite;  but 
then  the  Israelites  have  the  honor  of 
inheritances  in  Canaan,  which  is  denied 
the  Levites ;  thus  each  is  kept  from 
either  envying  or  despising  the  other. 


23  But '  the  Levites  shall  do 
the  service  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation,  and  they  shall 
bear  their  iniquity.  li  shall  he 
a  statute  for  ever  throughout 
your  generations,  that  among 
the  children  of  Israel  they  have 
no  inheritance. 

24  But  the  tithes '"  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  which  they  offer 

/  c.  3.  7.  m  ver.  21.  Neh.  10.  37,     12.  44. 

Mai.  3.  8-10.   Heb.  7.  5-9. 


and  both  have  reason  to  rejoice  in  their 
lot.  The  Israelites  must  not  "  come 
nigh  the  tabernacle,"  but  then  the  Le- 
vites must  have  "  no  inheritance  in  the 
land  ;  "  if  ministers  expect  that  people 
should  keep  in  their  sphere,  and  not  in- 
termeddle with  sacred  offices,  let  them 
keep  in  theirs,  and  not  entangle  them- 
selves in  secular  affairs." — Henry. 

T[  They  shall  bear  their  iniquity.  That 
is,  they  shall  bear  the  punishment  of 
their  own  iniquity  if  they  transgress, 
and  that  of  the  people  if  they  suffer 
them  to  transgress.  Thus  Sol.  Jarchi : — 
"  They,  the  Levites,  shall  bear  the  ini- 
quity of  the  Israelites,  for  it  is  their 
duty  to  warn  strangers  of  coming  near 
to  them."  It  was  upon  this  ground 
that  the  priests  withstood  king  Uzziah, 
when  he  would  have  burnt  incense  to 
the  Lord,  2  Chron.  26  :  17,  18. 

V.  24.  Which  they  offer  (as)  a?i  heave- 
offering.  Heb,  "  Which  they  heave 
up."  Gr,  and  Chald,  "Which  they 
separate  unto  the  Lord."  It  is  not 
probably  to  be  understood  that  they 
were  actually  heaved  up  or  waved  be- 
fore the  Lord,  but  they  were  virtually 
so  dealt  with  by  being  consecrated  and 
set  apart  to  divinely  appointed  uses. 
The  words  contain  essentially  an  ad- 
monition to  the  people,  that  as  it  was 
the  express  will  of  Jehovah  that  the 
Levites  should  have    no   determinate 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


269 


as  an  heave-offering  unto  the 
Lord,  I  have  given  to  the  Le- 
vites  to  inherit :  therefore  I  have 
said  unto  them,  Among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  they  shall  have  no 
inheritance. 

25  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

26  Thus  speak  unto  the  Le- 
vites,  and  say  unto  them.  When 
ye  take  of  the  children  of  Israel 
the  tithes  which  I  have  given 
you  from  them  for  your  inherit- 
ance, then  ye  shall  offer  up 
an  heave-offering  of  it  for  the 


portion  of  land,  but  should  be  subsisted 
upon  the  tithes  of  the  yearly  product 
of  the  land,  so  the  people  were  not  to 
grudge  them  their  due,  but  were  to  pay 
it  as  an  offering  to  God  the  supreme 
Proprietor,  who  had  bestowed  it  upon 
them  as  truly  and  as  completely  as  he 
had  the  lands  upon  the  other  tribes. 

V.  26.  A  tenth  {part)  of  the  titlie.  Or, 
"  the  tithe  of  the  tithes,"  as  it  is  ren- 
dered Neh.  10  :  38.  A  divine  order  is 
here  communicated  through  Moses,  re- 
quiring that,  as  the  whole  nation  paid 
an  annual  tenth  to  the  Levites,  so  they 
also  in  gratitude  to  the  Lord  and  as  a 
token  of  their  subserviency  to  the 
priests,  should  regularly  pay  a  tenth 
of  that  tithe  to  the  priesthood,  who  re- 
ceived, therefore,  oue  hundredth  part 
of  the  produce  of  the  lands  and  herds. 
"  The  Levites  were  to  give  God  his 
dues  out  of  the  tithes,  as  well  as  the 
Israelites  out  of  their  increase.  They 
were  God's  tenants,  and  rent  was  ex- 
pected from  them,  nor  were  they  ex- 
empted by  their  office.  Thus  now,  min- 
isters must  be  charitable  out  of  what 
they  receive ;  and  the  more  freely  they 
have  received,  the  more  freely  they 
must  give,  and  be  examples  of  liberali- 
ty."— Henry. \  Ye  shall  offer  up  an 


Lord,  even  a  tenth  part  "  of  the 
tithe. 

27  And  ihis  your  heave-offer- 
ing shall  be  reckoned  unto  you, 
as  though  "  it  were  the  corn  of 
the  threshing-floor,  and  as  the 
fulness  of  the  wine-press. 

28  Thus  ye  also  shall  offer 
an  heave-offering  unto  the  Lord 
of  all  your  tithes  which  ye  re- 
ceive of  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  ye  shall  give  thereof  the 
Lord's  heave-offering  to  Aaron 
the  priest. 


heave-offering  of  it  for  the  Lord.  That 
is,  they  were  to  look  upon  this  tribute 
in  the  light  of  an  offering  or  oblation  to 
the  Most  High,  who,  if  they  rendered  it 
punctually  and  heartily,  would  accept 
it  as  favorably  as  he  did  the  tithes  of 
the  whole  nation  paid  to  them.  The 
language  is  pregnant  in  meaning,  teach- 
ing us  that  whatever  we  bestow  upon 
the  Lord's  people,  out  of  sincere  regard 
to  his  will,  is  bestowed  upon  him,  who 
will  never  be  unmindful  of  our  bene- 
factions. Litei-al  heave-offerings  are 
not  now  required  of  us,  but  prayers 
and  praises  lifted  up  to  God,  or  the 
heart  lifted  up  in  them,  will  be  regard- 
ed as  a  virtual  equivalent. 

V.  27.  Shall  he  reckoned  unto  you,  etc. 
That  is,  though  this  tithe  thus  paid  was 
not  the  fruit  of  their  ground,  nor  of 
their  own  labor,  as  were  the  tithes 
of  other  Israelites,  yet  being  such  as 
they  had,  and  being  cordially  offered, 
it  would  be  as  readily  accepted  as  if  it 
were,  and  should  be  accredited  to  them 
as  such. 

V.  28.  To  Aaron  the  priest.  Not  so 
much  to  Aaron  in  person,  as  to  Aaron 
the  head  and  representative  of  his  tribe. 
His  successors  in  the  high-priesthood 
were  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  this  law, 


270 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  .1471. 


29  Out  of  all  your  gifts  ye 
shall  offer  every  heave-offering 
of  the  Lord,  of  all  the  best 
thereof,  even  the  hallowed  part 
thereof,  out  of  it. 

30  Therefore  thou  shalt  say 
unto  them.  When  ye  have  heaved 
the  best  thereof  from  it.  then^  it 
shall  be  counted  unto  the  Le- 
vites   as   the    increase    of    the 

p  ver.  27. 


together  with  the  inferior  priests  con- 
nected with  him. 

V.  29.  Out  of  all  your  gifts,  etc.  That 
is,  out  of  the  various  gifts  bestowed, 
by  the  divine  appointment,  upon  the 
priestly  order,  embracing  not  only  the 
tenth  of  their  tithes,  but  the  tenth  also 
of  other  things,  as  of  their  own  grounds, 
the  suburbs  and  fields  given  to  the  Le- 

vites  by  the  ordinance,  Num.  35  :  4. 

T[  Ye  shall  offer  every  heave-offering 
of  the  Lord.  Heb.  tarimu  tcrumah, 
shall  heave  an  heave-offering.  This  was 
to  be  actually  presented  to  the  priest, 
but  being  done  by  the  Lord's  order, 
and  in  his  name,  it  is  accounted  as  an 

offering  made  to  the  Lord  himself. 

\  Of  all  the  best  thereof.  Not  perhaps 
that  all  the  tithe  was  to  be  taken  out 
of  the  very  best  part  of  the  crop,  and 
none  out  of  the  more  inferior ;  but  that 
it  should  consist  of  the  best  as  well  as 
of  the  worst ;  or,  in  other  words,  that 
the  people  should  pay  to  the  Levites, 
and  the  Levites  to  the  priests,  as  good 
of  every  thing  as  they  retained  for  them- 
selves.  \  Even    the   hallowed  part 

thereof  out  of  it.  Heb.  eth  migdesho, 
its  consecration,  or  that  part  which  was 
especially  consecrated  by  being  set 
apart  and  devoted  to  a  holy  use. 

V.  30.  It  shall  he  counted  unto  the  Le- 
vites, etc.  That  is,  that  when  they  had 
thus  complied  with  the  divine  injunc- 
tion, and  first  paid  the  priests  their  ap- 


threshing-floor,   and  as  the  in- 
crease of  the  wine-press. 

31  And  ye  shall  eat  it  in 
every  place,  ye  and  your  house- 
holds :  for  it  is  your  reward  ^  for 
your  service  in  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation. 

32  And  ye  shall  bear  '  no  sin 
by  reason  of  it,  when  ye  have 
heaved  from  it  the  best  of  it : 


7  Mat.  10.  1( 
3.     1  Tim.  5. 


Luke  10.  7.    1  Cor.  9.  13.    2  Cor.  12. 
r  Lev.  19,  8.    22.  16. 


propriate  tithes,  they  might  use  the  re- 
mainder as  freely  as  any  man  in  Israel 
could  use  the  corn  or  the  wine  of  his 
own  land  when  he  had  paid  the  pre- 
scribed tithes. 

Y.  31.  Ye  shall  eat  it  in  every  place. 
They  might  have  the  enjoyment  of  it 
with  their  families  in  their  own  houses, 
or  any  where  else  that  might  seem  good 
to  them,  provided  the  place  were  clean. 
The  tithes  were  thus  distinguished  from 
the  other  holy  things  allotted  to  the 
priests,  which,  being  offered  at  the 
altar,  were  to  be  eaten  only  in  the 
holy  place;  but  the  tithes,  though  a 
species  of  offering  to  the  Lord,  yet  not 
being  presented  at  the  altar,  might  be 
eaten  any  where ;  provided  only  the 
priestly  dues  were  previously  paid  out 
of  them, 

V.  32.  Ye  shall  hear  no  sin  hy  reason 
of  it.  Ye  shall  not  incur  guilt,  nor  suf- 
fer punishment  by  eating  it  with  your 
households.  This,  however,  they  would 
do,  if  they  heaved  not,  or  separated  a 
tenth  part  of  the  best  of  it,  as  above 
commanded.  Their  "  heaving  "  or  of- 
fering from  it  its  best  portion  would 
prevent  its  being  an  occasion  of  in- 
iquity, and    consequently  of  penalty. 

Tf  Neither  shall  ye  pollute,  etc.    A 

general  warning,  both  to  priests  and 
Levites,  that  the  holy  things  of  the 
people  be  not  profaned  by  them,  nor  be 
suffered  to  be  profaned  by  others. 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


271 


neither    shall    ye  pollute '  the 

holy  things  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  lest  ye  die. 

«  Lev.  22.  2,  15.     Mai.  1.7.  1  Cor.  11.  27,  29. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Ordinance  of  the  Red  Heifer. 

The  sudden  death  of  so  many  Israel- 
ites as  had  fallen  under  the  stroke  of 
the  recent  judgments,  had  ptit  great 
numbers  of  their  friends  and  relatives 
into  a  state  of  legal  uncleanness,  which 
made  them  incapable  of  approaching 
the  Tabernacle  for  divine  worship,  and 
which  was  one  ground  of  the  extreme 
consternation  expressed  by  them,  ch. 
17 :  12,  13.  To  relieve  their  minds  of 
undue  apprehension  on  this  score,  the 
Lord  here  enacts  a  standing  ceremony 
fur  the  purification  of  all  such  kinds  of 
uncleanness,  the  performance  of  which 
should  render  them  again  capable  of 
being  admitted  to  public  worship.  The 
ordinance  enjoined  was  one  of  the  most 
onerous  of  all  that  mass  of  observances 
which  was  imposed  upon  the  Jews,  and 
of  which  it  is  said  by  the  apostle  Peter 
that  they  constituted  "  a  yoke  which 
neither  they  nor  iheir  fathers  were  able 
to  bear."  This  kind  of  defilement  which 
was  to  be  remedied  was  as  light  and 
venial  as  could  well  be  conceived;  it 
implied  no  moral  guilt  whatever ;  nor 
could  it  possibly  in  some  cases  be  avoid- 
ed ;  yet  it  rendered  a  person  unclean 
seven  days;  and  every  thing  that  he 
touched  was  also  made  unclean ;  and 
every  person  who  might,  however  inad- 
vertently, come  in  contact  with  any 
thing  that  had  been  touched  by  him, 
was  also  made  unclean.  Moreover,  if 
any  person  that  had  contracted  this 
ceremonial  defilement  concealed  it,  or 
refused  to  submit  to  the  prescribed 
form  of  purification,  he  was  to  be  cut 
off  from  the  Lord's  people.  Add  to 
this,  that  the  rite  was  of  such  a  nature 


A 


CHAPTER   XTX. 

ND   the    Lord   spake   unto 


Moses 
saying, 


and    unto    Aaron, 


that  even  in  applying  it  there  was  a 
continual  liability  to  the  contraction  of 
fresh  defilement.  The  priest  who  oflS- 
ciated,  the  man  that  burnt  the  heifer, 
he  that  gathered  up  the  ashes,  he  that 
prepared,  he  that  sprinkled,  and  even 
he  that  touched  the  water — all  became 
unclean.  Who,  then,  can  wonder  that 
the  nation  of  Israel  should  have  groaned 
under  the  yoke  of  ceremonies  in  their 
own  land  almost  as  much  as  they  did 
under  the  yoke  of  bondage  in  the  land 
of  Egypt !  Who  can  be  surprised  that 
they  should  have  longed  for  the  coming 
of  the  promised  Messiah,  who  was  to 
deliver  them  from  such  an  oppressive 
burden  !  As  to  the  reasons  which  gov- 
erned the  appointment  of  this  peculiar 
rite,  we  are  aware  that  the  learned  have 
endeavored  to  show  that  it  pointed, 
by  way  of  contravention,  to  some  of 
the  superstitions  of  the  heathen  world 
around  them,  especially  the  Egyptians. 
Spencer,  in  his  great  work  on  "  The 
Laws  of  the  Hebrews,"  goes  elaborate- 
ly into  this  argument,  and  incidentally 
throws  valuable  light  upon  many  fea- 
tures of  the  ordinance.  He  shows  that 
while  the  Egyptians  sacrificed  red  bulls 
and  oxen,  red  heifers  or  cows  were 
never  offered  by  them  upon  their  altars, 
but  held  sacred  to  Isis.  So  in  various 
other  particulars,  he  would  trace  an  ex- 
press design  to  counteract  the  ideas  of 
the  Egyptians  in  regard  to  sacrificial 
worship.  The  reader  will  find  this  view 
of  the  subject  satisfactorily  unfolded 
in  Mr.  Kitto's  Notes  on  this  chapter. 
Without  denying  in  toto  the  soundness 
of  the  theory,  we  content  ourselves  with 
deducing  from  the  language  of  Paul 
(Heb.  9  :  11-15)  a  typical  and  spiritual 
design  iu  the  ordinance,  the  various 


272 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.C.  1471. 


2  This  is  the  ordinance  of 
the  law   which  the  Lord  hath 

items  of  which  will  be  elucidated  as  we 
proceed.  In  like  manner,  we  make 
comparatively  little  account  of  consid- 
erations of  a  sanitary  nature,  which 
are  so  much  insisted  upon  byMichaelis 
and  his  school.  Admitting  that  the 
dangers  of  defilement  from  dead  bodies 
would  tend  directly  to  secure  their 
speedy  interment,  and  thus  promote 
the  general  health  and  comfort  of  the 
living,  yet  we  can  see  an  ulterior  reason 
for  the  enactment  drawn  directly  from 
the  adaptation  of  natural  death  to  shad- 
dow  forth  spiritual  death,  and  of  the 
defiling  effects  of  the  former  to  repre- 
sent the  deadly  pollutions  of  the  latter. 
In  fact,  but  for  some  such  design  and 
import  as  this — some  moral  and  interior 
significance  terminating  in  Christ,  as 
the  substance  of  all  the  Levitical  shad- 
ows— we  could  not  but  regard  these  in- 
stitutions as  little  worthy  of  the  wisdom 
in  which  they  originated.  Apart  from 
such  a  design,  the  temple  of  Jerusalem 
could  scarcely  be  regarded  in  any  other 
light  than  as  a  gigantic  slaughter-house, 
sending  forth  continual  streams  of  the 
blood  of  bullocks  and  goats.  But  when 
viewed  in  the  light  of  New  Testament 
teachings,  every  thing  is  consistent, 
rational,  instructive,  and  worthy  its  di- 
vine Author.  In  the  present  rite  we 
may  safely  consider  the  burning  of  the 
heifer  as  representing  the  excruciating 
sufferings  of  Christ,  its  ashes  the  per- 
manent merit  of  his  sacrifice,  the  run- 
ning or  living  water  the  power  and 
grace  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  called  the 
water  of  life  and  the  laver  of  regene- 
ration, while  the  mixture  of  the  two  to- 
gether fitly  represents  the  inseparable 
union  which  exists  between  the  justifi- 
cation and  the  sanctification  of  a  sinner. 
But  we  proceed  to  the  details. 
V.  2.  This  {is)  the  ordinance  of  the 


commanded,  saying,  Speak  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  they 

laiv.  Heb.  huhkath  hattordh,  statute, 
I  constitution,  prescript,  or  ordinance. 
Gr.  diastole  tou  nomou,  the  distinction 
of  the  law.  Vulg.  "  This  is  the  observ- 
ance of  the  victim,"  i.  e.,  this  is  the  rule 
to  be  observed  respecting  the  victim. 
There  seems  to  be  a  reference  to  some 
law  previously  given,  and  in  ch.  8  :  7, 
we  find  mention  made  of  "water  of 
purifying,"  but  hitherto  we  have  had 
no  intimation  of  the  mode  of  preparing 
it.  This  is  done  in  the  chapter  before 
us.  Drusius,  on  this  passage,  gives 
several  extracts  from  Jewish  writers, 
who  intimate  that  the  expr-ession 
"  ordinance,  or  statute,  of  the  law " 
implies  something  mystical.  Thus, 
Eab.  Moses  Gerundensis,  while  excus- 
ing himself  from  giving  a  reason  for  this 
precept,  says :  "  We  who,  by  reason 
of  our  sins,  are  contaminated  in  this 
captivity,  do  not  know  the  cleansing  of 
holiness  (nor  shall  we)  until  the  Spirit 
comes  upon  us  from  on  high,  and  God 
shall  pour  clean  water  upon  us,  and  we 
shall  be  cleansed.  Amen.  God  grant 
it  may  come  to  pass  in  our  days."  Rab. 
Solomon  says :  "  The  words  are  no 
other  than  the  decrees  of  a  king,  given 
without  any  reason,"  i.  e.,  of  which  no 
distinct  reason  is  given  why  they  should 
be  observed.  Rab.  David,  on  the  119th 
Ps.,  says:  "Statutes  are  precepts  of 
which  the  reason  is  not  laid  open." 
The  "  statute  of  the  law,"  therefore,  im- 
plies a  command  given  by  divine  au- 
thority, the  grounds  or  reasons  of  which 
are  not  disclosed,  but  which  is  still  obey- 
ed because  God  wills  that  it  shall  be. 
In  respect  to  the  Jews,  this  may  prob- 
ably hold  good,  for  the  typical  import 
of  the  prescribed  rite  no  doubt  escaped 
their  penetration.  That  which  is  now- 
unfolded  to  us  was  a  secret  hidden  from 
them. T[  That  they  bring  unto  thee. 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


273 


bring  thee  a  red  heifer  without 
spot,  wherein "  is   no    blemish, 

a  Ex.  1-2.  5.    Mai.  1.  13,  14.     1  Pet.  1,  19. 


Heb.  "  That  they  take  unto  thee ;"  that 
is,  that  they  take  and  bring.  See,  for 
a  similar  phraseology,  Gen.  15 : 9.  Ex. 
25  :  2.  Lev.  24  :  2.  This  was  to  be  done 
as  a  common  act,  or  as  the  common 
charge  of  the  people,  for  whose  com- 
mon benefit  the  rite  was  appointed. 

1"  That  they  bring  thee  a  red  heifer.  Heb. 
pdrdh,  the  fem.  ofpar,  a  young  hulloch, 
usually  understood  to  be  two  or  three 
years  old,  from  which  the  age  of  the 
heifer  here  spoken  of  is  supposed  to  be 
about  the  same.  The  Hebrew  canons 
say,  "  It  is  commanded  that  the  red 
heifer  be  of  the  third  or  fourth  year, 
and  it  may  be  older."  As  a  general 
fact,  male  animals  only  were  allowable 
for  sacrifice,  but  a  female  is  here  com- 
manded to  be  offered,  though  not  upon 
the  altar  like  the  usual  sacrifices.  The 
reason  suggested  for  this  by  Spencer  is, 
that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were  accus- 
tomed to  sacrifice  a  bull  to  Typhon  so 
perfectly  red  that  not  a  hair  of  another 
color  was  to  be  found  on  him,  in  direct 
and  designed  opposition  to  which  a 
female  of  the  same  species  and  the  same 
color  was  here  commanded  to  be  offered. 
We  find  the  solution  rather  in  the  fact, 
that  all  the  feminine,  as  well  as  the  mas- 
culine, virtues  are  to  be  recognized  as 
centring  in  the  Lord  Christ,  the  great 
Sacrifice.  This  animal  was  to  be  of  a 
red  color  with  a  reference  to  its  typical 
bearings,  although  Josephus  explains 
the  original  by  a  term  (xantJios)  signify- 
ing a  deep  or  ruddy  yellow,  and  Michae- 
lis  renders  it  by  gclb-lratmer,  yelloicish- 
brown.  Whatever  were  the  peculiar 
hue,  red  no  doubt  predominated,  and  it 
was  all  over  of  one  color.  The  language 
of  the  apostle,  Heb.  9  :  11-13,  makes  it 
evident  that  the  sacrifice  pointed  to 
Christ,  whose  perfect  sacrifice  solves 

12*      ' 


a?2d   upon   which  *  never   came 
yoke. 


this  hieroglyph  of  the  desert:  "If  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  and  the  ashes 
of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean, 
sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh  ; 
how  much  more  shall  the  blood  of 
Christ  —  purge  your  conscience  from 
dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God." 
As  hlood,  therefore,  is  pointed  at  in  the 
representative,  the  "red"  color  of  the 
sacrifice  is  recognized  at  once  as  most 

appropriate  to  the  aim. ^  Without 

spot.  Heb.  temim/th,  perfect.  Gr.  arno- 
mon,  without  blemish.  This  was  to  be 
the  character  of  all  the  sacrifices.  Lev. 
12,  but  in  the  present  instance  the 
Jewish  writers  refer  the  issue  to  the 
color,  implying  that  which  is  perfectly 
red  without  the  least  admixture  of  any 
other  color,  for  "if  it  have  but  two 
hairs  black  it  is  unlawful."  The  Targ. 
Jon.  paraphrases  thus :  "  Speak  unto 
the  children  of  Israel  that  they  take 
unto  thee  a  red  cow  two  years  old,  in 
which  there  is  not  the  least  mark  or 
spot  of  white  hair,  on  which  a  bull  never 
rose,  which  has  never  done  work  or  felt 
the  goad."  This,  however,  is  not  the 
genuine  sense  of  the  expression,  which 
implies  general faultlessness  in  the  ani- 
mal offered,  both  in  respect  to  sound- 
ness of  condition  and  integrity  of  form. 
To  this  sense  we  adhere,  as  the  ade- 
quate authority  for  any  thing  beyond 
it  is  wanting.  It  is  only  the  idea  that 
something  antagonistic  to  Egyptian  no- 
tions is  involved  in  the  institute,  that 
has  suggested  any  other  than  the  usual 
meaning.  As  this  sacrifice  was  in  an 
especial  manner  appointed  for  purifica- 
tion or  expiation,  it  seems  to  have  been 
proper  that  the  color  should  typify  the 
blood  of  Christ  shed  in  his  passion  as 
well  as  that  of  the  sacrifices  generally ; 
and  as  the  flagrancy  of  sin,  requiring  a 


274 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


3  And  ye  shall  give  her  unto 
Eleazar  the  priest,  that  he  may 

bloody  expiation,  causes  it  to  be  de- 
scribed as  of  the  color  of  scarlet  and 
crimson,  Is.l :  18,  so  we  may  combine 
all  these  references  together  in  the  true 
purport  of  the  red  color  of  the  victim. 

T[    Wherein  is  no  blemish.     Heb. 

moom.  The  general  law  on  this  head  is 
thus  delivered  Lev.  22  :  21,  22.  "  And 
whosoever  ofFereth  a  sacrifice  of  peace 
offerings  unto  the  Lord  to  accomplish 
his  vow,  or  a  freewill  oflering  in  beeves 
or  sheep,  it  shall  be  perfect  (Heb.  tdmin) 
to  be  accepted ;  there  shall  be  no  blemish 
(Heb.  moom)  thei'ein.  Blind,  or  broken, 
or  maimed,  or  having  a  wen,  or  scurvy, 
or  scabbed,  ye  shall  not  offer  these  unto 
the  Lord,  nor  make  an  offering  by  fire  of 
them  upon  the  altar  unto  the  Lord."  As 
compared  with  the  previous  term  "  per- 
fect," it  is  merely  an  expansion  of  the 
same  idea;  it  is  not  essentially  differ- 
ent. It  is,  perhaps,  simply  a  specifi- 
cation of  several  particulars  to  which 
the  general  idea  of  jyer/ec^/iess  or  sound- 
ness stands  opposed.  "  All  blemishes," 
says  Maimonides,  "  which  disable  the 
holy  things,  disable  this  heifer.  .  .  .  For 
whatsoever  maketh  holy  things  unlaw- 
ful for  the  altar,  maketh  the  heifer  un- 
lawful." Thus  it  is  said  of  our  Lord, 
the   great   antitype,  that   "he   offered 

himself  without    spot    unto   God. 

Tf  Upon  which  never  came  yoke.  "Which 
had  never  been  employed  in  ploughing 
the  ground,  or  in  any  other  work  ;  for 
heifers,  as  well  as  bullocks,  were  trained 
to  the  plough  in  the  East.  See  Judg.  14 : 
18,  and  Hos.  10 :  11.  But  an  unworked 
heifer  or  bullock  was  the  only  one  that 
was  allowable  as  a  victim  for  sacrifice. 
"  Among  most  of  the  pagan  nations  of 
antiquity  also,  an  animal  which  had 
been  employed  in  any  labor  or  for  any 
common  purpose,  was  not  considered  a 
proper  sacrifice  to  the  gods.    This,  as 


bring    her 


forth    without "  the 


c  Lev.  4.  12,  21.     16.  JT.  Heb.  13. 


Dr.  Adam  Clarke  remarks,  is  one  of 
many  usages  in  matters  of  sacrifice  in 
which  the  identity  of  the  heathen  prac- 
tice with  that  of  the  Hebrews  seems  to 
indicate  the  common  patriarchal  origin 
of  both.  We  cannot  too  frequently  re- 
peat that,  in  this  as  in  many  other 
things,  the  Hebrew  legislator  is  not  to 
be  considered  as  originating  usages  and 
institutions,  but  as  modifying  and  im- 
proving, so  as  to  render  fit  for  adop- 
tion those  already  in  existence.  Homer 
has  several  passages  in  allusion  to  the 
practice  in  question ;  and  the  following 
from  Virgil  (Georg.  iv.  550)  may  be 
quoted : 

'  From  his  herd  he  culls, 
For  slaughter,  four  the  fairest  of  his  bulls ; 
Four  heifers  from  his  female  stock  he  took, 
All  fair,  aud  all  unknowing  of  the,  yoke.'''''' 
Dryden. 

— Kitto. 

The  typical  reference  here  is  probably 
to  the  fact,  that  the  Saviour  was  free 
from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  corrup- 
tion, and  free  from  any  prior  obligation 
to  interpose  in  our  behalf,  and  undergo 
what  he  did  in  the  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion. Every  thing  of  this  nature  was 
divinely  spontaneous. 

V.  3.  Unto  Meazar  the  priest.  The 
victim  was  to  be  brought,  in  the  name 
of  the  whole  congregation,  to  Moses,  as 
the  preceding  verse  directs,  and  then 
Moses  and  Aaron  were  to  deliver  her  to 
Eleazar.  The  reason  of  this  is  supposed 
to  have  been,  that  the  officiating  priest 
on  such  occasions  became  unclean  until 
evening,  v.  7.  As  there  was  but  one 
high  priest,  this,  in  his  case,  would  be 
attended  with  considerable  inconve- 
nience, and  yet  as  the  rite  was  one  of 
special  importance  and  solemnity,  it 
was  not  to  be  intrusted  to  an  ordinary 
priest,  and  was  therefore  committed  to 


B.  c.  un.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


275 


camp,   and  one   shall   slaj   her 
before  his  face. 


Eleazar  as  next  in  rank  to  Aaron.  The 
agency  of  the  priest  in  the  matter  point- 
ed typically  to  the  fact,  that  our  redemp- 
tion and  purification  is  the  work  of 
Christ's  priesthood,  who  indeed  may 
be  viewed  as  both  priest  and  sacrifice. 
"We  may  here  remark,  moreover,  that 
the  reason  assigned  by  the  fathers 
Augustin  and  Cyril  for  the  heifer's  be- 
ing consigned  to  Eleazar  "  was  to  im- 
ply, that  our  Lord's  sacrifice  of  himself 
was  to  be  at  a  distance  in  the  succes- 
sion of  the  priesthood  ;  "  and  that  Elea- 
zar here  "  represented  that  whole  sanc- 
tified body  which  Peter  styles  *  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy 
nation,  a  peculiar  people,'  to  whom 
Christ  was  given  by  God  the  Father, 

for  sanctification  and  deliverance." 

1  That  he  may  bring.  Or,  Heb.  "  That 
one  may  bring."  Gr.  "  They  shall 
bring ;  "  and  so  in  the  ensuing  clause, 
"they  shall  slay."  This  is  a  phrase- 
ology equivalent  to  "she  shall  be 
brought ;  "  "  she  shall  be  slain."  It 
implies  that  Eleazar  did  not  do  it  in 
person,  but  that  some  other  one  did  it 
under  his  direction.  This  is  evident 
from  its  being  said  that  the  heifer  was 
slain  "  before  his  face,"  which  indicates 
that  some  other  person  did  it.  But  the 
word  "  bring  "  is  no  more  definite  as  to 
its  nominative  than  "  slay."  Nothing, 
however,  is  more  usual  in  Scripture 
than  to  speak  of  one  as  the  doer  of  a 
thing  which  he  merely  directs,  orders, 
or  commands.  Thus,  when  it  is  said, 
Mark  15  :  45,  that  Pilate  gave  the  body 
of  Christ  to  Joseph,  we  are  told  by 
Matthew,  ch,  27  :  58,  that  he  "com- 
manded the  body  to  be  delivered." 

Tf  Without  the  camp.  As  something  ex- 
ceedingly unclean  by  reason  of  its  be- 
ing ceremonially  laden  with  the  sins  of 
the  people ;  and  whatever  was  unclean 


4  And    Eleazar    the    priest 
shall  take   of    her  blood   with 


was  to  be  removed  from  the  camp,  ch. 
5  :  2,  3.  In  this  respect  the  sacrifice  of 
the  red  heifer  difiered  from  the  ordi- 
nary sacrifices,  which  were  ofiered  upon 
the  altar  in  the  midst  of  the  camp.  It 
thus  became  a  more  suitable  represent- 
ative of  Christ.  "  For  the  bodies  of 
those  beasts,  whose  blood  is  brought 
into  the  sanctuary  by  the  high  priest 
for  sin,  are  burned  without  the  camp. 
Wherefore  Jesus  also,  that  he  might 
sanctify  the  people  with  his  own  blood, 
suffered  without  the  gate."  This  was 
the  place  where  malefactors  also  suffer- 
ed, Lev.  24 :  14,  with  whom  our  Lord 
was  reckoned.  As  a  general  rule,  the 
greater  the  degree  of  impurity  laid  up- 
on any  sacrifice,  the  farther  was  it  re 
moved  from  the  sanctuary  in  the  offer- 
ing. Witness  the  scape-goat,  which 
was  not  so  much  as  burnt,  but  banish- 
ed into  the  wilderness,  nobody  knew 
whither.  The  Jewish  writers  inform 
us,  that  after  the  building  of  Solomon's 
temple,  the  blood  of  the  red  heifer  was 
sprinkled  without  the  city  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  where  also  the  blood  of  the 
antitype,  our  divine  Saviour,  was  shed, 
when  "  his  sweat  was,  as  it  were,  great 
drops  of  blood  falling  to  the  ground." 
From  this  point  also,  from  which  the 
prospect  was  directly  into  the  door  or 
entrance  of  the  Tabernacle,  the  edifice 
facing  the  east.  In  this  straight  line 
towards  the  sanctuary  the  blood  was 
sprinkled.  In  strictness  of  speech,  the 
red  heifer  was  not  a  sacrifice,  though 
designed  to  answer  somewhat  the  pur- 
pose of  one,  by  effecting  a  legal  purifi- 
cation of  the  people  from  their  greatest 
defilement. 
V.  4.  Shall  talce  of  her  hlood,  and 
!  sprinhle,  etc.  The  Jews  maintain  that 
:  in  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  consisted 
1  the  very  essence  of  an  expiatory  sacri- 


276 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1471. 


his  finger,  and  '^  sprinkle  of  her 
blood  directly  before  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation  seven 
times. 

5  And  one  shall    burn    the 

dLev.  4.  6.     16.  14,  19.    Heb.  9.  13.     I'i.  24. 


fice,  and  its  being  done  "seven  times" 
signified  the  thoroughness  and  com- 
pleteness of  the  effect  produced  by  the 
application  of  the  Redeemer's  blood, 
that  "  blood  of  sprinkling,"  which 
"  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  As  the  "fin- 
ger of  God,"  Luke  11  :  20,  is  inter- 
changed with  "spirit  of  God,"  Mat. 
12 :  28,  we  may  properly  consider  the 
term  "finger"  as  indicative  of  the  di- 
vine power  exerted  in  the  application 
of  that  spiritual  virtue  which  is  denoted 

by  the  act  of  sprinkling. T[  Directly 

tefore  the  tabernacle,  etc.  That  is,  di- 
rectly towards  the  front  part,  or  door, 
of  the  Tabernacle.  The  priest  was  to 
stand  at  a  distance,  without  the  pre- 
cincts of  the  sacred  edifice,  and  dipping 
his  finger  in  the  basin  containing  the 
blood  he  was  to  sprinkle  it  before  him 
in  the  direction  of  the  Tabernacle.  This 
he  was  to  do  seven  times  in  succession. 
The  defilement  he  contracted  would  not 
allow  of  his  coming  near  to  the  holy 
tent,  and  yet  he  must  turn  and  act 
towards  it.  The  Hebrew  canons  say, 
"  If  he  sprinkled  (the  blood)  and  not 
towards  the  sanctuary,  it  was  unlaw- 
ful ;  likewise  if  he  did  slay  or  burn  her, 
and  not  over  against  the  sanctuary,  it 
was  vinlawful." 

V.  5.  And  {one)  shall  burn  the  heifer 
in  his  sight.  That  is,  some  one  shall 
burn  her  in  Eleazar's  sight ;  or  Eleazar 
shall  cause  her  to  be  burnt  before  his 
eyes;  for  it  is  clear,  from  v.  8,  that 
some  assistant  performed  the  task  of 
burning ;  whence  the  Targ.  Jon.  "  And 
the  priest  shall  burn." 

V.  6.  Cedar  wood,  and  hyssop,  and 
scarlet.   That  is,  scarlet  wool.    The  pre- 


heifer  in  his  sight ;  her  '  skin, 
and  her  flesh,  and  her  blood,  with 
her  dung,  shall  he  burn  : 

6  And  the  priest  shall  take 
cedar ^  wood,    and  hyssop,   and 


/  Lev.  14.  4,  6,  49. 


cise  design  of  the  use  of  these  articles  in 
connection  with  the  present  ceremony, 
it  is  difficult  to  determine.  Some  of 
the  older  commentators  suppose  that 
the  odorous  properties  of  the  cedar  and 
the  hyssop  were  intended  to  correct  the 
foul  smell  arising  from  the  burning  en- 
trails of  the  victim.  But  this  will  not 
apply  to  the  scarlet  wool,  and  therefore 
it  is  probably  safer  to  rest  in  the  conclu- 
sion, that  for  some  reasons  not  perfectly 
known  to  us,  these  articles  were  pecu- 
liarly adapted  to  represent  some  features 
of  the  process  of  purification.  The  apos- 
tle, Heb.  9:19,  mentions  scarlet  wool  and 
hyssop  as  used  by  Moses  himself,  when 
he  sprinkled  the  book  of  the  covenant, 
etc.,  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice,  and 
therefore  they  may  have  been  burnt 
with  the  ashes  of  the  heifer,  and  thus 
mingled  with  the  water  of  purification 
to  denote  their  cleansing  virtue.  "  The 
ashes,  the  hyssop,  the  scarlet  wool,  and 
the  clear  water,"  says  Priestley,  "  all 
bore  some  relation  to  cleansing,  and 
therefore  were  emblematical  of  purifi- 
cation. This  virtue  is  by  all  the  an- 
cients ascribed  to  hyssop.  Besides,  as 
it  consisted  of  small  leaves,  it  was 
adapted  to  retain  a  quantity  of  the 
liquor  in  which  it  was  immersed  for 
the  purpose  of  sprinkling.  A  handful 
of  wool  might  be  used  to  wipe  any 
thing  with,  and  the  red  or  purple  color, 
being  costly,  would  make  it  more  re- 
spected. The  same  instrument,  viz.,  a 
bunch  of  hyssop  tied  with  a  red  woollen 
thread  to  a  stick  of  cedar,  was  also  used 
in  the  ceremony  of  cleansing  a  leper, 
Lev.  14 :  4."  It  is  quite  possible  that 
the  three  things  were  formed  into  an 


B.  0.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


277 


scarlet,  and  cast  it  into  the 
midst  of  the  burning  of  the 
heifer. 

7  Then  the  priest  shall  wash 
his  ^  clothes,  and  he  shall  bathe 
his  flesh  in  water,  and  afterward 
he   shall   come   into   the   camp, 


lum,  or  instrument  for  sprin- 
kling, and  that  this  was  cast  into  the 
burning  mass  with  the  typical  purpose 
above  mentioned.  We  have  not,  at  any 
rate,  any  more  satisfactory  solution  of 
the  problem  to  offer. 

V.  7.  The  priest  shall  icash  his  clothes. 
A  well  known  sign  of  purification, 
which  was  prescribed  also  for  him  that 
burnt  the  heifer,  v.  8,  for  him  that  gath- 
ered the  ashes,  v.  10,  and  for  him  that 
sprinkled  the  water  of  separation,  v.  21. 
The  order  for  a  twofold  bathing — of 
the  clothes  and  the  flesh — will  be  ob- 
served. Upon  this  Augustin  remarks  : 
"  This  washing  of  the  garments  and  the 
body — what  is  it  but  the  cleansing  of 
our  faculties  external  and  internal?" 
Eleazar  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
employed,  either  in  killing  or  burning 
the  heifer,  and  yet,  having  touched  her 
blood,  he  became  unclean.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  the  whole,  that  there  was  no 
natural  or  necessary  connection  be- 
tween the  sprinkling  of  the  ashes  of  the 
heifer  upon  a  person,  and  the  cleansing 
him  from  sin.  It  was  simply  the  divine 
appointment  that  gave  efficacy  to  the 
act.  So  far  was  it  from  being  able  of 
itself  to  cleanse  from  sin,  that  the  very 
observance  of  the  rite  rendered  every 
person  unclean  that  was  engaged  in  it, 
and  laid  them  under  a  necessity  of 
washing  both  their  bodies  and  their 
clothes,  in  order  to  the  requisite  purifi- 
cation. All  this  showed  clearly  enough 
that  the  ordinance  had  in  itself  no  puri- 
fying power,  inasmuch  as  those  who 


and  the  priest  shall  be  unclean 
until  the  even. 

8  And  he  that  burneth  her 
shall  wash  his  clothes  in  water, 
and  bathe  his  flesh  in  water, 
and  shall  be  unclean  until  the 
even. 

9  And  a  man  that  is  clean 


prepared  for  the  purifying  of  others 
were  themselves  polluted  by  the  prepa- 
ration. It  might  seem  strange  that  the 
same  thing  should  pollute  those  that 
were  clean,  and  yet  purify  those  that 
were  unclean.  But  in  fact  all  the  sacri- 
fices which  were  offered  for  sin  were 
looked  upon  as  unclean,  for  the  reason 
that  the  sins  of  -men  were  putatively 
laid  upon  them,  as  our  sins  were  upon 
Christ,  who  is  therefore  said  to  be 
"  made  sin  for  us."  The  suggestion 
seems  not  unreasonable,  that  the  sin  of 
the  priests  and  others  who  procured 
the  death  of  Christ  is  prefigured  by  this 
transaction.  "  All  that  had  a  hand  in 
putting  Christ  to  death  contracted  guilt 
thereby ;  his  betrayer,  his  persecutors, 
his  judge,  his  executioner,  all  did  what 
they  did  with  wicked  hands,  though  it 
was  '  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknowledge  of  God ; '  yet  some  of 
them  were,  and  all  might  have  been, 
cleansed  by  the  virtue  of  that  same 
blood  which  they  had  brought  them- 
selves under  the  guilt  of" — Henry. 

V.  9.  A  man  that  is  clean.  The  whole 
being  thoroughly  burnt,  the  ashes  were 
to  be  gathered  up  by  a  person  who  was 
under  no  legal  defilement— for  no  un- 
clean person  must  touch  a  sacrifice — 
then  sifted  clean,  and  carefully  laid  up 
in  Some  suitable  place  without  the  camp 
as  a  permanent  ingredient  of  the  puri- 
fication-water designed  for  cleansing  all 
persons  who  had  contracted  the  speci- 
fied kind  of  legal  defilement.  As  a  very 
I  small  quantity  of  the  ashes  would  be 


278 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


shall  gather  up  the  ashes  ^  of 
the  heifer,  and  lay  them  up 
without  the  camp  in  a  clean 
place,  and  it  shall  be  kept  for 
the  congregation  of  the  children 


h  Heb.  9    13. 


sufficient  to  mingle  with  the  water,  it 
could  be  distributed  thence,  in  after 
times,  to  any  part  of  the  nation  which 
might  have  occasion  for  it ;  to  which, 
however,  an  alternative  supposition  to 
this  is  that  of  Henry,  who  suggests  that 
one  place  would  serve  for  keeping  these 
ashes  in  as  long  as  Israel  was  so  closely 
encamped;  yet  that  afterwards,  when 
they  came  to  Canaan,  some  of  them 
might  be  kept  in  every  town,  as  there 
would  be  frequent  occasion  for  the  use 
of  them.  This  small  quantity,  however, 
wherever  kept,  sufficed  for  the  whole 
nation,  and  for  many  generations.  The 
Jews  say  that  the  red  heifer  was  killed 
only  nine  times  during  the  entire  con- 
tinuance of  their  national  polity.  The 
durable  nature  of  these  ashes  made 
them  a  fit  emblem  of  the  great  and  per- 
petual propitiation  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  "  offered  himself  once  for 
all." 11  Without  the  camp.  To  de- 
note that  they  who  would  participate 
in  the  benefits  of  our  Lord's  death  must 
"  Go  forth  unto  him  without  the  camp 
bearing  his  reproach."  Heb.  13  :  13. 
TI  It  shall  be  hept  for  the  congrega- 
tion, etc.  Heb.  "  It  shall  be  to  the  con- 
gregation of  the  children  of  Israel  for  a 
keeping,  or  reservation."  See  a  simi- 
lar phraseology  respecting  the  manna. 

Ex.  16  :  32,  33. H  For  a  water  of 

separation.  That  is,  water  to  be  sprin- 
kled for  separation,  or  on  such  as  are 
separated  from  the  congregation  on  ac- 
count of  uncleanness.  Comp.  v.  13.  The 
original  term,  nidddh,  which  proper- 
ly signifies  separation  or  removal  for 
uncleanness,  is  sometimes  figuratively 


of  Israel,  for  *  a  water  of  sepa- 
ration :  it  is  a  purification  for 
sin. 

10  And   he    that    gathereth 
the    ashes   of  the   heifer    shall 

t  ver.  13.  20,  21.     c.  31.  23. 


used  for  uncleanness  itself,  which  is  to 
be  done  away,  as  2  Chron.  29  :  5.  Ezra 
9  :  11,  where  it  is  rendered  filthiness. 
For  this  reason  the  water  which  cleanses 
it  is  called  the  water  of  separation,  ren- 
dered in  the  Chald.  and  Gr.  the  water 
ofsprinhling,  in  accordance  with  which 
the  blood  of  Christ  is  called  the  blood 
of  sprivMing,  Heb.  11  :  14,  from  its 
purifying    the    conscience  from   dead 

works.      Heb.  9  :  13,   14. \  It  is  a 

purification  for  sin.  Heb.  "  It  is  a 
sin."  This  term  is  often  used  to  denote 
a  sin-oflering,  or  an  expiatory  sacrifice, 
and  though  the  red  heifer  was  not 
strictly  such,  yet  it  had  in  it  something 
of  that  nature,  as  being  possessed  of  a 
purifying  property  ;  and  it  may  also  in 
some  sense  be  termed  a  sin-offering,  in- 
asmuch as  the  victim,  like  the  great 
sin-offiiring  on  the  day  of  atonement, 
was  burnt  without  the  camp,  and  its 
blood  sprinkled  seven  times  towards 
the  sanctuary,  though  not  shed  at  the 
altar.  The  word  is  here  applied  to  the 
water  which  purified  sin,  v.  12.  Gr. 
*'  It  is  a  sanctification,  or  purification." 
These  two  names,  applied  to  the  "  water 
of  separation,"  are  subsequently  used 
by  the  prophet,  Zech.  13  : 1,  in  announ- 
cing the  grace  of  Christ  in  the  Gospel : 
"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain 
opened  to  the  house  of  David  and  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalemybr  sin  (Heb. 
lehattath)  and  for  uncleanness  (Heb. 
leniddah)  /"  i.  e.,  for  a,  purification  for 
sin  and  for  a  water  of  separation  for 
uncleanness. 

V.  10.  Shall  wash  his  clothes.     The 
case  here  supposed  is  parallel  to  that  in 


B.C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


279 


wash  his  clothes,  and  be  unclean 
until  the  even  :  and  it  shall  be 
unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
unto  the  stranger  that  sojourn- 
eth  among  them,  for  a  statute 
for  ever. 


Lev.  6  :  27,  "  When  there  is  sprinkled 
of  the  blood  thereot  upon  anj  garment, 
thou  shalt  wash  that  whereon  it  was 
sprinkled  in  the  holy  place."  So  here, 
he  that  gathered  up  the  ashes  was  to 
wash  his  clothes,  for  some  of  the  ashes 

could  hardly  fail  to  light  upon  him. 

T[  The  stranger  that  sojoumeth.  By 
this  is  meant  a  jproselyte,  and  not  any 
stranger  whatever.  Gr.  "The  prose- 
lytes that  are  adjoined." 

V.  11.  He  that  toucheth  the  dead  'body 
of  any  man.  Heb.  "  He  that  touch- 
eth the  dead  of  any  soul  of  man." 
That  is,  the  corpse  of  any  man.  The 
term  "  soul "  is  used  here  as  elsewhere 
for  dead  body.  See  Note  on  Lev.  19  :  28 ; 
also  on  Num.  6:6.  He  that  touched  a 
dead  beast  was  unclean  till  the  even- 
ing only  of  the  same  day ;  but  whoever 
came  in  contact  with  a  dead  human 
body  was  to  be  unclean  for  seven  days, 
during  which  time  he  was  not  allowed 
to  come  into  the  sanctuary,  nor  to  touch 
any  holy  thing,  nor  to  be  in  the  Lord's 
camp,  to  which  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
corresponded  in  after  times,  and  was 
therefore  called  "  the  holy  city."  Comp. 
Lev.  7  :  19,  21.  Neh.  11  :  1,  18.  Mat. 
4  :  5.  Usages  somewhat  similar  are  at 
this  day  not  uncommon  in  the  East. 
"  All  who  attend  a  funeral  procession, 
or  ceremony,  become  unclean,  and  be- 
fore they  return  to  their  houses  must 
wash  their  persons  and  their  clothes. 
Neither  those  in  the  sacred  office,  nor 
of  any  other  caste,  can,  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, attend  to  any  religious 
ceremonies.  They  cannot  marry,  nor 
be  present  at  any  festivity,  nor  touch  a 


11  He  *  that  toucheth  the 
dead  body  of  any  man  shall  be 
unclean  seven  days. 

12  He  '  shall  purify  himself 
with  it  on  the  third  day,  and 


*  Lev.  21. 
I  c.  31.19. 


c  5.  2.   9.  6, 10.  Lam.  4.  14.  Hag.  2. 


sacred  book.  A  person,  on  hearing  of 
the  death  of  a  son  or  other  relative,  im- 
mediately becomes  unclean.  The  Brah- 
mins are  unclean  twelve  days ;  those 
of  the  royal  family,  sixteen  days;  the 
merchants,  twenty-two;  and  all  other 
castes  thirty-two  days." — Roberts.  The 
ordinance  has  an  air  of  great  severity 
when  it  is  considered  that  taking  care 
of  the  dead,  stripping,  washing,  shroud- 
ing, carrying  out,  and  burying  them, 
was  not  only  a  pious  duty  to  them,  but 
a  good  office  to  the  living.  Yet  none 
of  these  acts  could  be  performed  with- 
out contracting  defilement,  thus  denot- 
ing that  the  pollutions  of  sin  mix  with 
and  cleave  to  our  best  services.  If 
we  seek  the  reason  why  contact  with  a 
corpse  was  made  such  a  defiling  thing, 
we  can  only  answer,  that  the  revolting 
and  polluting  eiFects  of  natural  death 
are  due  to  the  power  of  spiritual  death. 
This  works  a  ruin  to  the  soul  similar  to 
that  which  death  achieves  in  the  body, 
and  this  enactment  of  the  ceremonial 
law  would  have  us  look  upon  the  one  as 
the  measure  and  representation  of  the 
other.  Since  the  Lord's  advent  the 
power  of  death  has  been  weakened,  it  is 
viewed  in  a  new  light,  it  is  divested  of 
its  terrors,  and  therefore  dead  bodies 
are  no  more  defiling.  Thanks  be  to 
Him  who  hath  enabled  us  to  say,  "  0 
grave,  where  is  thy  victory?" 

V.  12.  Shall  purify  himself  with  it. 
Heb.  yith  hattd  bo,  shall  purify  him- 
self with  or  in  it.  That  is,  the  water 
of  separation.  Chald.  "  He  shall  sprin- 
kle." Gr.  "  He  shall  be  purified."  The 
original  denotes  an  action  that  is  re- 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


on  the  seventh  day  he  shall 
be  clean ;  but  if  he  purify  not 
himself  the  third  day,  then  the 

fleeted  back  upon  the  agent.  In  its 
true  purport  it  signifies  io  purify  from 
sin,  whence  the  Dutch  Annotations  ren- 
der to  unsin  one^s  self,  an  nncouth  but 
still  expressive  term.  The  remarks  of 
Adam  Clarke  on  this  expression  are 
worthy  of  notice.  "  Yith  hatta  ho,  lit- 
erally, he  shall  sin  himself  with  it. 
This  Hebrew  form  of  speech  is  common 
enough  among  us  in  other  matters. 
Thus  to  fleece,  and  to  skin,  do  not  sig- 
nify to  add  a  fleece,  or  a  shin,  but  to 
take  one  away ;  therefore,  to  sin  him- 
self, in  the  Hebrew  idiom,  is  not  to  add 
sin,  but  to  take  it  away,  to  purify.''^ 
The  phraseology  implies  that  this  out- 
ward uncleanness  represented  the  pol- 
lution of  the  soul  by  reason  of  sin,  and 
the  purification  here  commanded  may 
in  like  manner  have  denoted  "  repent- 
ance from  dead  works,"  and  "  faith  to- 
wards God,"  which  "purifies  the  heart." 
Heb.  6  : 1.  Acts  15  :  9.  On  a  close  in- 
spection of  the  original,  and  comparing 
the  passage  with  v.  19,  we  are  constrain- 
ed to  doubt  whether  our  version  con- 
veys the  true  sense.  From  that  it  would 
appear  that  if  the  unclean  purified  him- 
self on  the  third  day  he  would  become 
clean  on  the  seventh  without  any  far- 
ther purification ;  but  this  is  scarcely 
accordant  with  v.  19,  which  implies 
that  be  must  purify  himself  again  on 
the  seventh  day.  The  genuine  render- 
ing of  the  clause  we  think  to  be  the 
following : — "  He  that  shall  purify  him- 
self with  it,  on  the  third  day,  and  on 
the  seventh  day,  shall  be  clean."  The 
ancient  versions  for  the  most  part  con- 
firm this  rendering.  Gr.  "  He  shall  be 
purified  on  the  third,  and  on  the  sev- 
enth day,  then  shall  he  be  clean  :  but 
if  he  be  not  purified  on  the  third,  and 
on  the  seventh  day,  he  shall  not  be 


seventh    day   he    shall   not   be 
clean. 

13  Whosoever  toucheth  the 


clean."  Vulg.  *'  He  shall  be  sprinkled 
with  this  water  on  the  third  day,  and  on 
the  seventh,  and  so  shall  be  cleansed." 
Arab.  "And  he  shall  expiate  himself 
thereby  on  the  third  day,  and  on  the 
seventh,  and  shall  be  cleansed ;  and 
unless  he  shall  have  expiated  himself 
on  both  these  days,  he  shall  not  be  t 
cleansed."  The  third  day's  purifica- 
tion may  be  considered  as  pointing  to 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  on  that  day, 
by  which  we  are  spiritually  cleansed  or 
sanctified.  That  on  the  seventh  day  is 
calculated  to  teach  us  that  our  purifi- 
cation in  this  life  is  gradual,  and  not 
perfected  till  we  come  to  that  eternal 
sabbath  with  which  the  seventh  day  . 

corresponds. TJ  But  if  he  purify  not 

himself  the  third  day,  etc.  Here  again 
the  rendering  is  to  be  amended  to  make 
the  clause  consistent  with  the  forego- 
ing : — "  But  if  he  purify  himself  on  the 
third  day  and  on  the  seventh  day,  he 
shall  not  be  clean."  This  is  the  literal 
version,  and  the  same  with  that  given 
by  Ainsworth,  the  most  accurate  of 
translators.  The  two  clauses  are  evi- 
dently designed  to  be  exactly  anti- 
thetical to  each  other,  and  the  render- 
ing of  the  one  requires  to  be  modified 
to  agree  with  v.  19,  so  also  does  the 
other.  The  days  were  reckoned,  we 
may  suppose, /row  the  last  time  of  his 
touching  or  coming  near  the  dead  body ; 
for  he  would  not  begin  the  days  of  his 
cleansing,  while  he  was  still  under  a 
necessity  of  repeating  the  pollution ; 
but  when  the  dead  body  was  buried,  so 
that  there  was  no  further  occasion  of 
meddling  with  it,  then  he  began  to 
reckon  his  days.  The  above  is  the  very 
reasonable  suggestion  of  Henry. 

V.  13.    Whosoever  toucheth  the  dead 
body,  etc.    The  law  as  above  given,  is 


B.g.  1471.1 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


281 


dead  body  of  any  man  that  is 
dead,  and  purifieth  not  himself, 
defileth  "*  the  tabernacle  of  the 
Lord  :  and  that  soul  shall  be 
cut  off  from  Israel :  because 
the  water  "  of  separation  was 
not  sprinkled  upon  him,  he  shall 
be  unclean  ;  his  uncleanness  "  is 
yet  upon  him. 

14  This  is  the  law  when  a 

m  Lev.  15.  31.     n  ver.  9.   c.  8.  7.    o  Lev.  7.  20.   ii.  3. 


very  explicit,  that  every  Israelite  who 
touched  the  dead  body  of  a  man,  wo- 
man, or  child,  was  to  consider  himself 
in  a  state  of  defilement  for  a  whole 
week,  and  could  be  cleansed  in  no 
other  way  than  by  being  sprinkled  with 
this  sacred  water,  which  was  to  be  done 
twice,  viz.  upon  the  third,  and  again 
upon  the  seventh  day  ;  nor  could  he  be 
restored  if  he  omitted  either  of  these 
sprinklings.  In  the  present  verse  it  is 
enacted  that  if  any  person  whatever, 
thus  defiled,  should  presume  knowingly 
and  wilfully  to  approach  the  Taberna- 
cle— and  so  the  Temple  afterwards — till 
he  were  duly  cleansed,  he  should  be 
sentenced  to  death  as  a  profaner  of 
God's  worship.  The  subsequent  appli- 
cation of  the  purifying  water  should 
have  no  eflPect  to  avert  the  threatened 
penalty.  This  is  clearly  the  import  of 
*'  defiling  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord  ;  " 
and  penetrating  beyond  the  letter  to 
the  spirit,  it  is  easy  to  perceive  a  new 
emphasis  in  the  apostolic  declaration  : — 
"If  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God, 
him  shall  God  destroy  ;  for  the  temple 
of  God  is  holy,  which  temple  are  ye." 
A  person  who  allows  himself  in  any 
corrupting  course  of  conduct,  whereby 
his  body  as  well  as  his  soul  is  injured, 
IS  so  far  guilty  of  defiling  the  Lord's 

tabernacle  or  temple. ^   T7iat  soul 

shall  he  cut  of  from  Israel.  Chald. 
*'  That  man  shall  be  destroyed ; "  im- 


man  dieth  in  a  tent ;  All  that 
come  into  the  tent,  and  all  that 
is  in  the  tent,  shall  be  unclean 
seven  days. 

15  And  every  open  vessel  ^, 
which  hath  no  covering  bound 
upon  it,  is  unclean. 

16  And  whosoever  toucheth 
one  that  is  slain  with  a  sword  in 
the  open  fields,  or  a  dead  body, 

p  Lev.  11.3-2. 


plying  of  course  that  he  came  presump- 
tuously ;  otherwise,  as  for  instance  if  it 
were  done  ignorantly,  he  was  to  bring 
a  sacrifice.     Lev.  5  :  3-6, 17,  18. 

V.  14.  WTien  a  man  dieth  in  a  tent. 
Tents  were  their  habitations  in  the  wil- 
derness when  this  law  was  delivered. 
But  the  inference  is  fair  that  the  same 
ordinance  was  to  hold  good  when  they 
came  to  live  in  houses  at  a  subsequent 
period;  although  Michaelis  thinks  we 
are  not  authorized  to  extend  the  infer- 
ence any  farther  than  to  the  apartment 

in  which  the  death   might  occur. 

II  All  that  come  into  the  tent,  etc.  That 
is,  every  person  coming  into  the  tent 
while  the  dead  body  lay  there,  or  before 
the  tent  was  purified,  as  well  as  they 
who  were  in  it  when  the  person  died, 
should  be  rendered  unclean.  In  like 
manner  all  the  goods  or  furniture,  espe- 
cially vessels,  were  made  unclean,  ex- 
cept those  that  were  covered,  so  as  not 
to  be  exposed  to  the  polluting  eflfect  of 
the  atmosphere. 

V.  16.  One  slain  with  a  sword  in  the 
open  fields,  etc.  Heb.  "  In  the  face  of 
the  field,"  that  is,  in  the  open  field, 
where  there  was  no  tent,  and  where 
pollution  could  be  contracted  only  by 

touching. ^   Slain    with  a  sword. 

Or  with  any  other  instrument  by  which 
a  violent   death    might    be    inflicted. 

Comp.  Num.  81  :  19. 1[   Or  a  dead 

hody.     That  is,   the  body  of  one  not 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1471. 


or  a  bone  of  a  man,  or  a  grave, 
shall  be  unclean  seven  days. 

17  And  for  an  unclean  per- 
son they  shall  take  of  the  ashes 

slain  by  violence,  but  who  falls  down 
dead  by  apoplexy,  or  any  other  sudden 
stroke.  Vulg.  *'  The  corpse  of  a  man 
that  was  slain,  or  that  died  of  himself." 

• TI  A  hone  of  a  man.    A  bone  taken 

out  of  a  grave,  or  lying  unburied  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth.  It  is  probably  in 
allusion  to  the  defiling  efiect  of  dead 
men's  bones  that  the  order  is  given  by 
the  prophet,  Ezek.  39 :  15,  "  And  the 
passengers  that  pass  through  the  land, 
when  any  seeth  a  man's  bone,  then 
shall  he  set  up  a  sign  by  it,  till  the 
buriers  have  buried  it  in  the  valley  of 
Hamon-gog."  The  Hebrew  writers  say 
that  the  blood  also  of  a  dead  man  de- 
files as  does  the  corpse  itself,  but  as 

long  as  life  remains  it  is  clean. %  Or 

a  grave.  In  which  the  dead  have  been 
deposited,  and  which  has  thence  ac- 
quired a  communicable  defilement.  The 
natural  effect  of  this  law  would  be  to 
oblige  the  Israelites  to  keep  the  abodes 
of  the  dead  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  those  of  the  living.  They  could 
never,  therefore,  have  knowingly  built 
houses  or  cities  on  sepulchral  grounds ; 
indeed,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  we  learn 
that  their  bury ing-pl  aces  were  always 
without  the  precincts  of  their  towns. 
Consequently,  it  is  said  of  the  dead, 
that  they  were  "  carried  out,"  i.  e.  car- 
ried out,  not  only  of  the  house,  but  of 
the  village  or  city,  to  the  neighboring 
cemetery.  The  remarks  of  ^Michaelis  in 
this  connection  {Laws  of  Moses,  %  215) 
are  very  apropos  : — "  With  us,  on  the 
contrary,  in  our  very  churches,  to  the 
great  injury  of  men's  health  and  lives, 
there  are  often  burial-places ;  a  practice 
first  introduced  from  superstition,  and 
still  kept  up  from  pride,  fashion,  and 
avarice.     How  important  this  effect  of 


of  the  burnt  heifer  of  purifica- 
tion for  sin,  and  running  water 
shall  be  put  thereto  in  a  ves- 
sel; 


the  law  must  have  been,  may  be  judged 
from  the  consequences  of  our  contrary 
practice  of  thus  burying  in  churches. 
The  graves  frequently  emit  very  nox- 
ious effiwvia,  particularly  when  imper- 
fectly covered,  or  when  the  water  runs 
through  them.  On  other  occasions,  the 
mischief  is  more  insidious  and  slow  in 
its  progress,  and  does  not  betray  itself 
by  the  smell ;  but  still  the  diseases  of 
the  dead  infect  the  living ;  for  infection 
bursts  forth  at  once  with  increased  vio- 
lence when  graves  are  opened,  and  be- 
gin to  emit  the  poisonous  vapors  that 
have  been  long  pent  up  in  them."  The 
same  effects  are  liable  to  follow  from 
converting  church-yards  into  burying- 
grouuds,  which  practice,  however,  is 
now  happily  being  more  and  more  done 
away.  All  the  different  contacts  here 
mentioned  put  an  Israelite  under  a  con- 
dition of  legal  impurity  for  a  week's 
time.  This  was  a  species  of  ceremonial 
quarantine  prescribed  with  a  view  to 
show  the  effects  of  that  internal  moral 
or  spiritual  pollution  which  is  so  de- 
structive in  its  own  nature  to  one's  own 
soul,  and  so  charged  with  contagious 
influence  towards  others. 

V.  17.  And  for  an  unclean  {person) 
they  sJiall  take,  etc.  That  is,  there  shall 
be  taken  by  some  clean  person  in  order 

to   the   purifying  of  one  unclean. 

T[  Of  the  ashes  of  the  burnt  heifer  for 
the  purification  of  sin.  Heb.  "  Of  the 
dust  of  the  burning  of  the  sin."  The 
rendering  of  the  established  version, 
though  sufficiently  correct  as  to  the 
sense,  is  quite  paraphrastic.  The  ashes 
of  the  burnt  heifer  are  here  called  'hatfa, 
sin,  which  shows  that  they  had  in  them 

the   virtue  of  a  sin-offering,  v.  9. 

11  Running  water  shall  he  put  thereto. 


B.  C.  1471.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


283 


18  And  a  clean  person  shall 
take  hyssop  ^,  and  dip  it  in  the 
water,  and  sprinkle  it  upon  the 
tent,  and  upon  all  the  vessels, 
and  upon  the  persons  that  were 
there,  and  upon  him  that  touched 
a  bone,  or  one  slain,  or  one  dead, 
or  a  grave  : 

19  And  the  clean  person 
shall  sprinkle  upon  the  unclean 

g  Ps.  51.  7. 


Heb.  "  Living  water."  See  Notes  on 
Gen.  26  :  19.  Lev.  14 :  5.  Chald.  "  Spring- 
ing, or  welling  water." 

V.  18.  A  clean,  person  sTi<ill  take  hys- 
sop. By  which  is  not  necessarily  meant 
a  priest,  but  any  person  legally  clean, 
as  any  such  person  might  slay  the  heifer 
and  burn  her.  Yet  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  this  office  was  generally  performed 
by  a  priest,  Lev.  13.  Of  the  use  of  hys- 
sop in  sprinklings,  see  Lev.  14  :  4,  6,  7, 
49,  50.  The  tent  and  its  contents,  both 
animate  and  inanimate,  were  to  be  thus 
sprinkled  to  purify  them  from  the  taint 
communicated. 

V.  19.  The  clean  ferson  shall  sprinlde, 
etc.  This  explains  more  distinctly  what 
was  rather  obscurely  delivered,  v.  12. 
Patrick  suggests  that  the  term  "un- 
clean" in  this  connection  embraces 
both  persons  and  things  ;  but  the  orig- 
inal, being  in  the  singular,  would  seem 
to  imply  more  properly  persons  only. 

T[  On  the  seventh  day  he  shall  purify 

himself.  The  true  interpretation  of  this 
clause  is  not  altogether  obvious.  The 
original  phrase  rendered  "  shall  purify 
himself"  is  'hitteo,  shall  purify  him, 
whereas  the  Hebrew  for  purify  himself 
is  uniformly  yithJuittd,  in  the  Hithpael 
or  reflexive  form.  We  would  propose 
the  following  therefore  as  the  genuine 
rendering  of  the  verse :  "  And  the  clean 
(person)  shall  sprinkle  upon  the  un- 
clean on  the  third  day,  and  on  the  sev- 


on  the  third  day,  and  on  the 
seventh  day  ;  and  on  '  the  sev- 
enth day  he  shall  purify  him- 
self, and  wash  his  clothes,  and 
bathe  himself  in  water,  and  shall 
be  clean  at  even. 

20  But  the  man  that  shall 
be  unclean,  and  shall  not  purify 
himself,  that  soul  shall  be  cut  off 
from  among   the   congregation, 


enth  day :  and  he  shall  (fully  and  effect- 
ually) purify  him  on  the  seventh  day  ; 
and  he  (the  purified)  shall  wash  his 
clothes,  and  bathe  himself  in  water, 
and  shall  be  clean  at  even."  We  sub- 
mit this  rendering  to  the  judgment  of 
those  who  are  competent  to  decide 
upon  its  probability.  It  rests  mainly 
upon  the  fact,  that  the  original  term, 
in  the  Pict  form,  nowhere  else  in  the 
whole  Scripture  has  any  other  than  an 
active  and  transitive  signification.  We 
find  also  that  Yatablus  gives  this  ren- 
dering, and  scarce  any  biblical  authori- 
ty weighs  with  us  higher  than  his.  Of 
the  ancient  versions  the  Gr.  and  the 
Vulg.  conform  rather  to  the  established 
English;  but  the  Chald.,  Syr.,  Sam., 
and  Arab,  expressly  confirm  our  pro- 
posed rendering,  of  which,  however, 
we  were  not  aware  till  we  had  settled  in 
our  own  minds  upon  what  we  regard 
as  the  true  sense. 

V.  20.  T?ie  man  that  shall  be  unclean, 
etc.  The  standing  law  on  the  subject 
of  defilements  is,  that  every  person  or 
thing  coming  in  contact  with  a  dead 
body  becomes  unclean  for  a  day.  Even 
the  person  that  purifies  with  the  sacred 
water  one  thus  defiled  comes  into  the 
same  condition  for  that  day ;  and  what- 
ever Israelite,  rendered  impure  by  such 
contacts,  should  presumptuously  ap- 
proach the  public  worship  of  the  sanc- 
tuary,  before   being   cleansed   in   the 


284 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


because  lie  hath  defiled '  the  sanc- 
tuary of  the  Lord  :  the  water  of 
separation  hath  not  been  sprin- 
kled upon  him ;  he  is  unclean. 

21  And  it  shall  be  a  perpetual 
statute  unto  them,  that  he  that 
sprinkleth  the  water  of  separation 
shall  wash  his  clothes ;  and  he 
that  toucheth  the  water  of  sepa- 
ration shall  be  unclean  until  even. 


manner  here  prescribed,  was  to  be 
summarily  cut  off  as  a  contemner  of  a 
sacred  rite  instituted  by  the  Lord  him- 
self, and  replete  with  a  divine  signifi- 

cancy. "^  Bath  defiled  the  sanctuary/ 

of  the  Lord.  By  coming  into  it  with- 
out the  due  purification ;  for  if  such 
were  shut  out  of  the  camp,  ch.  5  :  2,  how 
much  more  out  of  the  sanctuary  ?  Ac- 
cordingly, at  a  later  period,  2  Chron. 
23  :  19,  porters  were  stationed  at  the 
gates  of  the  temple,  "  that  none  which 
was  unclean  in  any  thing  should  enter 
in." 


V.  21.  Shall  wash  his  clothes.  Being 
accounted  unclean  simply  from  having 
had  to  do  with  the  water  of  separation, 
which  had  a  contrary  eifect  upon  the 
clean  and  the  unclean,  purifying  the 
one  and  defiling  the  other,  just  as  the 
heat  of  the  sun  melts  wax  and  hardens 

clay. 11  Shall  be  unclean  until  even. 

That  his  clothes  were  also  to  be  washed 
may  be  fairly  inferred  from  what  goes 
before.  The  Jewish  writers  say  that 
uncleanness  till  evening  is  implied  in 
the  former  clause  of  the  verse,  and  the 
washing  of  the  garments  in  the  latter, 
though  not  expressed.  It  is  obvious 
that  the  mere  staying  till  even  could 
have  no  purifying  effect  without  some 
rite  of  cleansing. 

V.  22.  And  whatsoever.  Heb.  Tool,  all, 
i.  e.,  whatsoever  or  whomsoever,  imply- 
ing both  persons  and  things. T[  TJie 


22  And  whatsoever  '  the  un- 
clean person  toucheth  shall  be 
unclean ;  and  "  the  soul  that 
toucheth  it  shall  be  unclean 
until  even. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

THEN  "  came  the  children  of 
Israel,  even  the  whole  con- 

t  Hag.  2.  13.  u  Lev.  15.  5.  a  c.  33.  36. 


unclean.  By  this  is  not  meant  the  per- 
son made  unclean  by  touching  the  puri- 
fication-water, but  the  primary  unclean 
person  spoken  of  all  along  in  this  chap- 
ter; the  person  who  was  defiled  by 

touching  a  dead  body. If  The  soul 

that  toucheth  {it)  shall  he  unclean  until 
even.  In  the  case  of  the  one,  the  un- 
cleanness was  to  continue  for  seven 
days,  and  in  that  of  the  other,  only  till 
evening  of  the  same  day.  It  is  to  be 
observed  that,  not  only  he  whom  the 
unclean  person  touched,  but  he  also 
who  touched  the  unclean,  whether  per- 
son or  thing,  became  unclean  till  even- 
ing, and  was  required  to  wash  his 
clothes  for  his  cleansing. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Arrival  the  Second  Time  at  Kadesh. 

V.  1.  Then  came  the  children  of  Israel, 
etc.  In  point  of  chronology  we  pass 
over  a  wide  chasm  in  making  the  tran- 
sition from  the  preceding  to  the  present 
chapter.  No  less  than  thirty-eight  years 
elapsed  between  their  first  and  second 
arrival  at  Kadesh,  for  with  Kitto  we 
take  it  that  there  was  but  one  place  of 
that  name,  although  this  supposition 
requires  that  the  generally  received  lo- 
cation of  Kadesh  be  changed  to  a  point 
considerably  farther  south.  But,  on 
this   head,  we  must  refer  the  reader 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


285 


gregation,  into  the  desert  of  Zin    in  the  first  month :  and  the  people 


to  the  various  authorities  which  treat 
at  length  of  the  topographical  argu- 
ment, as  we  prefer  to  devote  our  space 
to  other  departments  of  elucidation. 
We  will  give,  however,  the  pith  of  Mr. 
Kitto's  remarks  upon  the  subject,  with 
the  intimation,  that  in  his  extended 
note  on  the  present  passage  in  the 
"  Pictorial  Bible,"  and  in  the  article 
"Kadesh,"  in  his  ''Biblical  Cvclo- 
psedia,"  will  be  found  condensed  the 
substance  of  all  that  is  most  valuable 
on  the  subject.  "We  conclude  that 
there  is  but  one  Kadesh  mentioned  in 
Scripture ;  and  that  the  difficulties 
which  have  seemed  to  require  that 
there  should  be  a  second,  or  even  a 
third,  place  of  this  name,  may  be  easily 
and  effectually  obviated  by  altering  the 
position  commonly  assigned  to  Kadesh- 
Barnea — that  is,  the  Kadesh  from  which 
the  spies  were  sent  in  the  fifteenth  ch., 
and  from  which  the  desert  wanderings 
commenced.  We  are  at  perfect  liberty 
to  make  such  alteration,  because  no- 
thing whatever  is  distinctly  known  of 
such  a  place,  and  its  position  has  been 
entirely  fixed  according  to  conjectural 
probability.  But  being  once  fixed,  it 
has  generally  been  received  and  rea- 
soned upon  as  a  truth  ;  and  it  has  been 
thought  better  to  create  another  Ka- 
desh, to  meet  the  difficulties  which  this 
location  occasioned,  than  to  disturb  old 
maps  and  old  topographical  doctrines. 
Kadesh  is  usually  placed  within  or  close 
upon  the  southern  frontier  of  Palestine, 
and  about  midway  between  the  Mediter- 
ranean and  the  Dead  Sea,  This  location 
would  seem  in  itself  improbable,  with- 
out any  strong  counter  reasons ;  for  we 
do  not  find  that  a  hostile  people,  when 
not  prepared  for  immediate  action,  con- 
front themselves  directly  with  their  ene- 
mies, but  encamp  at  some  considerable 
distance,  and  send  scouts  and  spies  to 


reconnoitre  the  country;  nor  is  it  by 
any  means  likely  that  they  would  have 
remained  so  long  at  Kadesh,  as  they 
seem  to  have  done  at  their  first  visit, 
if  they  had  been  in  the  very  face  of 
their  enemies,  as  they  must  have  been 
in  the  assigned  position.  We  should, 
therefore,  on  this  ground  alone,  be  in- 
clined to  place  Kadesh  more  to  the 
south  or  south-east  than  this.  Besides, 
if  this  were  Kadesh,  how  could  it  be 
described  as  on  the  border  of  Edom, 
since  the  Edomites  did  not,  till  some 
centuries  later,  occupy  the  country  to 
the  south  of  Canaan,  and  were  at  this 
time  confined  to  the  region  of  Seir? 
Moreover,  from  a  Kadesh  so  far  north, 
they  were  not  likely  to  send  to  the  king 
without  moving  down  towards  the  place 
where  they  hoped  to  obtain  permission 
to  cross  Mount  Seir ;  particularly  as, 
by  so  moving,  they  would  at  the  same 
time  be  making  progress  towards  the 
point  which  the  refusal  of  the  Edomites 
would  oblige  them  to  pass,  and  which 
they  actually  did  pass.  Therefore,  the 
stay  of  the  host  at  Kadesh,  waiting  for 
the  king's  answer,  seems  to  imply  that 
Kadesh  was  so  near  as  not  to  make  it 
worth  their  while  to  move  till  they 
knew  the  result  of  their  application  to 
him.  Further,  we  read  in  ch,  33  :  36, 
after  an  enumeration  of  distances  of 
evidently  no  very  great  length,  that  in 
the  present  instance  the  removal  to  Ka- 
desh was  from  Ezion-geber  at  the  head 
of  the  Gulf  of  Akaba,  the  distance  be- 
tween which  and  the  Kadesh  of  the  map 
is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles ; 
and  this  is  the  consideration  which  has 
chiefly  influenced  those  who  determined 
that  there  must  have  been  two  places 
of  this  name ;  and  we  must  confess  that, 
while  thinking  over  the  other  reasons 
we  have  stated,  we  were  inclined  to  con- 
sider them  as  leading  to  that  conclu- 


286 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


abode  in  Kadesh :  and 


Miriam    died    there, 
there. 


sion,  and  that  the  second  Kadesh  must 
have  been  very  near  Mount  Hor.  .  .  . 
But  we  think  all  difficulties  are  suffi- 
ciently met  by  placing  the  single  Ka- 
desh neither  close  to  the  border  of  Ca- 
naan nor  close  to  Mount  Hor,  but  at  a 
middle  point  between  them,  on  the  west- 
ern border  of  the  Wady-el-Ghor,  which 
is  the  northern  half  of  the  Desert  of 
Zin— say  in  or  about  lat.  30°  5',  at  near- 
ly an  equal  distance  between  Mount 
Hor  and  the  Kadesh-Barnea  of  the 
maps.  This  spot  will  be  on  or  in 
the  Desert  of  Zin,  not  too  near  to  Ca- 
naan, nor  too  distant  for  Mount  Hor 
and  the  capital  of  Edom." — Pict.  Bible. 
At  this  place,  then,  we  find  the  Israel- 
ites re-encamped,  after  the  lapse  of 
thirty-eight  years  from  the  time  it  had 
been  occupied  by  their  fathers,  when 
just  upon  the  point  of  invading  Ca- 
naan. Of  the  events  which  had  oc- 
curred in  that  time  no  record  is  left, 
though  eighteen  stations  are  recited  in 
eh.  33,  at  which  they  halted  and  re- 
mained for  a  longer  or  shorter  time. 
It  is  no  doubt  the  popular  impression 
that  they  roved  about  in  a  compact 
mass,  without  any  special  employment 
or  object,  except  to  be  kept  out  of  Ca- 
naan ;  and  were  miraculously  supplied 
with  food  from  heaven,  until  all  above 
twenty  years  of  age,  when  they  came 
out  of  Egypt,  had  been  gradually 
wasted  away,  and  an  entirely  new  gen- 
eration had  come  up  in  their  place. 
But  we  think  it  may  justly  be  doubted 
whether  this  impression  is  correct.  We 
question  whether  there  was  any  thing 
more  vague  and  objectless  in  their  mode 
of  life  than  distinguishes  nomade  races 
in  general.  The  region  over  which 
they  wandered  is  indeed  termed  a  "  des- 
ei*t,"  or  "  wilderness,"  but  it  was  not 
such  in  our  idea  of  the  term,  but  sim- 


and    was    buried 


ply  a  tract  of  unclaimed  country,  desti- 
tute for  the  most  part  of  settled  habita- 
tions, though  still  marked  by  numerous 
posts,  villages,  and  cities,  of  which  the 
names  of  several  that  lay  in  the  track 
of  the  Israelites  are  expressly  given,  ch. 
33  :  16-36.  The  country  called  Arabia 
is  believed  even  now  to  sustain  a  popu- 
lation of  at  least  eight  or  ten  millions. 
It  is  in  many  parts  abundantly  fertile 
in  wheat,  millet,  rice,  and  a  great  va- 
riety of  vegetables  and  fruits,  and  this 
holds  more  especially  of  the  tract  round 
about  Mount  Sinai  and  the  region 
termed  "El  Ghor."  From  a  remote 
antiquity  even  down  to  the  present  day 
these  tracts  have  been  traversed  by  the 
Bedouin  tribes,  whose  manner  of  life  ex- 
hibits no  doubt  a  very  correct  image  of 
that  of  the  Israelites  during  their  wan- 
derings there.  With  their  herds  and 
beasts  of  burden,  these  unsettled  hordes 
pass  from  place  to  place  as  led  by  the 
prospect  of  water  and  pasture ;  being 
entire  strangers  to  the  arts,  objects,  and 
employments  of  civilized  life.  The  pre- 
vious habits  of  the  Israelites,  not  only 
in  Egypt  but  in  Canaan,  made  it  easy 
for  them  to  fall  into  the  nomadic  life, 
and  we  suppose  they  did,  in  fact,  become 
inliabitants  of  the  dtsert  for  tJte  tbne 
being,  though  still  enjoying  the  tokens 
of  the  divine  presence  and  guidance, 
and  distinguished  by  their  prerogatives, 
rites,  and  institutions  from  all  other  peo- 
ple. In  this  capacity  they  would  natu- 
rally change  their  locality  from  time  to 
time,  like  the  Bedouius  of  all  ages,  but 
still  cherishing  the  hope  of  eventually 
becoming  possessors  of  the  land  of 
promise.  Meantime  they  are  not  to  be 
conceived  as  dwelling,  in  their  intervals 
of  repose,  in  a  compact  camp,  which 
the  nature  of  the  country  forbade  to 
such  an  immense  multitude,  amounting 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


287 


to  a  population  half  as  large  again  as 
that  of  the  city  of  London,  but  as  expa- 
tiating in  bands,  here  and  there,  over 
the  adjacent  country,  still  having  the 
Tabernacle  as  the  centre  and  the  ren- 
dezvous to  which  they  would  return. 
It  is  at  least  certain,  that  we  must  not 
attribute  to  the  sons  of  Israel  our  own 
ideas  of  living  or  journeying,  for  every 
thing  with  them  was  formed  on  a  dif- 
ferent model  from  what  it  is  with  us.  A 
very  important  process  of  discipline 
was  to  be  accomplished  by  their  abode 
in  the  desert,  which  could  be  effected 
nowhere  else,  and  as  it  had  been  fore- 
told that  the  far  greater  portion  of  the 
congregation  should  be  consumed  be- 
fore entering  the  land  of  promise,  the 
divine  Providence  so  ordered  things 
that  a  long  series  of  years  should  be 
consumed  in  bringing  about  the  de- 
signed results.  It  is  to  be  borne  in 
mind,  therefore,  that  the  congregation, 
at  this  time,  was  composed  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  generation  that  had  come 
out  of  Egypt,  their  fathers  having,  one 
after  another,  dropped  off,  though  the 
events  recorded  in  the  present  chapter 
show  that  the  perverse  spirit  of  the 
fathers  still  lived  in  the  bosoms  of  their 
descendants,  and  that  the  deeds  of  their 

fathers  they  would  do. *[  {Even)  the 

whole  congregation.  However  they  had 
hitherto  become  separated  into  roam- 
ing or  straggling  detachments,  yet  now 
they  all  came  in  one  solid  compact  mass 
into  the  desert  of  Zin,  and  the  station 
of  Kadesh,  which  they  had  left  upwards 
of  thirty-eight  years  before.  They  came 
hither  at  this  time  from  Ezion-geber, 
which  is  a  port  on  the  "  shore  of  the 
Red  Sea,"  as  we  learn  from  1  Kings  9  : 
26.  This  part  of  their  wandering  is 
also  thus  alluded  to  by  Jephthah,  Judg. 
11 :  16,  "  But  when  Israel  came  up  from 
Egjpt,  and  walked  through  the  wilder- 
ness unto  the  Red  Sea,  and  came  to 
Kadesh,  etc." T[  Into  the  desert  of 


Zin.  This  is  a  region  of  the  peninsula, 
quite  different  from  that  called,  Ex.  16 : 
1,  by  nearly  the  same  name  (Sin),  which 
was  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
Red  Sea,  while  this  lay  on  the  confines 
of  Edom  (Idumea).  Its  precise  locality 
is  to  be  fixed  by  the  considerations  that 
determine  the  site  of  Kadesh,  on  which 
see  Note  above.  Between  Hazeroth, 
Num.  12 :  16,  and  the  portion  of  the 
wilderness  of  Zin,  in  which  they  were 
now  encamped,  there  had  occurred 
eighteen  stations,  as  enumerated  ch.  33  : 

18-36. H  In  the  first  month.     That 

is,  of  the  fortieth  year  after  they  had 
left  the  land  of  Egypt,  as  appears  from 
Num.  33  :  38,  compared  with  v.  28  of 
this  ch.,  and  Deut.  2  : 1-7.  This,  there- 
fore, was  the  last  year  of  Israel's  sojourn 
in  the  wilderness,  and  during  the  course 
of  it  Miriam,  Aaron,  and  Moses,  all  died. 

T[  And  the  people  abode  in  Kadesh. 

The  time  of  their  stay  in  this  place  it 
appears,  from  comparing  ch.  33 :  38, 
was  about  four  months,  as  on  the  fiist 
day  of  the  fifth  month  Aaron  died  at 
Mount  Hor,  whither  they  had  previous- 
ly removed. ^  Miriam  died.     Heb. 

Mir-yam.,  Mtterness.  Gr.  Mariam.  Jo- 
sephus,  Mariamne.  She  was  the  sister 
of  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  supposed  to 
be  the  same  that  watched  her  infant 
brother  when  exposed  on  the  Nile  ;  in 
which  case  she  was  probably  ten  or 
twelve  years  old  at  the  time,  Ex.  2  : 4, 
sq.  When  the  Israelites  left  Egypt  she 
naturally  became  the  leading  woman 
among  them,  and  therefore  it  is  writ- 
ten, Mic.  6:4,  "I  sent  before  thee 
Moses,  and  Aaron,  and  Miriam."  She 
is  called  "  a  prophetess,"  Ex.  15  :  20, 
and  after  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea 
she  led  the  music,  dance,  and  song,  with 
which  the  women  celebrated  their  de- 
liverance. She  died  and  was  buried  at 
the  station  Kadesh,  four  months  before 
her  brother  Aaron,  and  eleven  months 
before  Moses ;  and  Eusebius  says  that 


288 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


2  And "  there  was  no  water 
for  the  congregation  :  and  '^  they 


Ex.  n,  1,  etc. 


her  sepulchre  was  to  be  seen  there  in 
his  day.  She  was  probably  near  a  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years  old. 

The  PeojpU  Murmur  for  Water.  The 
Sin  of  Moses. 
V.  2.  TJure  was  no  water.  This  most 
necessary  gift  of  divine  Providence  was 
withheld  from  the  people  for  a  little  sea- 
son during  their  abode  in  this  place ; 
probably  as  a  trial  of  their  faith,  and 
that  it  might  be  known  whether  the 
present  generation  resembled  their 
fathers,  who  had  perished  in  the  wil- 
derness. The  event  showed  that  their 
moral  paternity  was  as  unquestionable 
as  their  natural.  Bp.  Patrick  and  sev- 
eral of  the  elder  commentators  suppose 
that  hitherto  the  host  of  Israel  had  been 
supplied  with  water  from  the  stream 
that  had  continued  to  flow  from  the 
rock  Rephidim,  formerly  smitten  by 
Moses,  and  which  had  followed  them 
during  all  their  forty  years'  sojourn  in 
the  wilderness,  Ex.  17  :  4.  But  this  we 
must  regard  as  a  mere  idle  Rabbinical 
conceit,  unsustained  by  any  authority 
whatever.  The  apostle  says,  indeed, 
1  Cor.  10  :  4,  that  "  they  drank  of  that 
spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them  :  and 
that  Rock  was  Christ ;"  but  this  surely 
refers  not  to  a  supply  of  literal  or  natu- 
ral water.  A  spiritual  rock  must  give 
forth  spiritual  water,  and  as  the  rock  is 
expressly  said  to  have  been  Christ,  the 
water  must  have  been  the  communica- 
tion of  his  Holy  Spirit,  constituting  their 
spiritual  drink.  The  note  of  Bloomfield 
on  this  passage  of  the  apostle  is  very 
clear  and  satisfactory,  "  The  meaning 
is,  that  Christ,  who  is  typified  by  that 
rock,  every  where  accompanied  and 
went  with  them,  supplying  (spiritual) 
water  miraculously  furnished;  which, 


gathered  themselves  together 
against  Moses  and  against 
Aaron. 


as  it  never  failed  them,  might  be  said 
popularly  to  follow  them,  as  Christ 
who  supplied  it  did."  The  general 
sense  is,  says  Mr,  Holden,  that  "  the 
Israelites  had  the  same  spiritual  ad- 
vantages and  privileges  offered  to  them 
typically,  which  are  offered  to  us  real- 
ly." The  congregation  were  no  doubt 
supplied  with  water  from  such  springs 
as  they  met  with  in  their  journeyings. 
At  the  present  day,  water,  though  not 
plenty  in  the  Arabian  desert,  still  is  by 
no  means  utterly  wanting,  and  the  in- 
habitants, with  their  cattle  and  flocks, 
are  continually  passing  over  it  from 
place  to  place.  "We  have  no  intimation 
that  water,  like  their  food,  was  usually 
furnished  to  the  Israelites  miraculously. 
At  the  spot  where  they  were  now  en- 
camped there  was,  for  some  reason,  a 
scarcity,  although  we  read  of  nothing 
of  the  kind  on  the  former  occasion, 
when  they  w5re  there.  But  the  wells 
and  fountains  of  the  East  have  not  al- 
ways a  constant  supply  of  water, 

Tl  They  gathered  themselves  together 
against  Moses  and  against  Aaron.  As 
the  fiithers,  under  a  similar  destitution, 
rebelled  against  their  leaders  at  Re- 
phidim, so  do  the  children  here  ;  as  the 
fathers  then  "  chode  "  with  Moses  and 
murmured  at  his  bringing  them  out  of 
Egypt,  so  did  the  children  here ;  as 
Moses  then  cried  unto  the  Lord  by  rea- 
son of  the  outrage  of  the  people,  so  he 
and  Aaron  here  fall  down  before  the 
Lord ;  as  the  Lord  then  promised  and 
gave  them  water  out  of  the  rock,  so 
also  here ;  and  so  in  regard  to  the  rod, 
the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory 
and  other  points,  the  coincidences  in 
the  two  cases  are  very  striking.  The 
present  was  a  new  outbreak  of  that 
characteristic  perversity,  which  though 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


289 


3  And  the  people  chocle 
with  Moses,  and  spake,  saying, 
Would  '  God  that  we  had  died 


occasionally  suppressed  by  severe  judg- 
ments, seems  never  to  have  been  effect- 
ually subdued.  But  while  they  thus 
proved  themselves  the  children  of  their 
fathers,  we  should  not  forget  that  our 
waywardness  proves  equally  that  we 
are  their  children  in  moral  relationship, 
and  that  the  deeds  of  our  fathers  we 
continue  to  do. 

V.  3.  And  the  people  cJiode  with  Jloses. 
Heb.  yareb,  contended,  from  a  root  sig- 
nifying to  strite,  contend,  litigate,  espe- 
cially by  bitter  and  reproachful  words. 
Gr.  "  The  people  reviled  Moses."  At  a 
season  like  this,  when  he  might  more 
justly  have  looked  for  their  sympathy 
and  condolence,  he  is  beset  and  ag- 
grieved by  reproaches  and  accusations 
for  which  he  had  given  not  the  least  oc- 
casion.  ^  Would  God  that  we  had 

died,  etc.  Heb.  "  Oh,  that  we  had  given 
up  the  ghost  (expired)  in  our  brethren's 
giving  up  the  ghost  (expiring)  before 
the  Lord."  Gr.  "  Oh,  that  we  had  per- 
ished in  the  destruction  of  our  brethren 
before  the  Lord."  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  they  refer  to  the  plague,  the  de- 
structive ravages  of  which  are  men- 
tioned, ch.  16  :  49,  and  which,  above 
other  judgments,  is  supposed  to  come 
more  immediately  from  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  as  appears  from  the  language  of 
David,  2  Sam.  24 :  14,  15.  They  pre- 
ferred this  to  perishing  by  hunger  and 
thirst,  which  would  seem  to  be  coun- 
tenanced by  the  words  of  the  prophet. 
Lam.  4:9,  "  They  that  be  slain  with 
the  sword  are  better  than  they  that  be 
slain  with  hunger  :  for  these  pine  away 
stricken  through  for  want  of  the  fruits 
of  the  field."  For  this  reason,  it  is  sup- 
posed, that  they  employ  the  term  for 
13 


when  our  brethren  died  before 
the  Lord  ! 

4  And  why  have  ye  brought 
up    the    congregation    of    the 


gimng  vp  the  ghost  as  implying  an 
easier  kind  of  death  than  that  by  the 
sword,  or  hypger,  or  thirst,  or  death  by 
any  other  violent  means.  The  Hebrew 
writers  explain  the  original  for  giving 
vp  the  ghost  to  denote  a  death  without 
pain  or  protracted  sickness.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  in  the  siniple  sensation  of 
thirst  there  was  no  sin,  but  in  the  lan- 
guage in  which  they  gave  vent  to  their 
impatience  there  was  great  and  griev- 
ous sin  against  God,  as  well  as  gross  in- 
gratitude in  view  of  past  mercies.  They 
wish  they  had  died  with  the  seditious 
band  of  rebels  who  had  conspired 
against  God,  and  whom  yet  here  they 
dignify  with  the  name  of  "  brethren." 
Now  surely  as  one  can  die  but  once, 
the  death  would  have  been  substan- 
tially the  same  whether  they  died  on 
account  of  a  failure  of  springs  of  water 
or  by  being  smitten  down  by  pesti- 
lence. But  it  was  base  ingratitude  for 
men  who  had  frequently  experienced 
such  signal  deliverances  at  the  hands 
of  the  Lord  thus  to  murmur  against 
Him,  in  upbraiding  his  servants,  be- 
cause their  wants  were  not  immediate- 
ly supplied.  Yet  thus  it  is  that  "  the 
foolishness  of  man  perverteth  his  way, 
and  his  heart  fretteth  against  the  Lord." 
V.  4.  Why  have  ye  Irought  vp,  etc. 
Yulg.  "  Why  have  ye  brought  out  the 
church  of  the  Lord  into  the  wilderness, 
etc."  They  proceed  to  expostulate  with 
Moses  for  bringing  them  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  which  they  would  fain  repre- 
sent as  stocked  with  every  luxury,  into 
a  wilderness,  dry,  barren,  and  desolate  ; 
as  though  Moses  and  Aaron  had  acted 
in  this  matter  from  their  own  impulse 
without  divine  direction. T[  That  we 


290 


NUMBEKS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


Lord  into  this  wilderness,  that 
we  and  our  cattle  should  die 
there  ? 

5  And  wherefore  have  ye 
made  us  to  come  up  out  of 
Egypt,  to  bring  us  in  unto  this 
evil  place  ?  it  ^  is  no  place  of 
seed,  or  of  figs,  or  of  vines, 
or  of  pomegranates;  neither  is 
there  any  water  to  drink. 

6  And    Moses    and   Aaron 

/  c.  16. 14. 

and  our  cattle  should  die  there.  Gr. 
**  To  kill  us  and  our  children." 

V.  5.  It  is  noplace  of  seed,  or  of  Jigs, 
etc.  No  place  in  which  to  sow  seeds,  to 
plant  vines  or  fig-trees,  or  any  thing  of 
the  kind.  On  the  contrary,  they  had 
been  led  into  a  wilderness  which  was 
"  a  land  of  deserts  and  of  pits,  a  land  of 
drought,  and  of  the  shadow  of  death,  a 
land  that  no  man  passed  through,  and 
where  no  man  dwelt." 

V.  6.  And  Moses  and  Aaron  went, 
etc.  Instead  of  turning  upon  the  peo- 
ple in  a  recriminating  tone,  and  de- 
nouncing divine  judgments  against 
them,  they  have  immediate  recourse  to 
the  appointed  meeting-place,  where  the 
Lord  was  to  be  sought,  and  there  hum- 
bly prostrate  themselves  before  his  face, 
deprecating  the  displeasure  which  the 
murmurings  of  Israel  had  provoked. 
So  striking  was  the  contrast  between 
the  conduct  of  the  leaders  and  the  con- 
duct of  the  led  !  The  people  sinned  ; 
but  Moses  and  Aaron  prayed.  These 
saviours  of  Israel,  these  typical  days- 
men between  Israel  and  their  God,  now 
stand  in  the  breach,  as  they  had  often 
done  before,  and  avert  the  due  penalty. 
Happy  for  the  congregation  that  the 
Lord  had  not  left  the  camp,  or  Moses 

and  Aaron  ceased  their  functions ! 

^  The  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto 
them.    This  phenomenon  in  the  cloudy 


went  from  the  presence  of  the 
assembly  unto  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
and  they  fell  upon  their  faces ; 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peared unto  them. 

7  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

8  Take  the  rod,  and  gather 
thou  the  assembly  together,  thou 
and  Aaron  thy  brother,  and 
speak  ye  unto  the  rock  before 


pillar  had  often  occurred  before  on 
special  emergencies,  as  a  token  of  the 
Lord's  special  presence,  of  his  cogni- 
zance of  what  was  transpiring,  and  of 
his  purpose  in  some  way  to  interpose 
in  vindication  of  his  own  glory.  See 
Notes  on  Ex.  16  :  10.  Num.  14  :  10.  16  : 
19,  42. 

V.  8.  Take  the  rod,  etc.  Doubtless  the 
same  rod  with  which  he  had  wrought 
the  miracles  in  Egypt,  and  by  which  the 
rock  of  Rephidim  had  been  smitten  on 
a  former  occasion.  Some  expositors 
favor  the  idea  of  its  being  the  rod  that 
budded  and  blossomed,  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  said  to  have  been  taken  '*  from 
before  the  Lord,"  or  out  of  the  taber- 
nacle, where  it  appears,  from  ch.  17  :  10, 
that  Aaron's  rod  was  laid  up  as  a  testi- 
mony. But  the  presumption  is  that  the 
rod  of  Moses,  the  instrument  of  such 
signal  displays  of  the  divine  power,  was 
also  carefully  preserved  within  the  pre- 
cincts of  the  Tabernacle,  and  ready  to 
be  employed  whenever  the  fit  occasion 
should  occur.  In  v.  11,  it  is  called 
"his"  rod,  and  although  the  matter 
will  always  be  subject  to  doubt,  yet  the 
congruity  of  circumstances  determines 
us  to  the  adoption  of  the  opinion  above 

expressed. T[  Speak  ye  unto  the  roch 

before  their  eyes.  Here,  indeed,  we  read 
no  express  command  to  smite  the  rock, 
but  simply  to  take  the   rod  in  hand 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


291 


tlieir  eyes ;    and  it   shall  give    from  before    the    Lord,    as  he 
forth  his  water,  and  thou  shalt    commanded  him. 

10  And  Moses  and  Aaron 
gathered  the  congregation  to- 
gether before  the  rock :  and  he 
said  unto  them,  Hear  now,  ye 
rebels  ^ ;  must  we  fetch  you 
water  out  of  this  rock  ? 

h  Ps.  106.  33. 


bring  forth  to  them  water  out 
of  the  rock  ^ :  so  thou  shalt 
give  the  congregation  and  their 
beasts  drink. 

9  And  Moses  took   the  rod 

g  ver.  11.       Neh  9.  15.        Ps.  78. 15,  16.      105.  41. 
114.  8.  Is.  43.  iO.    48.  2!. 

as  a  symDol  of  the  divine  power,  and 
then  to  address  the  rock ;  but  as  it  is 
difficult  to  conjecture  for  what  purpose 
the  rod  was  to  be  taken  unless  it  was  to 
be  used,  the  presumption  is  that  it  was 
intended  to  be  used  either  in  smiting  or 
waving,  in  conjunction  with  the  words 
to  be  uttered.  Yet  as  it  is  evident  that 
Moses  sinned  in  some  way  in  the  trans- 
action, the  precise  nature  of  his  offence 
will  be  considered  in  the  ensuing  note. 
V.  10.  Hear  now,  ye  rebels.  Hitherto, 
in  following  the  march  of  Israel  through 
the  wilderness,  we  have  been  called  to 
deplore  the  iniquity  of  the  people.  The 
scene,  in  a  single  instance,  is  now 
changed  ;  and,  instead  of  regarding  the 
rvlers  of  the  host  as  men  "  more  sinned 
against  than  sinning,"  we  behold  Moses 
and  Aaron,  the  prophet  and  the  priest, 
overpowered  by  temptation  and  falling 
into  sin.  "  Hear  now,  ye  rebels."  No 
such  language  of  rebuke  entered  into 
the  commission  with  which  Moses  was 
now  intrusted,  and  therefore  it  was 
wholly  unwarranted.  He  was  com- 
manded to  speak  to  the  rock,  and  not 
to  the  people ;  and  though  they  un- 
doubtedly deserved  censure,  and  were 
acting  the  part  of  rebels,  yet  it  was  not 
his  duty  now  to  upbraid  them  there- 
with. His  reproachful  appellation  did 
not  belie  them,  but  it  was  unworthy  of 
him,  and  injurious  to  his  spiritual  state. 
The  words  evince  an  undue  excitement, 
impatience,  irritation,  and  indignation 
in  one  form  where,  as  a  pattern  of 


meekness,  we  had  a  right  to  expect 
rather  a  calm  dignity  and  placid  confi- 
dence in  God  than  a  tone  of  rashness 

and   petulance. *\    Must   we  fetch 

xvater  out  of  this  roch?  Heb.  "Shall 
we  from  this  rock  bring  forth  water  for 
you  ?"  It  is  evident  from  what  follows 
that  some  degree  of  sinful  doubt  and 
distrust  is  couched  in  this  language  ; 
and  this  sense  is  not  badly  conveyed 
by  the  paraphrase  of  Bp.  Hall :  "  Hear 
now,  ye  rebels ;  Is  it  likely  that  we 
shall  fetch  water  out  of  this  hard  rock 
to  satisfy  your  thirst  ?  This  we  are  re- 
quired to  do ;  but  is  this  a  thing  possi- 
ble to  be  done  ?"  The  use  of  the  word 
"  must,"  in  our  version,  does  not  seem 
warranted  by  the  original,  and  conveys 
a  shade  of  meaning  which  obscures  the 
genuine  import  of  the  passage.  As  it 
now  reads,  the  main  implication  is  that 
of  a  kind  of  arrogant,  self-sufficiency,  as 
if  they,  by  some  power  or  virtue  of  their 
own,  were  to  perform  the  miracle.  This, 
we  apprehend,  would  be  doing  injustice 
to  Moses  and  Aaron,  although  their  pro- 
ceeding was  not  free  from  blame.  They 
did  not  probably  so  much  claim  the 
ability  to  bring  forth  water  themselves, 
as  cherish  a  doubt  whether  the  Lord 
would  do  it  in  behalf  of  such  gross  of- 
fenders. Therefore  they  speak  distrust- 
fully, and  they  may  have  discovered  in 
other  ways  an  uncertainty  in  their  own 
minds  whether  water  would  come  forth 
or  not.  This  was  a  prominent  pai-t  of 
the  offence  which  they  soon  learned 


292 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


11  And  Moses  lifted  up  Iiis 
hand,  and  with  his  rod  he  smote 
the  rock  twice  :  and  the  *  water 
came  out  abundantly  :  and  the 

t  Ex.  17.  6.  Deut.  8.  15.     1  Cor.  10.  4. 


was  to  cost  them  so  dear.  Vulg.  "  He 
said  to  them,  Hear,  ye  rebellious  and 
incredulous,  can  we  bring  you  forth 
water  out  of  this  rock  ?" 

V.  11.  Smote  the  rock  twice.  Show- 
ing hereby  the  passionate  excitement 
to  which  he  was  wrought  up.  He  was 
not  expressly  commanded  to  smite  the 
rock  even  once ;  yet  he  does  it  twice. 

V.  12.  Because  ye  lelieved  me  not,  to 
sanctify  me,  etc.  Chald.  "  Ye  believed 
not  in  my  Word."  That  is,  ye  have 
not  believed  in  me  with  that  practical 
faith  which  would  have  led  you  to  sanc- 
tify, or,  in  other  words,  to  honor  and 
glorify  me  in  the  eyes  of  this  people. 
To  this  sense  inclines  the  Arab.  "In 
like  manner  as  ye  have  not  made  them 
to  believe  in  me,  nor  have  sanctified  me 
before  the  sons  of  Israel,  so  I  also  will 
not  introduce  this  rabble  into  the  re- 
gion promised  them."  Moses  alone  is 
spoken  of  in  this  transaction,  although 
it  is  evident  that  Aaron  is  regarded  as 
sharing  the  blame.  He  was  present, 
and,  considering  the  office  he  bore, 
sanctioned  by  his  silence  whatever  was 
wrong  in  the  proceedings  of  Moses. 
On  such  an  occasion  it  behoo/ed  him  to 
speak  if  a  wrong  against  the  Lord's 
honor  were  committed,  as  there  plainly 
was.  This,  their  sin,  is  therefore  called 
a  "  rebellion  against  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord,"  Num.  27  :  14,  and  a  "  transgres- 
sion "  or  "  trespass,"  Deut.  32  :  51, 
which  word,  the  Jewish  writers  re- 
mark, properly  implies  falsity,  as  in 
Lev.  G  :  2,  it  is  joined  wiih  false-denial, 
and  John  says,  1  John  5  :  10,  "  He  that 
belie veth  not  God  hath  made  him  a 
liar."    The  unbelief  here  charged  upon 


congregation    drank,  and  their 
beasts  also. 

12  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  Aaron,  Because  *  ye 

k  c.  27.  14.   Deut.  3.  26.    32.  51. 


Moses  and  Aaron  was  not,  we  suppose, 
so  much  a  positive  mental  incredulity 
settled  and  cherished  in  their  own 
minds  in  regard  to  the  divine  power 
and  goodness,  as  a  temporary  wavering 
growing  out  of  the  heat  and  perturba- 
tion of  spirit  Avhich  the  conduct  of  the 
multitude  had  excited.  They  conse- 
quently failed  to  act  in  their  usual  con- 
sistent and  obedient  manner,  and  fail- 
ing in  this,  they  failed  to  produce  the 
proper  impression  upon  the  minds  of 
the  people,  of  fear  and  reverence  to- 
wards the  God  of  Israel.  It  is,  however, 
to  be  remarked,  that  the  real  character 
of  the  sin  of  Moses  and  Aaron  on  this 
occasion  has  been  a  matter  of  much  de- 
bate among  the  learned.  Our  most 
definite  information  respecting  it  is 
contained,  Ps.  106:32,  33,  "They  an- 
gered him  also  at  the  waters  of  strife, 
so  that  it  went  ill  with  Moses  for  their 
sakes  :  because  they  provoked  his  spir- 
it, so  that  he  spake  unadvisedly  with 
his  lips."  Here  it  is  obvious  that  the 
precise  transgression  charged  upon 
Moses  is  provocation  of  spirit  and 
"  speaking  unadvisedly  with  his  lips." 
H  is  not  so  much  any  thing  that  he  did, 
as  what  he  said,  and  the  spirit  from 
which  he  said  it.  We  are  inclined, 
therefore,  with  Saurin  {Dissert.  62d), 
not  to  place  the  main  offence  in  the 
striking  of  the  rock,  though  he  doubt- 
less erred  in  striking  it  twice,  but  in 
the  impatient  and  exasperated  state  of 
mind  under  which  he  acted,  and  in  the 
corresponding  rash  and  intemperate 
language  which  he  uttered.  It  was 
not  a  cordial  and  punctilious  obedi- 
ence which  he  rendered  to  the  divine 


B.C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


believed  me  not,  to  sanctify  '  me 


command.  Consequently,  he  failed  to 
**  sanctify  the  Lord  of  hosts "  in  the 
eyes  of  the  people,  i.  e.,  to  act  in  such  a 
manner  in  their  presence  as  to  impress 
upon  them  the  idea  that  He  was  to  be 
exactly  obeyed  in  every  injunction  and 
the  most  implicit  faith  reposed  in  his 
word.  This,  therefore,  was  an  aggra- 
vated offence  on  the  part  of  Moses  and 
Aaron.  They  should  have  remembered 
that  Nadab  and  Abihu  had  been  de- 
voured by  fire  before  the  Lord  for  irrev- 
erently offering  common  fire  in  their 
censers,  instead  of  the  fire  that  was 
burning  on  the  altar ;  and  that  the 
Lord  had  said  on  that  occasion,  "  I  will 
be  sanctified  in  them  that  come  nigh 
unto  me,  and  before  all  the  people  will 
I  be  glorified,"  Lev.  10  :  3,  on  which  see 
Note.  The  remarks  of  Calvin,  in  this 
connection,  are  confirmatory  of  the 
view  now  suggested.  "If  it  be  asked 
in  what  respect  Moses  transgressed,  the 
origin  of  his  transgression  was  unbe- 
lief, for  it  is  not  allowable,  when  this 
particular  form  of  sin  is  specified  in  the 
answer  of  God,  to  imagine  that  it  was 
any  thing  else.  In  asking  whether  he 
should  fetch  water  out  of  the  rock,  he 
seems  to  reject  as  impossible  and  ab- 
surd what  God  had  promised  to  do. 
He  inquires  whether  he  shall  fetch 
water  out  of  the  rock,  whereas  he  ought 
to  have  recollected  that  this  had  al- 
ready (on  a  former  occasion)  been 
granted  him.  It  became  him,  then,  con- 
fidently to  assert  that  God  had  again 
promised  the  same  thing,  rather  than 
to  speak  with  hesitation.  Others  think 
that  he  sinned,  because  he  was  not  con- 
tented with  a  single  blow,  but  smote 
the  rock  twice.  And  this  did  arise,  per- 
haps, from  distrust.  But  the  origin  of 
the  fault  was,  that  he  did  not  simply 
embrace  God's  promise,  and  strenuous- 


in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of 
Israel,   therefore   ye  shall   not 


ly  discharge  the  duty  assigned  to  him 
as  an  evidence  of  his  faith.  Although, 
therefore,  his  smiting  the  rock  twice 
might  have  been  a  token  of  his  want  of 
confidence,  still  it  was  only  an  aggrava- 
tion of  the  evil,  and  not  its  origin  or 
cause.  Thus,  then,  we  must  always 
come  back  to  this,  that  Moses  did  not 
give  God  the  glory,  because  he  rather 
considered  what  the  people  had  de- 
served, than  estimated  the  power  of 
God  according  to  his  word." — Harm. 

of  Pent. \   TJierefore  ye  shall  not 

bring,  etc.  To  the  judgment  of  human 
reason  this  might  appear,  perhaps,  to 
have  been  a  sentence  of  undue  severity. 
Considering  that  these  venerable  men 
had  been  for  forty  years  faithful  and  in- 
defatigable in  the  Lord's  service,  and 
that  this  was,  in  respect  to  Moses  at 
least,  the  first  open  offence  of  which 
they  were  guilty,  we  should  have 
hoped  that  they  might  have  been  spared 
the  heavy  punishment  now  denounced. 
Shall  one  apparently  venial  ofience 
avail  to  exclude  them  hopelessly  from 
the  land  of  promise,  to  which  they  had 
looked  forward  with  such  ardent  desire 
and  assured  expectation  ?  But  we  are 
soon  silenced  with  the  unanswerable 
question,  "  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all 
the  earth  do  right  ?"  We  are  very  in- 
competent to  determine  what  it  becomes 
the  Divine  Majesty  to  do.  But  we  learn 
elsewhere  in  the  "Word  that  the  Lord 
marks  with  especial  severity  the  sins 
of  those  who  in  knowledge,  official  sta- 
tion, and  high  prerogative,  are  elevated 
to  a  rank  nearest  himself,  and  deals 
with  them  according  to  their  greater 
responsibility.  "  Because  you  only  have 
I  known  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
therefore  will  I  punish  your  iniquities." 
Whoever  may  escape,  the  Lord  will  not 
fail  to  punish  the  provocations  of  Lis 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452, 


bring  this  congregation  into  the 
land  which  I  have  given  them. 

own  "  near  ones,"  his  own  servants  and 
children.  We  do  not  learn  that  Moses 
and  Aaron,  for  their  conduct  on  this  oc- 
casion, were  shut  out  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven ;  but  they  were  debarred  from 
entering  into  the  landof  Canaan,  which 
represented  heaven,  and  were  thus 
called  to  suffer  an  affliction  and  a  griev- 
ance which  weighed  very  heavily  upon 
them.  This  is  evident  from  the  manner 
in  which  Moses  speaks  of  it  in  Deut.  3  : 
23-27,  "  And  I  besought  the  Lord  at 
that  time,  saying,  0  Lord  God,  thou 
hast  begun  to  show  thy  servant  thy 
greatness  and  thy  mighty  hand :  for 
what  God  is  there  in  heaven  or  in  earth 
that  can  do  according  to  thy  works,  and 
according  to  thy  might?  I  pray  thee, 
let  me  go  over  and  see  the  good  land 
that  is  beyond  Jordan,  that  goodly 
mountain,  and  Lebanon.  But  the  Lord 
was  wroth  with  me  for  your  sakes,  and 
would  not  hear  me  :  and  the  Lord  said 
unto  me.  Let  it  suffice  thee ;  speak  no 
more  unto  me  of  this  matter.  Get  thee 
up  into  the  top  of  Pisgah,  and  lift  up 
thine  eyes  westward,  and  northward, 
and  southward,  and  eastward,  and  be- 
hold it  with  thine  eyes  :  for  thou  shalt 
not  go  over  this  Jordan."  And  accord- 
ing to  the  sentence  so  was  the  execu- 
tion, as  Aaron  died  shortly  after  in 
Mount  Hor,  and  Moses  on  Mount  Nebo, 
after  having  surveyed  the  country  with 
his  eyes.  Thus  was  fulfilled  the  words 
of  the  Psalmist  in  regard  to  Moses  and 
Aaron,  Ps.  99  :  "  Thou  wast  a  God  who 
forgavest  them,  though  thou  tookest 
vengeance  of  their  inventions."  Prob- 
ably, however,  we  are  not  to  look  upon 
this  dispensation  wholly  in  the  light  of 
a  judgment.  One  of  the  ancient  fathers 
suggests  that  had  Moses  lived  to  con- 
duct the  people  into  the  promised  land, 
and  triumphantly  to  establish  them  in 


13  This  is  the  water  of  Mer- 
ibah:    because  the  children  of 


it,  his  memory  might  have  been  so 
cherished  by  his  countrymen  that  it 
might  have  led  them  at  last  to  a  species 
of  deification.  To  this  we  may  add  the 
typical  considerations,  which  no  doubt 
availed  in  the  divine  counsels.  Moses 
represented  the  law,  or  the  Levitical 
system,  which  is  of  itself  unable  to 
bring  the  soul  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  inasmuch  as  by  its  deeds  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified.  Its  function  is  to 
lead  the  soul,  in  its  preliminary  desert 
wanderings,  before  it  reaches  the  place 
of  the  heavenly  Canaan  entered  by  re- 
generation. It  was  fitting,  therefore, 
that  Moses,  the  representative  of  the 
law,  should  give  way  to  a  successor  in 
office  whose  typical  functions  should 
more  nearly  accord  with  the  facts  shad- 
owed forth.  Joshua,  therefore,  called 
"  Jesus,"  Acts  7  :  47.^^  Heb.  4  :  8,  was 
appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  he,  as  a 
lively  type  of  Christ,  supplied  Moses' 
"  lack  of  service  "  in  this  respect. 

V.  13.  This  is  the  water  of  Meribah. 
Heb.  "  This  is  the  water  of  strife,  con- 
tention, or  altercation."  Gr.  "Of  con- 
tradiction." The  same  name,  originat- 
ing in  the  same  cause,  had  been  pre- 
viously bestowed  upon  the  locality  of 
Rephidim,  where  the  former  miracle 
had  occurred,  Ex.  17  :  7.  But  this  place 
is  sufficiently  distinguished  from  that, 
being  called,  Deut.  32  :  51,  "  The  waters 
of  Meribah-Kadesh  in  the  wilderness 
of  Zin."  It  may  be  remarked,  however, 
that  Hengstenberg,  in  replying  to  some 
of  the  German  critics  who  would  main- 
tain the  identity  of  the  transaction  re- 
corded here  and  in  Ex.  17,  denies  that 
Meribah,  in  this  connection,  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  proper  name,  but  should  be 
simply  I'endered,  "  These  are  the  waters 
of  strife."  "  The  assertion  is  false,  that 
the  place  received  both  times  the  same 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


295 


Israel  strove  with  the  Lord,  and 
he  was  sanctified  '"  in  them. 


name.  The  first  place  obtained  the 
names  of  Massah  and  Meribah ;  the 
second  those  of  Kadesh  and  En  Mish- 
pat,  Gen.  14  :  7.  The  occasion  of  the 
error  lies  in  Xum.  20  :  13,  '  This  is  the 
water  of  strife  {rrie  meribah),  because 
the  children  of  Israel  strove  {i^abu)  with 
the  Lord,  and  he  was  sanctified  in 
them.'  Not  a  word  is  said  here  about 
giving  the  name  Meribah  to  the  place. 
Elsewhere  onlv  the  waters  of  strife  at 
Kadesh  are  spoken  of.  That  the  author 
uses  the  expression  waters  of  strife  is 
intentional.  The  repetition  of  the  desig- 
nation, which,  on  the  former  occasion, 
became  a  proper  name,  here  serves  as 
an  allusion  to  it,  and  therefore  sets  in  a 
more  conspicuous  light  the  unbelief  of 
the  people  and  of  their  leader." —  Gen. 
of  Pent.,  vol.  ii.  p.  310.  The  usage  of 
the  sacred  writers  favors,  we  think, 
this  construction.  Thus,  Ps.  95  :  8, 
"Harden  not  your  hearts  as  in  the 
provocation  (meribah  ,  and  as  in  the 
day  of  temptatio7i  imassah)  in  the  wil- 
derness." So  Deut.  32  :  51,  "  Because 
ye  trespassed  against  me  among  the 
children  of  Israel  at  the  waters  of  Jleri- 
hah-Kadesh  {meribath  Kadesh,  strife  of 
Kadesh),  in  the  wilderness  of  Zin." 
Here  we  find  Meribah  in  the  construct 
state  {meribath),  which,  though  com- 
mon with  appellatives,  is  very  unusual 
with  proper  names,  except  in  the  case 
of  words  which  are  found  in  the  con- 
struct state  only.  Still  this  point  must 
always  be  held  with  some  degree  of 

diffidence. •[  Strove  with  the  Lord. 

They  strove  with  the  Lord  by  striving 
with  Moses  and  Aaron,  his  servants. 
Comp.  Ex.  16  :  8.    Gr.  "  Reviled  before 

the  Lord." ■[[  And  he  was  sanctified 

in  them.  That  is,  although  Moses  and 
Aaron  had  failed  to  sanctify  him  by 


14  And  "  Moses  sent  messen- 
gers from  Kadesh  unto  the  king 


n  Judg.  11.  16,  n. 


faith  and  obedience,  yet  he  took  the 
matter  of  his  vindication  and  glorifica- 
tion into  his  own  hands,  and  sanctified 
himself  by  punishing  his  friends  and 
favorites,  and  demonstrating  in  the 
eyes  of  the  congregation  his  omnipo- 
tence, veracity,  and  clemency 

A  Passage  through  the  Land  of  Edom 
sought  and  refused. 
V.  14,  Moses  sent  messengers  from 
Kadesh.  It  is  generally  supposed  that 
this  was  done  under  a  special  divine 
direction,  to  be  recognized  in  the  tenor 
of  what  is  recorded,  Deut.  2  : 1-G.  Upon 
reference  to  that  passage,  it  does  not 
appear  that  the  j^resent  message  was 
expressly  commanded,  although  gen- 
eral directions  are  given  as  to  the  de- 
portment the  Israelites  were  to  observe 
in  passing  through  the  Edomite  terri- 
tory. It  is,  therefore,  only  by  inference 
that  a  divine  order  is  made  out  for 
sending  messengers  to  the  ruler  of  that 
country.  It  may  have  been  so,  but  it 
is  not  distinctly  affirmed.  The  relative 
position  of  the  land  of  Edom  to  the  re- 
gion of  Kadesh,  where  they  were  now 
encamped,  and  to  the  most  direct  route 
to  the  country  of  Canaan,  must  be  ascer- 
tained from  the  maps,  of  which  Prof. 
Robinson's  are  probably  the  most  ac- 
curate. It  extended  along  the  south- 
ern boundary  of  Canaan,  from  the  Dead 
Sea  to  the  eastern  arm  of  the  Red  Sea, 
i  on  the  east  of  the  deep  and  dreary  val- 
j  ley  which  reaches  from  the  one  sea  to  the 
I  other.  It  is  a  mountainous  region,  to 
'  which  also  the  appellation  of  Seir,  or 
Mount  Seir,  is  occasionally  given.  The 
word  Stir  means  hairy  (being  thus  sy- 
nonymous with  Esau),  and  when  ap- 
plied to  a  country  may  signify  rugged, 
I  jagged,  mourdainous,  and  so  says  Jo- 


296 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


of  Edom,  Thus  saitli "  thy  bro- 


sephus :  "  Esau  named  the  country 
'  Roughness '  from  his  own  hairy  rough- 
ness." It  was  formerly  called  the 
country  of  the  Ilorlm,  i.  e.,  cave-dwell- 
ers (Troglodytes)  from  libi\  a  cave.  The 
famous  city  of  Petra,  which  was  in  the 
territory  of  Edom,  was  composed  of 
dwellings  excavated  in  the  solid  rock. 
This  region  the  Lord  had  prophetically 
assigned  to  Esau,  and  He  would  not 
have  him  disturbed  in  the  possession 
of  it.  It  is  at  present  wholly  occupied 
by  various  tribes  of  Bedouin  Arabs. 
Moses  being  now  ordered  to  decamp 
and  set  forward  toward  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, and  the  straightest  route  thither 
leading  directly  through  the  domains 
of  Edom,  he  is  prompted  to  despatch 
delegates  to  the  prince  of  that  country 
to  solicit  a  free  passage  through  it, 
which  he  does  upon  consideration  of 
the  near  affinity  subsisting  between  the 
two  nations,  and  upon  the  pledge  of 
keeping  the  common  thoroughfare, 
without  deviating  to  the  right  hand 
or  the  left,  without  invading  or  injur- 
ing any  one's  property,  and  without 
asking  either  food  or  drink,  except 
upon  condition  of  punctually  paying 
for  it. II  Thus  saitli  thy  brother  Is- 
rael. Israel  is  .the  collective  name  of 
the  whole  nation  descended  from  Ja- 
cob, who  was  called  by  that  name ;  and 
in  like  manner  we  find  both  Esau  and 
Edom  used  to  denote  the  national  pos- 
terity of  Esau.  See  Obad.  v.  1,  6,  10. 
Mai.  1 : 1-4:.  The  Lord  would  have  the 
brotherly  relation  cheerfully  acknowl- 
edged on  the  part  of  his  people,  as  they 
both  looked  to  a  common  ancestor  in 
Isaac,  and  both  inherited  the  rite  of  cir- 
cumcision, which  would  naturally  be  a 
bond  of  fraternal  connection.  By  this 
respectful  and  affectionate  appeal  they 
would  win  their  way  to  his  heartland 


ther  Israel,  Thou  knowest  all 
the  travail  that  hath  befallen  us ; 

obtain  the  object  of  their  suit.  They 
acted  herein  in  the  spirit  of  the  pre- 
cept, Deut.  23  :  7,  "  Thou  shalt  not  ab- 
hor an  Edomite,  for  he  is  thy  brother." 
But  as  this  might  not  prevail,  they  are 
commanded  to  urge  other  considera- 
tions.  ^  TJiou  knowest  all  the  travail 

that  hath  hefallen  us.  Heb.  hoi  hatte- 
Idah  asher  metzathenu,  all  the  weari- 
some-molestation that  hath  found  us. 
The  same  phrase  occurs,  Ex.  18 : 8, 
"  And  Moses  told  his  father-in-law  all 
that  the  Lord  had  done  unto  Pharaoh, 
and  to  the  Egyptians  for  Israel's  sake, 
and  all  tJte  travail  that  had  come  upon 
them  by  the  way."  See  Note  in  loc. 
This  language  was  well  calculated  to 
conciliate  the  mind  of  Edom,  for  we 
must  consider  the  prince  as  fairly  repre- 
senting the  people,  or  as  an  organ  of 
their  sentiments.  The  words  made  an 
appeal  to  the  ordinary  feelings  of  hu- 
manity ;  for  nature  itself  dictates  sym- 
pathy and  aid  to  the  wretched  who  are 
unjustly  oppressed.  In  this  view  he 
says  that  the  afflictions  which  they  had 
endured  were  notorious,  viz.,  that  as 
sojourners  in  Egypt  they  had  been 
tyrannically  harassed  and  oppressed. 
As  he  takes  it  for  granted  that  they 
were  no  strangers  to  what  had  hap- 
pened to  them,  the  inference  is  obvious 
that  the  marvellous  events  which  had 
marked  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from 
Egypt  were  widely  bruited  and  well 
known  throughout  the  peninsula,  as 
one  tribe  had  communicated  the  news 
to  another,  and  we  cannot  but  wonder 
that  the  evidence  of  the  divine  protec- 
tion in  their  behalf  should  not  have 
overawed  the  minds  of  those  who  were 
predisposed  to  treat  them  ill.  Such  an 
effect  in  general  had  been  predicted 
upon  the  overthrow  of  Pharaoh,  Ex, 
15  :  14, 15,  "  The  people  shall  hear,  and 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


297 


15  How  our  fathers  went 
down^  into  Egypt,  and  we  have 
dwelt  *  in  Egypt  a  long  time ; 


p  Gen.  46.  6. 


q  Ei.  12.40. 


be  afraid:  sorrow  shall  take  hold  on 
the  inhabitants  of  Palestine.  Then  the 
dukes  of  Edom  shall  be  amazed ;  the 
mighty  men  of  Moab,  trembling  shall 
take  hold  upon  them ;  all  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Canaan  shall  melt  away."  But 
they  were  hardened  to  their  own  detri- 
ment, as  we  learn  from  their  subse- 
quent history. 

V.  15.  The  Egyptians  vexed  vs  and 
our  fathers.  By  fEus  recapitulating 
their  sufferings  in  Egypt,  and  reciting 
the  Lord's  merciful  interpositions  in 
their  behalf,  they  wove  an  argument 
well  calculated  to  work  upon  the  minds 
of  those  they  addressed.  They  would 
give  them  to  understand  that  however 
cruelly  they  had  been  treated,  and  how- 
ever low  they  had  been  brought,  yet 
the  Lord  had  adopted  them  into  his 
favor,  and  therefore  they  might  justly 
challenge  the  favor  of  their  fellow-men. 
It  would  be  a  great  outrage  to  deny  as- 
sistance or  courtesy  to  those  to  whose 
kind  regards  the  Lord  had  recommend- 
ed them  by  his  example ;  on  the  con- 
trary, it  would  be  eminently  for  their 
interest  to  ingratiate  themselves  with 
those  who  had  so  high  an  interest  in 
heaven,  and  it  would  be  at  their  peril 
if  they  offered  them  harm.  "  It  is  our 
wisdom  and  duty  to  be  kind  to  those 
whom  God  is  pleased  to  own,  and  to 
take  his  people  for  our  people."  — 
Henry. 

V.  16.  When  we  cried  unto  the  Lord, 
etc.  The  fair  inference  from  this  would 
be  that  the  Edomites  themselves  were 
bound  to  be  imitators  of  God,  who  had 
been  merciful  in  delivering  his  people. 
How  could  they  hope  for  mercy  or  fa- 
vor for  themselves,  if  they  withheld  it 

13* 


and  the  Egyptians  vexed  us  and 
our  fathers  : 

16  And  when  *"  we  cried  unto 

f   Ex.  2.  23. 


from  the  needy  ?  Their  cry  to  heaven 
was  no  doubt  marred  by  many  imper- 
fections, but  the  Lord  heard  it,  and 
what  could  have  a  more  powerful  effect 

in  commending  their  cause? 1  And 

sent  an  angel.  It  is  remarkable  that 
upon  this  passage  even  Dr.  Priestley 
himself  says,  ''  This  Angel  was  evident- 
ly no  other  than  the  Supreme  Being 
himself,  manifesting  his  presence  by  a 
luminous  cloud.  No  other  intelligent 
being  had  been  introduced."  This  is 
the  true  explanation,  though  we  may 
well  doubt  whether  Priestley  would 
have  admitted  the  relation  of  this  angel 
to  Christ,  which  we  have  endeavored  to 
establish  in  our  Notes  on  Ex.  3:2.  13  : 
21.  He  was  obviously  no  other  than 
the  "Angel  of  the  Covenant,"  Christ 
Jesus,  who  first  appeared  to  Abraham, 
Gen.  12  :  1.  Acts  7  :  2,  then  to  Moses  at 
the  burning  bush,  and  subsequently  in 
the  cloudy  pillar,  who  in  fact  led  Moses 
and  the  people  out  of  Egypt,  and  con- 
ducted them  through  the  wilderness, 
Ex.  14 :  19.  23  :  20.  33  :  14.  Some  of 
the  Rabbinical  critics  suppose  Moses 
himself  to  be  intended,  from  the  cir- 
cumstance that  the  title  "  angel "  or 
"messenger"  is  sometimes  bestowed 
upon  the  prophets,  2  Chr.  36 :  16.  Hag. 
1 :  13.  But  this  construction  is  very 
improbable,  as  Moses  would  scarcely 
refer  to  himself  in  this  connection,  or 
if  he  did,  would  he  do  it  in  such  a  dark 
and  enigmatical  manner.  A  supernat- 
ural being  is  plainly  intended,  and  as 
the  attributes  predicated  of  him  do  not 
suit  the  nature  of  any  creature,  howev- 
er exalted,  we  are  forced  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  it  was  no  other  than  Jehovah 
himself,  who  thus  saw  fit  to  anticipate, 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


the  Lord,  lie  heard  *  our  voice, 
and  sent  '  an  angel,  and  hath 
brought  us  forth  out  of  Egypt ; 
and,  behold,  we  are  in  Kadesh, 
a  city  in  the  uttermost  of  thy 
border : 

17  Let "  us  pass,  I  pray  thee, 


J  Ex.  3.  7.  t  Ex.  3.  2.     14.  19.    '23.  20.     33.  2. 

c.  21.  22.   Deut.  2.  27. 


in  this  form  of  theophany,  his  subse- 
quent tabernacling  in  the  flesh.  But 
we  have  ah-eady  treated  this  subject  so 
fully  in  our  Notes  above  referred  to,  on 
Exodus,  that  we  need  not  here  enlarge 
upon  it.  If  it  be  objected  that  God 
could  not  properly  be  said  to  "  send 
himself"  in  the  form  of  an  angel,  we 
would  say  in  reply,  that  the  same  objec- 
tion holds  good  also  against  the  idea 
of  " sending  himself "  in  the  "likeness 
of  sinful  flesh"  for  the  redemption  of 
the  world,  as  to  which  the  testimony 
of  the  New  Testament  is  clear  beyond 
dispute. 

V.  17.  Let  us  pass,  Ipray  thee,  through 
thy  country.  A  civil  and  reasonable 
request  preferred  simply  because  the 
route  through  Edom  was  the  nearest  to 
the  land  of  Canaan,  to  which  they  were 
destined.  They  had,  indeed,  been  as- 
sured of  being  put  in  possession  of  the 
land  of  promise,  and  as  the  Lord  who 
had  promised  was  the  universal  Pro- 
prietor of  all  things,  they  might  have 
forced  their  way  despite  of  all  opposi- 
tion ;  yet  He  who  is  infinite  equity  and 
wisdom  combined  would  not  have  their 
good  evil  spoken  of,  or  wrong  done  to 
any  under  the  plea  of  the  divine  guid- 
ance. In  making  this  request  they  not 
only  avoid  the  appearance  of  evil,  but 
they  virtually  acknowledge  that  the 
children  of  Esau  had  obtained  their 
possession  by  a  similar  right  to  that 
whereby  the  land  of  Canaan  had  been 
secured  to  the  posterity  of  Jacob.     If 


through  thy  country  :  we  will 
not  pass  through  the  j&elds,  or 
through  the  vineyards,  neither 
will  we  drink  of  the  water  of 
the  wells :  we  will  go  by  the 
king's  high-way,  we  will  not 
turn  to  the  right  hand  nor  to 
the  left,  until  we  have  passed 
thy  borders. 


they  desired,  therefore,  to  enjoy  their 
own  inheritance,  they  were  not  to  inter- 
fere with  that  which  had  been  prophet- 
ically assigned  to  Esau.  The  course 
pursued  was  entirely  in  accordance  with 
a  just  appreciation  of  the  divine  coun- 
sels in  this  respect,  and  it  set  a  noble 
example  of  waiving  a  claim  that  might 
have  been  violently  enforced,  because 
the  interests  of  righteousness  and  peace 
dictated  such  a  policy.  The  request, 
however,  was  churlishly  denied,  and 
their  course  was  accordingly  altered. 
Deut.  2:8,  "  They  turned  and  passed 
by  the  way  of  Moab."    Comp.  Judg.  11 : 

17,  18. TI  We  will  not  pass  through 

the  fields,  etc.  They  would  relieve  the 
Edomites,  as  far  as  possible,  from  any 
apprehensions  arising  from  the  passage 
of  so  large  a  host  through  their  terri- 
tory, and  therefore  assure  them  they 
had  no  hostile  intentions,  that  they 
would  not  in  any  way  molest  the  inhab- 
itants, that  they  would  keep  themselves 
to  the  common  public  highway,  and  in- 
stead of  committing  the  least  depreda- 
tion, would  not  even  ask  a  drink  of 
water  for  themselves  or  their  cattle 
without  paying  for  it — a  stipulation  of 
no  small  importance  in  the  case  of  so 
large  a  multitude,  and  in  a  country 
where  the  inhabitants  depend,  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  year,  upon  the 
water  which  may  be  collected  in  the 
season  when  rain  falls. — "  We  will  not 
drink  of  the  water  of  the  wells  : — if  I,  '[ 
and  my  cattle,  drink  of  thy  water,  then 


B.  0.  1452.J 


CHAPTER  XX. 


299 


18  And  Edom  said  unto  him, 
Thou  shalt  not  pass  by  me,  lest 
I  come  out  against  thee  with 
the  sword. 


will  \  pay  for  it." — This  is  always  ex- 
pected ;  and  though  Edom  might  in 
friendship  have,  let  his  brother  Israel 
drink  gratis,  had  he  recollected  their 
consanguinity,  yet  Israel  did  not  insist 
on  such  accommodation.  How  strange 
would  it  sound  in  England,  if  a  person 
in  travelling,  should  propose  to  pay  for 
drinking  water  from  the  wells  by  the 
roadside!  Nevertheless,  still  stronger 
is  the  expression.  Lam.  5:4;  '  We 
have  drank  our  own  water  for  money : ' 
we  bought  it  of  our  foreign  rulers ; 
although  we  were  the  natural  proprie- 
tors of  the  wells  which  furnished  it." — 
Taylor  in  Calmet. 

V.  18.  Tftou  shalt  not  pass  hy  me. 
Heb.  "  Shall  not  pass  in  me,"  i.  e. 
through  me,  by  which  is  meant  through 
my  land  and  people,  with  which  he 
identified  himself.  Their  courteous  and 
respectful  application  was  therefore  an- 
swered by  a  surly  negative,  not  only 
refusing  the  desired  passage,  but  threat- 
ening to  oppose  them  by  force  of  arms 
if  they  made  the  attempt.  The  conse- 
quences of  this  refusal  we  describe  in 
the  words  of  Mr.  Kitto  :  "  They  were 
therefore  to  retrace  their  steps  to  the 
head  of  the  eastern  gulf  of  the  Red  Sea, 
where  the  land  of  Edom  ended,  and 
passing  round  the  extremity  of  the 
chain  of  mountains,  which  constituted 
the  chief  part  of  that  realm,  put  them- 
selves on  the  eastern  border  of  that  ter- 
ritory, and  so  proceed  northward  to  the 
region  east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  A  refer- 
ence to  any  map  of  this  district,  will 
show  that  the  mountains  of  Edom  ex- 
tended along  the  eastern  side  of  that 
broad  valley  (the  Arabah),  which  lies 
between  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  gulf  of 
Akabah.    It  is  down  this  valley  that 


19  And  the  children  of  Israel 
said  unto  him,  We  will  go  by 
the  high- way  :  and  "  if  I  and  my 

V  Deut.  2.  6,  28. 

they  seem  to  have  proceeded  on  their 
retrogressive  movement.  On  the  way 
they  encamped  at  Mosera,  which  seems 
to  have  been  at  or  near  the  present 
Wady  Miisa,  in  which  lie  the  ruins  of 
Petra,  the  city  whose  marvellous  exca- 
vations have  only  within  the  present 
century  been  brought  to  light,  and 
which  have  since  formed  the  theme  of 
many  able  pencils  and  eloquent  penSi 
The  encampment  must,  we  apprehend, 
have  been  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
mouth  of  this  valley,  and  in  presence 
of  Mount  Hor." — Dally  Bible  Ulus. 
V.  19.  We  tvill  go  by  the  high-ivay. 
Heb.  mes-ilUih,  from  the  root  sdlal,  to 
raise,  cast,  or  throw  tip,  as  an  embank- 
ment, a  terrace,  a  causeway.  The  pri- 
mary import  is  that  of  an  elevated 
pathway,  a  thoroughfare,  such  as  were 
often  made  for  military  purposes.  The 
epithet  "  high,"  which  in  v.  17,  is  in 
Italic,  is  here  called  for  by  the  literal 
sense  of  the  original.  The  Gr.  renders 
it,    "  Let   us   pass   through   along  the 

mountains." ^   Tlien  I  will  pay  for 

it.  Heb.  "  I  will  give  the  price  there- 
of" This  was  according  to  the  divine 
direction,  Deut.  2  :  6,  7,  "  Ye  shall  buy 
meat  of  them  for  money,  that  ye  may 
eat ;  and  ye  shall  also  buy  water  of 
them  for  money,  that  ye  may  drink. 
For  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  blessed  thee 
in  all  the  works  of  thy  hand  :  he  know- 
eth  thy  walking  through  this  great  wil- 
derness :  these  forty  years  the  Lord  thy 
God  hath  been  with  thee  ;  thou  hast 
lacked  nothing."  The  Lord's  blessing 
them  is  added  as  a  reason,  lest  the  peo- 
ple should  be  grieved  at  spending  their 
money,  of  which  they  could  be  sup- 
posed to  have  but  little,  in  buying  meat 
and  drink.     There  are,  howeverj  two 


300 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


cattle  drink  of  thy  water,  then 
I  will  pay  for  it ;  I  will  only, 
without  doing  any  thing  else,  go 
through  on  my  feet. 

considerations  involved ;  first,  that 
they  were  so  enriched  by  God's  boun- 
ty, that  they  were  fully  supplied  with 
the  means  of  buying  food ;  and,  second- 
ly, that  they  must  not  doubt  that  he 
would  relieve  their  necessity  by  mira- 
cle, if  I'equired,  since  he  had  thus  far 
provided  for  them  without  suffering 
them  to  want  any  thing.  If  it  be  asked 
how  the  Lord  could  say,  that  he  had 
blessed  the  work  of  their  hands,  when 
they  had  no  commerce  with  other  na- 
tions by  which  to  make  the  smallest 
gains  whatever,  we  may  suggest  in  re- 
ply, that  we  know  not  that  their  isola- 
tion was  so  absolute  that  they  had  no 
traffic  whatever  with  the  neighboring 
tribes ;  but  however  this  may  be,  and 
however  they  were  sustained  gratui- 
tously in  the  desert,  without  expending 
even  a  single  penny  in  buying  shoe- 
latchets,  yet  their  cattle  had  increased, 
and  doubtless  during  their  long  stays 
at  particular  stations,  they  had  not 
passed  the  time  idly,  but  had  employed 
themselves  in  the  fabrication  of  various 
articles  which  would  naturally  turn  to 
account  when  occasions  like  the  pres- 
ent arose. U  /  will  only,  witJiout 

{doing)  any  thing  {else),  go  througli  on 
my  feet.  Heb.  raq  din  ddhdr,  lit.  only 
no  word,  of  which  the  import  is  not 
very  clear,  though  "word"  is  often 
used  for  "  thing,"  and  our  present  ver- 
sion may  be  correct.  The  Chald.  ren- 
ders, "  Provided  only  there  shall  be  no 
mischief  or  evil,  I  will  pass  through  on 
my  feet."  That  is,  in  case  there  shall 
be  no  impediment  or  harm  on  your 
part,  there  shall  be  none  on  ours.  Gr. 
"  Grant  but  this ;  it  is  a  small  matter ; 
let  us  march  through  along  the  moun- 


20  And  he  said,  Thou '"  shalt 
not  go  through.  And  Edom 
came    out  •"  against    him    with 

w  Judg.  11.  17.  X  Obad,  10-15. 


tain."  Vulg.  "  There  shall  be  no  diffi- 
culty in  the  price,  only  let  us  pass 
speedily."  Arab.  "There  is  nothing 
(i.  e.  nothing  evil  intended) ;  I  will 
only  pass  through  on  my  feet."  On  the 
whole  we  find  nothing  preferable  to  our 
present  English  version. 

Y.  20.  Thou  shalt  not  go  through,  etc. 
He  still  persists  in  his  refusal,  which  is 
now  followed  by  an  act  of  hostile  inva- 
sion. Instead  of  allowing  them  water, 
they  would  have  shed  their  blood  ;  in- 
stead of  giving  them  passage  through 
their  land,  they  would  have  swept  them 
from  the  face  of  the  wilderness.  How 
naturally  does  this  recall  the  persecu- 
tions of  Esau  !  He  that  was  born  after 
the  flesh  still  persecuted  him  that  was 
born  after  the  Spirit,  each  acting  in  his 
representative  capacity.  And  so  is  it  to 
this  day.  It  marks  the  hostility  of  the 
world  to  the  church,  which  we  see 
everywhere  exemplified.  Their  con- 
duct on  this  occasion,  however,  though 
not  immediately  punished,  was  yet  re- 
membered, and  in  due  time  met  with  a 
fit  retribution.  The  main  burden  of  the 
prophecy  of  Obadiah  is  the  judgments 
denounced  against  Edom,  and  these  are 
refei-red  primarily  to  his  cruel  treat- 
ment of  his  brother  Israel  in  the  day  of 
his  emergency.  "  The  pride  of  thy 
heart  hath  deceived  thee,  thou  that 
dwellest  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  whose 
habitation  is  high ;  that  saith  in  his 
heart.  Who  shall  bring  me  down  to  the 
ground  ?  Though  thou  exalt  thyself  as 
the  eagle,  and  though  thou  set  thy  nest 
among  the  stars,  thence  will  I  bring 
thee  down,  saith  the  Lord.  .  .  .  How 
are  the  things  of  Esau  searched  out ! 
how  are  his  hidden  things  sought  up ! 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


301 


much  people,  and  with  a  strong 
hand. 

21  Thus  Edom  refused  to 
give  Israel  passage  through  his 
border  :  wherefore  Israel  turned 
away  from  him. 


.  .  .  For  thy  violence  against  thy  bro- 
ther Jacob,  shame  shall  cover  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  be  cut  off  for  ever." 

V.  21.  Wherefore  Israel  turned  away 
from  Mm.  They  turned  awaj,  not  as 
cowards,  but  as  those  whom  the  Lord 
had  laid  under  a  prohibition  not  to  fight, 
Deut.  2:5.  He  could,  of  course,  with 
infinite  ease,  have  made  a  passage 
through  Edom,  He  who  had  led  Israel 
through  the  deep,  who  had  scattered 
the  forces  of  Amalek,  and  who  had  hith- 
erto borne  his  people  as  on  eagles' 
wings.  But  the  faith  and  patience  of 
that  people  were  still  further  to  be 
tried,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  to 
Edom  to  be  yet  longer  delayed.  "  They 
could  not  err  who  were  under  the  di- 
rection of  an  infallible  guide.  Though 
they  turned  another  way  circuitously, 
yet  still  it  was  the  right  way,  a  way  de- 
termined in  the  plan  of  heaven,  and 
pointed  out  by  the  covenant  Angel. 
Their  march  became  obstructed,  yet 
the  Lord's  purposes  were  not  inter- 
rupted ;  it  was  not  through  Edom,  but 
by  the  wilderness  of  ^Moab,  that  they 
were  to  go.  Could  we  look  at  the  pur- 
pose of  God  and  compare  it  with  the 
course  of  his  providence,  we  should  see 
that  in  all  the  windings  and  conflicts  of 
the  wilderness,  as  well  where  an  enemy 
obstructs,  as  where  a  friend  opens  our 
way,  the  path  is  right." — Seaton.  Is- 
rael, by  divine  commandment,  turned 
away,  and  compassed  the  land  of  Edom 
upon  its  southern  and  eastern  borders, 
and  it  appears  from  Deut.  2 :  28,  29, 
that  there  was  so  much  relaxation 
of  the  purpose  declared  by  the  prince, 


22  And  "  the  children  of 
Israel,  even  the  whole  con- 
gregation, journeyed  from  Ka- 
desh,  and  came  unto  mount 
Hor. 


that  he  consented  to  furnish  Israel  with 
needed  provisions,  both  in  meat  and 
drink,  for  their  money. 

TJie  Israelites  journey  to  Mount  Hor, 
where  Aaron  dies. 
V.  22.  Came  unto  Mount  Hor.  Heb. 
Mr  hdhir,  to  Hor  the  mountain;  the 
original  word  frequently  implying  a 
mountainous  range,  as  was  no  doubt 
the  case  with  this  locality  in  the  first 
instance,  although  the  name  has  since 
become  appropriated  to  one  particular 
mountain,  of  which  the  modern  desig- 
nation is  Je})el  Haroun,  or  Mount  Aaron. 
It  is  situated  in  Arabia  Petraea,  on  the 
confines  of  Idumea,  forming  a  part  of 
the  Mountain  of  Seir  or  Edom,  of  which 
it  is  the  most  conspicuous  in  the  whole 
range.  It  stands  about  midway  be- 
tweed  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Jillanitic 
Gulf.  It  has  been  supposed  question- 
able whether  this  be  really  the  Mount 
Hor  on  which  Aaron  died,  but  from  its 
height  and  the  commanding  manner  in 
which  it  rises  among  the  surrounding 
rocks,  it  seems  not  unlikely  to  have 
been  the  scene  chosen  for  that  event. 
To  this  may  be  added  that  Josephus 
affirms  Mount  Hor  to  have  been  near 
Petra  ;  and  near  that  place  there  is  cer- 
tainly no  mountain  which  can  contest 
the  distinction  with  the  one  now  in 
view.  Without,  however,  deciding  upon 
its  claims,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the 
travels  of  Stephens,  Robinson,  Stanley, 
Martineau,  and  others,  for  all  that  de- 
sirable information  in  the  department 
of  topography,  which  we  could  only 
give  by  transcribing  their  words.    As 


802 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


23  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  Aaron  in  mount  Hor, 
by  the  coast  of  the  land  of  Edom, 
saying, 


to  the  apparent  discrepancy  between 
this  passage  and  the  statement,  Deut. 
10  :  6,  see  Note  on  the  latter  place. 

V.  23.  By  the  coast  of  the  land  of 
Edom.  That  is,  by  the  border,  in  which 
sense  the  word  coast  frequently  occurs 
in  the  Scriptures.  In  ch.  33  :  37,  the 
journey  hither  is  thus  described,  "  And 
they  removed  from  Kadesh  and  pitched 
in  Mount  Hor,  in  the  edge  of  the  land 
of  Edom"  The  southern  extremity  of 
Edom  we  suppose  to  be  indicated. 

V.  24.  Aaron  shall  he  gathered  unto 
his  people.  That  is,  shall  die  and  be 
buried,  and  his  soul,  i.  e.,  himself,  shall 
be  gathered  among  "  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect."  Gr.  prostetheto, 
let  {Aaron)  be  added.  "  Gathering  "  is 
a  term  frequently  employed  in  reference 
to  the  removal  of  men  by  death,  as  in 
V.  26,  and  Is.  57  : 1,  "Merciful  men  are 
taken  aivay  (Ileb.  gathered),  none  con- 
sidering that  the  righteous  is  take7i  away 
(Heb.  gathered)  from  the  evil  to  come." 
That  is,  they  are  gathered  and  housed 
in  heaven,  as  a  shepherd  gathers  and 
folds  his  sheep  when  the  storm  is  com- 
ing. So  also,  Ps.  104  :  29,  ''  Thou  take-'it 
atoay  (Heb.  gatherest)  their  breath,  they 
die,  and  return  to  their  dust."  The 
"  people  "  to  whom  he  was  to  be  gath- 
ered or  adjoined,  were  his  ancestors 
who  had  gone  to  the  spiritual  world  be- 
fore him,  as  is  said  of  David,  Acts  13  : 
86,  "  For  David,  after  he  had  served  his 
own  generation  by  the  will  of  God,  fell 
on  sleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers 
(Gr.  prosetethe,  was  added,  or  gath- 
€Tcd)."  This  is  the  usual  Gr.  rendering 
of  the  Hebrew  phrase  for  being  gath- 
ered unto  one's  fathers,  Viz.,  prosetetM, 
which  is  here  infelicitously  translated 


24  Aaron  shall  be  gathered ' 
unto  his  people  :  for  he  shall  not 
enter  into  the  land  which  I  have 


2  Gen.  -25.  8.  Deut.  32.  50. 


"  laid  unto,"  which  fixes  the  idea  rather 
upon  the  body  than  the  soul,  contrary 
to  what  is  the  case  with  the  original. 
Judg.  2  :  10,  "  And  all  that  generation 
were  gathered  unto  their  fathers."  f  Gr. 
prosetetliesan,  were  added. )  On  the  other 
hand,  David  prays,  Ps.  26  :  9,  "  Gather 
not  my  soul  with  sinners."     See  Note 

on  Gen.  25  :  8. If  He  shall  not  enter, 

etc.  The  sternness  of  the  divine  inter- 
dict is  not  at  all  relaxed  by  the  affect- 
ing circumstances  of  the  occasion.  The 
sentence  previously  passed  must  go 
into  execution,  that  the  Lord's  veracity 
suffer  not,  and  that  the  people  might 
know  that  he  never  threatens  in  vain. 
They  could  not  but  realize  that  they 
themselves  were  the  original  procuring 
causes  of  the  doom  of  exclusion  which 
had  befallen  their  leaders,  whose  spirits 
their  perverseness  had  "  angered  at  the 
waters  of  strife,"  and  thus  provoked 
them  to  sin ;  and  when  even  so  sacred 
personages  as  Moses  and  Aaron  could 
not  escape,  how  clearly  would  they  per- 
ceive that  God  was  not  to  be  trifled 
with,  and  that  it  was  a  stretch  of  di- 
vine forbearance  that  they  were  spared, 
M'hen  they  so  richly  deserved  to  suffer. 

T[  Because  ye  rebelled  against  my 

word,  etc.  Heb.  "  Against  my  mouth." 
The  singular  number  is  here  exchanged 
for  the  plural,  that  they  might  be  re- 
minded that  they  had  shared  in  a  com- 
mon guilt  and  were  now  to  be  asso- 
ciated in  punishment.  In  respect  to 
Aaron,  the  sentence  implied  that  by 
reason  of  the  transgression  of  which  he 
had  been  guilty,  he  could  no  longer  en- 
joy the  honor  of  typically  representing 
the  Messiah  who  was  to  come,  and  who 
was  to  be  the  great  High  Priest  of  the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


given  unto  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, because  ye  rebelled "  against 
my  word  at  the  water  of  Meribah. 


spiritual  Israel.  This  office  was  now  to 
be  transferred  to  his  son,  who  was  to 
be  clothed  with  his  father's  pontifical 
robes,  which  were  the  proper  insignia 
of  the  priestly  dignity.  As  the  priest- 
hood of  Aaron  pointed  to  the  sacerdotal 
supremacy  of  Christ,  who  was  to  be  in 
all  things  head  over  the  Church,  there- 
fore it  was  ordered  that  the  transaction 
should  occur  on  the  head  or  top  of  a 
mountain,  which  would  most  fittingly 
shadow  forth  that  supremacy. 

V.  26.  Strip  Aaron  of  his  gatinents, 
andp ut  them  upon  Eleazar  his  son.  Im- 
plying thereby  that  Eleazar  was  to  be 
invested  with  the  attributes  or  pre- 
rogatives of  his  father's  office.  These 
were  undoubtedly  his  priestly  robes, 
and  the  inference  is  fair  that  he  had  put 
them  on  for  this  particular  purpose  be- 
fore leaving  the  camp  and  ascending 
the  mountain.  "  A  transfer  of  office, 
from  the  circumstance  of  putting  the 
clothes  of  the  late  possessor  on  the  per- 
son intended  to  succeed  him,  was  called 
investing  or  investment  {clothing),  as 
removing  a  person  from  an  office  was 
called  divesting  or  unclothing.  Among 
the  Catholics,  and  in  the  Church  of 
England,  the  same  method  is  used  in 
degrading  ecclesiastics.  Hence  such  a 
degradation  is  termed  by  the  common 
people  stripping  a  7na?i  of  his  gown." — 
Adam  Clarke.  Those  "garments  of 
holiness "  which  Moses  had  formerly 
put  upon  him  for  "honor  and  for 
glory,"  Ex.  28  :  2,  at  the  time  of  his 
consecration  to  the  priesthood,  he  is 
now  to  divest  him  of,  or,  as  the  Targ. 
Jon.  expresses  it,  to  "  strip "  him  of 
the  honorable  garments  of  the  priest- 
hood.    This  act,  of  taking  off  of  offi- 


25  Take  Aaron  and  Eleazar 
his  son,  and  bring  them  up  unto 
mount  Hor  : 

26  And   strip   Aaron  of  his 


cial  garments  and  putting  them  upon 
another,  was  symbolical  of  the  transfer 
of  the  office  itself.  Thus,  Is.  22 :  15-21, 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts.  Go, 
get  thee  unto  this  treasurer,  even  unto 
Shebna,  which  is  over  the  house,  and 
say,  .  .  .  And  I  will  drive  thee  from 
thy  station,  and  from  thy  state  shall  he 
pull  thee  down.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  that  day,  that  I  will  call  my 
servant  Eliakim,  the  son  of  Hilkiah : 
And  I  will  clothe  him  with  thy  robe, 
and  strengthen  him  with  thy  girdle, 
and  I  will  commit  thy  government  into 
his  hand  :  and  he  shall  be  a  father  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  and  to  the 
house  of  Judah."  In  the  present  case 
the  implication  was  manifest,  not  only 
that  the  priesthood  then  existing  was 
to  yield  to  one  more  perfect,  but  that  a 
dying  priest  was  to  yield  to  one  that 
should  live  for  ever.  Had  it  not  been 
designed  to  set  forth  some  great  truth 
like  this,  Aaron  would  not  have  attired 
himself  for  death  as  though  about  to 
enter  into  the  holy  of  holies.  Perhaps 
one  lesson  intended  to  be  taught  was, 
that  he  was  not  to  enter  that  blissful 
abode  which  the  holy  of  holies  repre- 
sented, as  a  priest,  but  as  a  man.  There 
all  external  and  adventitious  distinc- 
tions cease,  all  official  appendages  fall 
away,  and  the  internal  character  alone 
determines  the  final  allotment.  The 
garments  of  priests,  the  robes  of  princes, 
and  the  rags  of  beggars,  are  all  equal- 
ly worthless  in  themselves  when  the 
shroud  of  dissolution  is  to  take  their 
place,  and  when  even  this  avails  not 
to  cover  the  spirit,  which  appears  naked 
before  its  Judge,  and  is  assigned  its 
destiny  according  to  its  dominant  qual- 


304 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


garments,  and  put  them  upon 
Eleazar  his  son  :  and  Aaron 
shall  be  gathered  unto  his  peo- 
ple^ and  shall  die  there. 

ities  and  deeds.  But  the  pre-eminence 
of  Christ  over  all  earthly  priests,  and 
the  perpetuity  and  stability  of  his  dis- 
pensation over  the  weakness  and  im- 
perfection of  that  which  preceded,  is 
the  grand  truth  which  the  divine  wis- 
dom would  teach  by  the  circumstances 
of  Aaron's  demise.  "  They  truly,"  says 
the  apostle,  Heb.  7  :  23,  24,  "  were  many 
priests,  because  they  were  not  suffered 
to  continue  by  reason  of  death ;  but 
this  man,  because  he  continueth  ever, 
hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood." 

"Their  priesthood    ran    through    several 
hands, 
For  mortal  was  their  race ; 
Thy  never-changing  office  stands, 
Eternal  as  thy  days." 

It  was  not  consistent  with  God's  typical 
designs  that  either  Aaron  or  Moses 
should  live  to  bring  the  tribes  to  rest ; 
that  was  assigned  to  another.  But 
Christ  has  power  to  bring  in  the  church 
to  the  promised  possession  ;  for  he  has, 
by  virtue  of  his  everlasting  merits,  al- 
ready entered,  now  to  appear  in  the 

presence  of  God  for  us. H  Put  Hum 

upon  Eleazar  his  son.  The  man  dies, 
but  not  the  priest.  The  transfer  is  made 
while  Aaron  can  be  conscious  of  it,  and 
receive  comfort  from  it.  The  robes  are 
taken  from  him  when  living,  and  not 
when  dead.  This  was  in  accordance 
with  an  oracle  uttered  long  afterwards, 
Jer.  33  :  17,  "  Neither  shall  the  priests, 
the  Levites,  want  a  man  before  me 
to  offer  burnt-offerings,  and  to  kindle 
meat-offerings,  and  to  do  sacrifice  con- 
tinually." We  may  well  suppose  it  was 
cheering  to  the  departing  saint  to  know 
that  the  priestly  function  would  not 
cease  with  him,  but  that  it  should  con- 


27  And  Moses  did  as  the 
Lord  commanded  :  and  they 
went  up  into  mount  Hor,  in  the 
sight  of  all  the  congregation. 


tinue  in  his  posterity  through  all  ages 
till  He  should  come  who  was  to  be  "  a 
priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Mel- 
chizedek ; "  who  should  be  the  true 
Eleazar  (i.  e.,  the  help  of  God),  ''made 
not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  command- 
ment, but  after  the  power  of  an  endless 
life."  Aaron's  perception  may  have 
been  vague  and  dim  of  all  that  was  em- 
braced in  the  compass  of  the  divine 
counsels  on  this  head,  but  it  would  no 
doubt  tend  to  relieve  the  bitterness  of 
death  to  be  assured  that  his  own  re- 
moval would  cause  no  break  in  the 
chain    of  proposed  blessings    to    the 

church. T[  Aaron  shall  he  gathered 

{to  his  people).  The  closing  words  are 
in  italics  to  indicate  that  in  the  original 
it  is  said  simply  that  Aaron  should  "  be 
gathered,"  a  phrase  equivalent  to  being 
taken  away  by  death,  as  before  re- 
marked,  V.    24. T[  Shall  die  there. 

Heb.  "Shall  be  a  corpse  there."  This 
is,  perhaps,  simply  exegetical  of  the 
preceding  clause,  unless  we  suppose 
that  the  former  has  more  especial  ref- 
erence to  the  soul,  and  the  latter  to  the 
body ;  implying  that  while  his  lifeless 
remains  were  lying  before  them,  his 
freed  spirit  was  rejoicing  in  the  society 
of  the  spirits  of  his  fathers  who  had 
preceded  him  in  the  race  of  mortality. 
V.  27.  And  they  went  up  into  Mount 
Hor  in  the  sight  of  all  the  congregation. 
A  special  publicity  was  designed  to  be 
given  to  this  solemn  event,  in  order 
that  the  great  body  of  the  people  might 
have  every  assurance  that  the  succes- 
sion was  ordered  by  the  Lord  him- 
self They  might  otherwise  have  been 
prompted,  from  ill  will  to  Aaron's  fam- 
ily, to  take  the  election  into  their  own 
hands,  and  in  their  perverseness  have 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


305 


28     And  *  Moses     stripped 
Aaron    of    his    garments,    and 

b  c.  33.  38,  etc. 

made  choice  of  one  from  another  tribe. 
Or  they  might  possibly  have  repudiated 
the  priesthood  altogether.  To  guard 
against  any  contingency  of  this  kind, 
and  to  provide  effectually  that  this  sa- 
cred office  should  not  perish  with  its 
first  incumbent,  the  Lord  took  into  his 
own  hands  the  appointment  of  a  succes- 
sor, and  so  ordered  the  circumstances 
that  the  congregation  should  be  pro- 
foundly impressed  with  the  divine  ar- 
rangement ;  for  it  is  doubtless  to  be 
supposed  that  they  were  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  object  for  which  he 
ascended  the  mountain.  As  to  Aaron 
himself,  the  whole  tenor  of  the  narra- 
tive would  imply  that  he  went  up  to 
the  summit  of  the  holy  mount  with  un- 
faltering step,  and  composed  himself  to 
die  with  as  much  serenity  as  if  he  were 
but  laying  himself  down  upon  his  bed 
to  sleep.  There  is  no  intimation  but 
that  he  was  in  perfect  health  at  the 
time,  though  he  had  reached  the  very 
extended  term  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-three  years.  It  was  not  in  th§ 
waste  of  age,  or  through  decays  of 
sickness,  or  by  a  sudden  stroke,  that  he 
was  to  pass  away  from  among  men,  but 
at  the  call  of  heaven.  As  there  is  a  place 
where  to  die,  as  well  as  a  time  when 
to  die,  both  of  which  are  in  the  divine 
appointment,  so  to  both  these  the  high- 
priest  of  Israel  was  now  brought.  He 
had  reached  his  last  stage  in  the  wil- 
derness, beyond  which  he  could  not 
pass.  He  had  finished  his  priestly 
functions,  he  had  made  his  last  offer- 
ing, he  had  left  the  sanctuary  on  earth, 
never  again  to  enter  it  or  to  minister 
before  the  Lord.  Many  eyes  were  doubt- 
less upon  him  as  he  went  forth,  eager 
to  catch  the  last  glimpse  of  his  reced- 
ing person,  their  many  hearts  invok- 


put  them  upon  Eleazar  his 
son :  and  Aaron  died  there  in 
the    top   of    the   mount  :    and 

ing  many  blessings.  Father,  son,  and 
brother  went  up  together,  and  this  was 
the  last  of  their  intercourse  on  earth. 
"What  passed  on  the  way  is  not  said, 
but  we  may  well  believe  their  conver- 
sation savored  of  heaven,  and  was  seri- 
ous, holy,  and  pleasant.  In  such  cir- 
cumstances, when  the  brightest  scenes 
of  earth  fade  away  from  the  view,  and 
the  heart  sickens  at  worldly  thoughts, 
nothing  but  divine  manifestations  and 
the  spiritual  realities  of  another  life, 
can  possibly  sustain  the  soul.  These 
supports  we  cannot  doubt  that  Aaron 
enjoyed  as  he  went  up  the  mount  to 
die ;  for,  to  him,  dying  was  ascending, 
as  it  will  be  to  all  the  Lord's  people, 
whatever  be  the  circumstances  of  their 
departure.  Some  die  in  seclusion,  un- 
noticed and  unknown ;  some  die  em- 
bosomed in  a  circle  of  sorrowing  friends. 
Yet  it  matters  little  where  the  saints  de- 
part, whether  on  a  mount  or  in  a  vale, 
except  as  symbolical  or  typical  consid- 
erations give  one  place  a  preference 
over  another.  Both  Aaron  and  Moses 
died  on  a  mountainous  elevation,  and 
we  may  not  question  that  some  rich 
significancy  was  veiled  under  the  fact. 
In  frequent  cases  recorded  in  Scripture 
things  of  a  very  important  and  memor- 
able nature  are  said  to  have  occurred 
on  mountains,  with  which  we  are  prone 
to  connect  what  is  conspicuous,  re- 
markable, and  involving  high  and  heav- 
enly mysteries.  Our  Lord  died  on  Moimt 
Calvary  and  ascended  from  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  and  in  this  respect  the  depart- 
ure of  his  forerunners  conformed  to  his. 
V.  28.  Aaron  died  there  in  the  top 
of  tJie  mount.  "  This  mountain  is  of 
important  Scriptural  interest ;  for,  ar- 
rived at  this  spot,  Aaron,  in  obedience 
to  his  recent  doom,  was  commanded  to 


806 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


Moses  and  Eleazar  came  down 
from  the  mount. 

29  And  when  all  the  congre- 
gation saw  that  Aaron  was  dead, 
they  mourned  for  Aaron  thirty 
days,  eve7i  all  the  house  of  Israel. 

go  up  to  this  mount,  and  die.  He  was 
to  be  accompanied  by  his  brother  and 
his  eldest  son,  who  were  to  divest  him 
of  his  priestly  robes,  to  receive  his  dy- 
ing sigh,  and  to  deposit  his  remains 
safely  in  this  high  place.  The  spot  was 
probably  selected,  not  only  to  impress 
the  Israelites  with  the  solemnity  of  the 
occasion,  but  to  enable  the  dying  pon- 
tiff to  give  one  last  look  over  the  camp 
of  Israel,  surrounding,  in  goodly  rows, 
the  tabernacle  of  God;  to  survey  the 
scene  of  his  long  pilgrimage ;  and  to 
catch  a  distant  glimpse  of  the  utmost 
borders  of  the  promised  land,  before 
stepping  across  the  boundary  between 
this  world  and  the  world  to  come. 
There  is  no  doubt  whatever  about  the 
mountain  which  was  the  scene  of  this 
transaction.  Even  local  tradition  has 
preserved  the  memory  of  this  event, 
the  mountain  itself  bears  the  name  of 
Aaron  (Harun) ;  and  upon  the  top  an 
old  Moslem  tomb  stands  to  his  honor, 
which  is  much  visited  by  Mohammedan 
pilgrims,  few  of  whom  quit  the  place 
without  sacrificing  a  sheep  in  honor  of 
the  Jewish  saint." — Daily  Bible  Illus. 
V.  29.  When  all  the  congregation  saw 
that  Aaron  was  dead.  Heb.  '*  Had  ex- 
pired or  given  up  the  ghost."  ^Seeing 
is  here,  as  elsewhere,  used  for  perceiv- 
ing or  taking  cognizance.  They  would 
know  the  fact  by  the  verbal  relation  of 
Moses  and  Aaron,  by  the  circumstance 
of  Aaron's  not  returning  with  them, 
and  also  by  seeing  Eleazar  arrayed  in 
the  priestly  garments  of  his  father.  In 
like  manner  "  Jacob  sato  (i.  e.  knew) 
there  was  corn  in  Egypt,"  when  he 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

ND   when   king  Arad  "  the 
Canaanite,  which  dwelt  in 
the  south,  heard  tell  that  Israel 

a  c.  33.  40.    Judg.  1.  16. 


A^ 


heard  thereof.  So  the  people  ''saw  the 
voices,"  Ex.  20  :  18,  and  various  parallel 
places.    See  Notes  on  Gen.  42  : 1.  Ex. 

20  :  18. TI  They  mourned  /or  Aaron 

thirty  days.  Heb.  yihku,  they  wept  or 
lavailed  Aaron.  How  characteristic 
this  of  the  instability  and  fickleness 
of  all  human  regards,  whether  of  love 
or  hate  !  How  prone  is  our  fallen  na- 
ture to  reverse  its  judgment,  and  its 
treatment  of  good  men  when  they  have 
ceased  to  be  numbered  with  the  living ! 
The  people  of  Israel,  during  Aaron's 
lifetime,  had  frequently  sought  to  stone 
him  ;  they  had  mui'mured  against  him 
and  raised  great  tumults  in  order  to 
cast  him  down  from  the  dignity  in  which 
God  had  placed  him.  Now  that  he  is 
dead,  they  forget  their  malignity  and 
envy,  and  pour  out  their  lamentations 
over  his  decease.  But  mourning  in  it- 
self is  an  honorable  testimonial  to  de- 
parted worth,  and  Calvin  well  remarks, 
that  "  if  the  utility  of  this  custom  be 
corrupted  by  its  abuse,  it  is  not  just 
that  what  is  right  in  itself  should  be 
blamed  for  the  fault  of  men."  The  same 
period  of  mourning  was  allotted  also  to 
Moses,  Deut.  34  :  8. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Israel  assaulted  by  a  Canaanitish  King. 
The  Result. 
V.  1.  And  (whe?i)  king  Arad  the  Ca- 
naanite, etc.  Or,  Heb.  "  The  Canaanite, 
king  of  Arad."  This  is  Ihe  prevalent 
rendering  of  the  versionists  ancient  and 
modern,  and  is  that  which  the  original 
seems  most  to  favor.   Precisely  the  same 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


307 


came  by  the  way  *  of  the  spies ; 


form  in  the  Heb.  is  rendered,  Josh.  12  : 
14,  "  King  of  Arad ;"  while  in  Num.  33  : 
40,  it  appears  as  here,  "  King  Arad  the 
Canaanite."  "We  derive  an  important 
hint  as  to  the  locality  in  question,  from 
Judg.  1:16;  "  And  the  children  of  the 
Kenite,  Moses'  father-in-law,  went  up 
out  of  the  city  of  palm-trees  with  the 
children  of  Judah,  unto  the  wilderness 
of  Judah,  which  lieth  on  the  south  of 
Arad,^'  i.  e.,  in  the  south  parts  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah  about  the  city  Arad. 
Arad,  therefore,  was  the  name  of  a 
city  on  the  southernmost  borders  of 
Canaan,  which  Eusebius  and  Jerome 
place  about  twenty  Roman  miles  from 
H'^bron,  equal  to  about  eight  hours 
with  camels.  Prof  Robinson  observed 
a  place  in  about  the  same  locality,  on 
the  route  from  Petra  to  Hebron,  called 
''Tell  Arad,"  which  he  thinks  may 
with  great  probability  be  regarded  as 
the  site  of  the  ancient  city  here  spoken 
of.  The  Israelites  were  now  advancing 
northwards,  though  still  hovering  about 
the  south-eastern  border  of  Edom,  when 
this  petty  potentate  of  Canaan,  getting 
intelligence  of  their  movements  and 
thinking  it  good  policy  to  keep  the  war 
at  a  distance,  marched  forth  from  his 
own  territory  in  considerable  force,  de- 
termined to  dispute  their  further  pro- 
gress. His  assault  was  at  first  partially 
successful,  but  we  learn  that  he  subse- 
quently paid  dear  for  his  victory.  "  The 
trials  of  a  wilderness  state  terminate 
only  with  our  journey.  Fears  within 
and  fightings  without,  are  often  the  lot 
of  the  Church  on  earth.  The  time  of 
the  promise  was  not  far  off,  yet  they 
must  conflict  for  possession.  It  might 
be  thought,  that  as  the  church  ap- 
proached nearer  and  nearer  to  the  land 
of  promise,  difficulties  would  lessen, 
and  that  peaceful  and  unopposed  pos- 


then  he  fought  against  Israel, 
and  took  some  of  them  prisoners. 


session  would  be  gained.  Instead  of 
this  trials  have  multiplied,  and  just 
when  in  reach  of  home  more  than  at 
any  period  before." — Seaton.  So  with 
the  Christian  in  his  journey  towards 
heaven.  Instead  of  finding  himself  re- 
leased from  combat,  his  faith  and  pa- 
tience are  exercised  by  new  forms  of 
temptation,  new  battles  with  new  ene- 
mies have  to  be  fought,  and  he  at  length 
settles  down  in  the  assurance  that  there 
is  "  no  discharge  in  that  war,"  till  he 
has  crossed  the  Jordan  of  death,  and  sat 
himself  down  in  peace  in  the  Canaan 

beyond. T[  Heard    tell    that    Israel 

came  hy  the  way  of  the  spies.  Heb. 
dereh  hdatha?'im,  in  regard  to  the  true 
purport  of  which  versions  and  com- 
mentators greatly  differ.  The  Chald., 
Syr,  and  Vulg.  render  with  our  trans- 
lators "  the  way  of  the  spies,"  under- 
standing thereby  the  way  into  Canaan 
travelled  by  the  spies  whom  Moses  had 
sent  many  years  before  to  explore  the 
land.  But  it  is  objected  to  this  inter- 
pretation that  the  original  word  for 
spies  is  properly  tdrim,  from  toor,  to 
traverse,  also  to  spy  out,  to  examine,  to 
explore,  whence  the  normal  form  would 
be  hattdrim  instead  of  athdrim,  which 
comes  analogically  from  dthar,  although 
this  verb  nowhere  occurs.  For  this 
reason  many  critics  are  disposed  to 
concur  with  the  Sept.  and  the  Arab., 
which  renders  it  as  a  proper  name, 
''by  the  way  of  Atharim,"  notwith- 
standing we  have  nowhere  else  the 
least  intimation  of  the  existence  of  any 
place  of  this  name.  For  ourselves  we 
incline  to  adhere  to  the  established  ren- 
dering. The  Israelites,  it  is  true,  were 
now  at  a  quite  remote  distance  from 
the  southern  limits  of  Canaan  when 
the  spies  had  entered,  but  they  were 
advancing  in  that  general  direction 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


2  And  Israel  vowed  '  a  vow    people  into  my  hand,  then  I  will 
unto   the    Lord,    and   said,    If    utterly  '^  destroy  their  cities, 
thou   wilt    indeed   deliver    this 


Gen.  28.  20.  Judg.  11. 


and  the  king  of  Arad  may  have  natural- 
ly supposed  that  they  designed  to  enter 
the  country  through  some  passage 
which,  from  the  circumstance  alluded 
to,  had  perhaps  in  the  mean  time  ac- 
quired the  name  of  "  the  way  of  the 
spies."  The  use  of  the  article  suggests 
an  appellative  import  to  the  original 
word,  instead  of  its  being  a  proper 
name,  and  Drusius  has  shown  that  the 
addition  of  the  prosthetic  n  =—  a  (Q'^inx 
atTidrim)  is  paralleled  by  UJ'nTN  ezroa, 
for  y'l^T  zeroa,  arm,  and  other  similar 
usages.  The  evidence,  on  the  whole, 
predominates  in  our  view  in  favor  of 
the  usual  English  version  of  the  phrase. 
T[  And  took  {some)  of  them  prison- 
er's. Heb.  ''Took  captive  of  them  a 
captivity."  The  abstract  is  here  iised 
for  the  concrete  as  in  ch,  31  :  12,  "  And 
they  brought  the  captives  (Heb.  the 
captivity),  and  the  prey,  and  the  spoil, 
etc."  Judg.  5  :  12,  "  Arise,  Barak,  and 
lead  thy  captivity  captive^  Comp.  Ps. 
68  :  19.  2  Chron.  28  :  5.  Thus  we  have 
poverty  for  a  company  of  poor  people, 
2  Kings  24  :  14 ;  spoil  for  a  people 
spoiled,  Am.  5:9;  thanks  for  those  who 
gave  thanks,  Neh.  12  :  31,  and  so  in  nu- 
merous other  instances.  The  discom- 
fiture which  Israel  now  experienced 
was  permitted  of  the  Lord,  not  only  to 
be  a  snare  to  the  victors,  but  also  to 
serve  as  a  salutary  lesson  to  the  chosen 
people,  to  teach  them  their  own  intrin- 
sic weakness  and  their  constant  de- 
pendence on  the  divine  sufficiency  for 
success  in  their  warfare.  The  reverse, 
therefore,  now  met  with  would  be  an 
exercise  of  faith  and  a  spur  to  forti- 
tude. But  although  success  may  for  a 
while  attend  the  enemies  of  the  Lord's 
church,  it  cannot  be  lasting.    His  ser- 


d  Lev.  27.  28.   Dent.  13.  15. 


vants  may  be  temporarily  "  made  pris- 
oners," yet  they  are  always  "prisoners 
of  hope,"  and  the  time  of  release,  the 
year  of  jubilee,  will  come,  when  liberty 
is  proclaimed  to  the  "  captives,"  and  the 
opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound. 

V.  2.  Israel  vowed  a  vow  unto  the 
Lord.  This  implied  a  calling  upon  the 
Lord  for  his  help,  and  religiously  prom- 
ising to  devote  to  him  their  enemies  and 
all  their  substance.  See  Note  on  Gen. 
28  :  20.  It  does  not  appear  that  God 
had  thus  far  openly  and  explicitly  com- 
manded the  cities  of  Canaan  to  be  ut- 
terly destroyed,  yet  it  is  a  fair  inference 
that  the  purpose  now  expressed  was 
acceptable  to  him,  as  it  fell  in  with  his 
general  design  in  regard  to  those  na- 
tions. He  had  resolved  upon  their  de- 
struction, and  he  had  appointed  the 
Israelites  to  execute  the  sentence.  It 
would  seem,  therefore,  if  it  was  right 
for  them,  as  the  Lord's  ministers,  to  do 
this  work,  it  was  right  to  vow  to  do  it ; 
and  we  learn  from  the  sequel  that  they 
were  enabled  to  accomplish  the  object 
of  their  vow,  while  no  hint  of  the  divine 
disapproval  is  anywhere  to  be  met  with. 
"  The  Lord  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Is- 
rael, and  delivered  up  the  Canaanites." 
The  vow,  then,  did  not  originate  in 
inconsiderate  zeal,  but  virtually  in  the 
divine  determination.  Hence  it  was 
not  idly  spoken,  but  was  founded  on 
the  Lord's  word,  which  is  always  the 
grand  rule  for  vowing  rightly.  It  may 
be  conceded,  that  it  was  allowable  for 
them  to  spare  the  cities  which  they 
wished  to  occupy  themselves ;  but  it 
was  also  allowable  to  devote  them  as 
an  ofiering  of  first-fruits  to  God,  as  we 
are  elsewhere  informed,  in  regard  to 


I 


B.  0. 1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


809 


3  And  the  Lord  hearkened 


«   Ps.  ii.  4,  i 


the  citj  of  Jericho,  Josh.   6  :  21. 

T[  /  will  utterly  destroy  their  cities. 
Heb.  7ia  haramti,  from  the  root  ^Mram, 
to  devote  or  doom,  to  devote  to  destruc- 
tion. Gr.  "  Anathematize."  From  the 
same  root  is  derived  the  word  hormdh, 
implying  destruction  accompanied  by 
anathema,  as  if  the  place  so  called  were 
devoted  to  the  curse  of  God.  Under 
the  operation  of  this  kind  of  devotement 
persons  were  to  die,  and  property  to 
be  confiscated  to  the  Lord,  Lev.  27  :  28, 
29.  See  Note  on  Judg.  11:30.  Thus 
when  Jericho  was  devoted,  the  people 
and  the  beasts  were  killed,  the  city 
burnt,  and  the  goods  made  over  to  the 
Lord's  treasury,  Josh.  6  :  17-24.  The 
vow,  therefore,  was  a  promise  that  they 
would  reserve  none  of  the  captured  pos- 
sessions of  the  king  to  their  own  use, 
but  would  devote  it  all  to  destruction, 
which  was  the  nature  of  the  vow  call- 
ed Hereni.  This  gives  Calvin  occasion 
to  remark,  "  Praiseworthy  indeed  was 
their  magnanimity  in  refusing  to  avail 
themselves  of  a  comfortable  home,  by 
destroying  the  cities  which  they  should 
acquire  by  the  right  of  war." 

V.  3.  The  Lord  hearTcened  to  the  voice 
of  Israel.  Chald.  "  Received  the  prayer 
of  Israel."  This  implies,  undoubtedly, 
an  approval  of  their  vow,  although,  as 
we  shall   see,  the  execution  of  it  was 

postponed  to  a  future  day. T[  And 

they  utterly  destroyed  them  and  their 
cities.  Heb.  yahariim,  devoted  to  de- 
struction, from  the  before-mentioned 
root  'haram.  A  cursory  reading  would 
lead  to  the  impression  that  this  defeat 
and  destruction  of  the  Canaanitish  king 
and  his  cities  occurred  immediately  up- 
on the  assault  mentioned  in  the  first 
verse.  But  this  impression  will  be  apt 
to  be  corrected  by  reference  to  a  map 
of  the  region  in  question,  and  to  the 


to  the  voice  of  Israel,  and  de- 
livered up  the  Canaanites  ;  and 


course  of  events  as  recorded  in  the  en- 
suing history.  The  locality  assigned  to 
Arad,  as  we  have  seen,  is  in  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  in  the  southern  part  of  Ca- 
naan. The  position  of  Israel,  at  this 
time,  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount  Hor, 
far  to  the  southeast,  with  the  mountain- 
ous tract  of  Edom  and  other  hostile 
tribes  interposed.  If  they  at  once  push- 
ed on  and  destroyed  the  cities  of  Arad, 
they  must  have  passed  the  mountain 
range  lying  in  their  way,  have  actually 
entered  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  after 
achieving  their  conquests  fallen  back 
to  the  neighborhood  of  Mount  Hor, 
where  the  Tabernacle  was  now  pitched, 
from  ihence  to  resume  their  circuitous 
route  round  the  head  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
and  the  country  of  Moab.  All  this  ap- 
pears in  the  highest  degree  improbable. 
If  there  had  been  at  this  time  such  a 
triumphant  inroad  into  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, we  should  find  some  intimation 
of  it  elsewhere.  But  no  such  intimation 
occurs,  and  we  therefore  infer  that  the 
events  mentioned  in  this  verse  did  not 
take  place  till  after  their  arrival  in  Ca- 
naan under  Joshua,  when  the  conquest 
of  Ai*ad  was  eff"ected  and  their  vow  exe- 
cuted. In  Josh.  12  :  14,  we  find  the 
"  king  of  Arad  "  mentioned  among  the 
kings  "which  Joshua  and  the  children 
of  Israel  smote,"  after  taking  possession 
of  the  land  of  promise.  From  the  fol- 
lowing allusion,  Judg.  1 :  17,  we  infer 
that  Arad  was  also  called  "  Zephath." 
"And  Judah  went  with  Simeon  his 
brother,  and  they  slew  the  Canaanites 
that  inhabited  Zephath,  and  utterly  de- 
stroyed it.  And  the  name  of  the  city 
was  called  Hormah."  It  seems  fair  to 
conclude,  from  the  name  thenceforth 
given  to  the  city,  that  not  only  were 
Arad  and  Zephath  identical,  but  that 
now  was  the  time  when  the  vow  men- 


310 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


they  utterly  destroyed  them 
and  their  cities  :  and  he  call- 
ed the  name  of  the  place  Hor- 
mah. 


tioned  in  the  present  connection  was 
fulfilled.  It  is  probable  that  no  very- 
serious  efforts  were  made  at  this  time 
to  chastise  the  temerity  of  this  rash  but 
puny  chieftain,  who  had  probably  with 
a  mere  clan  of  his  followers,  fallen  upon 
some  straggling  parties  of  Israel,  and 
taken  them  captive  without  making  any 
impression  whatever  upon  the  main 
host.  The  prisoners  may  have  been 
soon  recovered,  and  the  marauders  re- 
pulsed for  the  time,  when  the  congre- 
gation pursued  its  journey  regardless 
of  the  interruption.  But  as  they  show- 
ed a  malicious  intent,  and  may  possibly 
have  perpetrated  some  cruelties,  it  was 
proper  their  assault  should  be  remem- 
bered and  punished  at  another  time. 
This  they  vowed  to  do  at  the  present 
time,  but  the  execution  of  the  vow  was 
delayed  till  they  could  take  their  ene- 
mies in  hand  in  earnest.  In  like  man- 
ner the  punishment  of  Amalek  was  de- 
layed till  the  time  of  Saul  and  Samuel. 
The  record  of  the  fact,  as  contained  in 
the  verse  before  us,  was  probably  added 
by  another  hand  long  after  the  period 

of  Moses. 1  He  called  the  name  of 

the  place  Hormah.  That  is,  utter  de- 
struction, the  name  being  designed  as 
a  memorial  of  the  doom  to  which  it  was 
subjected.  Gr.  "  Anathema."  The  ex- 
pression "he  called"  is  virtually  im- 
personal, equivalent  to  "  one  called," 
or  "  it  was  called." 

The  Journeying  of  the  People  from 
Mount  Hor.  A  fresh  Murmuring 
against  Moses. 

V.  4.  Journeyed  from  Mount  Hor  hy 
the  way  of  the  Bed  Sea.  Their  course  was 
southwardly  to  the  head  of  the  Red  Sea, 


4  And  ''they  journeyed  from 
mount  Hor  by  the  way  of  the 
Red  Sea,  to  compass  the  land  ^ 
of  Edom  :  and  the  soul  of  the 


/  c.  '20.  i2. 


g  Judg.  11.  18. 


through  the  Wady-el-Arabah,  and  from 
thence  they  branched  off  to  the  east 
through  the  Wady  Ithm,  as  it  is  now 
called,  and  by  that  route  compassed  the 
extreme  south-eastern  border  of  Edom, 
which  it  is  plain  from  1  Kings  9  :  20, 
extended  quite  to  the  head  of  the  Ara- 
bian Gulf  From  this  they  would  reach 
the  high  plateau  of  the  great  eastern 
desert,  along  which  they  passed,  with 
the  mountains  of  Edom  and  Moab  on 
their  left,  between  them  and  the  Dead 

Sea. T[  The  soul  of  the  people  was 

much  discouraged  because  of  the  way. 
Heb.  tiktzar,  was  shortened  or  strait-  , 
ened,  applied  originally  to  such  things  ' 
as  are  shortened  by  cutting,  as  wood, 
corn,  grass,  or  any  kind  of  harvest ; 
and  thence,  secondarily,  to  the  mind 
under  the  influence  of  such  passions 
and  emotions  as  cause  a  shortness  of 
breath,  as  grief,  sorrow,  anger,  impa- 
tience, etc. ;  whereas,  on  the  contrary, 
one  who  is  cool,  calm,  dispassionate, 
patient,  is  longsufiering  (Heb.  long  of 
anger).  Gr.  "  The  people  became  small 
(i.  e.,  faint,  feeble)  of  soul,  or  lost 
courage."  See  for  illustration  by  par- 
allel usage,  ch.  11 :  23.  Is.  37  :  27.  Judg. 
16  :  16.  Zech.  11 :  28.  See  also  Note  on 
Ex.  6  :  9,  where  the  phrase  is  fully  ex- 
plained. From  the  following  remarks 
of  Kitto,  upon  the  peculiarities  of  the 
region  they  were  now  called  to  traverse, 
it  would  appear  that  there  was  enough 
in  the  hardships  of  the  way  to  elicit  the 
complaints  of  the  natural  man.  "  In 
pursuing  the  course  which  had  been 
marked  out  for  them,  the  Hebrew  host 
traversed  southward  the  arid,  hot,  and 
sandy  Arabah,  and  passing  by  the  head 
of  the  eastern  gulf  of  the  Red  Sea, 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


311 


people  was  much  discouraged 
because  of  the  way. 

5     And     the     people    spake 

gained  the  equally  desolate  region  con- 
stituting the  desert  e(Mt  of  the  mountains 
of  Edom.  "  This  Wadv-el-Araba  is  un- 
doubtedly the  'way  of  the  Red  Sea'  of 
the  text ;  and  the  discouragement  which 
the  Israelites  felt  '  because  of  the  way ' 
may  be  accounted  for  no  less  by  the 
naturally  depressing  influence  of  the 
obligation  of  going  so  far  about  to  their 
destination,  which  they  had  hoped  to 
reach  by  a  shorter  and  more  pleasant 
route,  than  by  the  naturally  cheerless 
aspect  of  the  country  which  they  were 
traversing.  The  Wady-el-Araba,  al- 
though a  natural  road  to  the  countries 
north  and  north-west  of  the  Red  Sea, 
is  yet  as  sterile  as  the  desert,  al- 
though the  small  bushy  tufts,  which 
grow  here  and  there  in  the  sand,  re- 
tain for  some  time  a  little  of  the  ver- 
dure which  they  receive  during  the 
rainy  season.  It  is  indeed  in  some  re- 
spects worse  than  the  common  desert, 
being,  to  an  extent  beyond  the  latitude 
of  Mount  Hor,  an  expanse  of  shifting 
sand,  of  which  the  surface  is  broken  by 
innumerable  undulations  and  low  hills. 
This  sand  appears  to  have  been  brought 
from  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea  by  the 
southerly  winds.  The  few  travellers 
who  have  visited  this  region  reiterate 
the  complaints  of  the  Israelites  as  to 
the  scarcity  of  water  in  this  district.  In- 
deed when  we  consider  the  general  want 
of  water  in  the  Arabian  deserts,  and 
the  vast  quantity  which  the  Hebrew  host 
must  have  required,  there  is  less  cause 
to  wonder  at  their  frequent  complaints 
on  the  subject  than  that  they  were  en- 
abled, for  so  many  years,  to  subsist  in 
a  collective  body  in  regions  thus  con- 
sumed with  drought.  It  is  our  firm 
conviction  that  they  must  utterly  have 
perished  long  before  but  for  the  mirac- 


*  against  God,  and  against  Mo- 
ses, Wherefore  '  have  ye  brought 


Ex.  16.  3.     n. 


ulous  supplies  which,  on  occasions  of 
emergency,  were  granted  to  them." — 
Plct.  Bihle.  As  nothing  is  more  trying 
than  to  be  put  back  when,  after  a  long 
and  toilsome  travel,  one  has  almost 
reached  the  point  of  his  destination,  so 
here  we  can  readih'  account  for,  though 
we  cannot  excuse,  the  murmurings  and 
complaints  to  which  the  people  now  gave 
vent.  Still  we  cannot  doubt  that  their 
discouragement  arose  more  from  the 
inward  frame  of  their  spirits  than  from 
any  external  cause.  But  this  was  not 
the  first  time  they  had  experienced  toil- 
some marches  or  the  privations  of  a 
wilderness  life.  They  had  long  known 
fatigue,  want,  and  danger  in  their  jour- 
ney ;  but  had  not  the  Lord  continually 
encircled  them  with  his  protection,  and 
supplied  them  by  his  providence  ?  Try- 
ing as  their  situation  was,  their  encour- 
agements far  exceeded  their  discourage- 
ments ;  and  so  will  it  ever  be  found  by 
the  faithful,  that  in  every  condition  of 
Providence  they  have  more  cause  for 
thajikfulness  than  for  complaint;  and 
that  their  mercies  vastly  surpass  their 
judgments.  "He  that  will  pass  to  the 
promised  land,  must  neither  stand  upon 
length  of  way,  nor  difficulty.  Every 
way  hath  its  inconveniences ;  the  near- 
est path  hath  more  danger,  the  furthest 
hath  more  pain ;  either  or  both  must 
be  overcome,  if  ever  we  will  enter  the 
rest  of  God."— ^jTj.  Hall. 

V.  5.  The  people  spake  against  God, 
and  against  Moses.  Chald.  "  The  peo- 
ple murmured  before  the  Lord,  and  con- 
tended with  Moses."  So  also  V.  7.  From 
some  allusions  elsewhere  bearing  upon 
this  part  of  their  history,  it  would  appear 
that  under  the  title  God,  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  to  be  especially 
recognized.   He  was  the  Angel  of  God's 


312 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


us  up  out  of  Egypt  to  die  in 
the  wilderness  ?  for  ihere  is  no 
bread,   neither   is  *  there   any 


face  or  presence,  in  whom  was  all  the 
infallible  virtue  of  the  divine  name,  Ex. 
23 :  20,  21.  Is.  63  :  5.  In  accordance 
with  this  the  apostle  says,  1  Cor.  10  :  9, 
"  Neither  let  us  tempt  Christ,  as  some 
of  them  also  tempted,  and  were  de- 
stroyed of  serpents."  Their  unbelieving 
hearts  here  find  murmuring  tongues. 
They  show  themselves  herein  lineal 
descendants  of  the  generation  whose 
carcases  had  fallen  in  the  wilderness. 
Nothing  could  be  more  heinous  in  view 
of  all  the  circumstances.  To  speak 
against  the  servant  was  a  great  offence ; 
but  to  speak  against  the  Master  himself 
was  a  still  greater.  But  the  mind,  once 
thrown  off  its  balance  by  the  power  of 
sharp  or  long  continued  temptation,  is 
prone  to  go  even  the  length  of  "  charg- 
ing God  foolishly  "  rather  than  of  bow- 
ing submissively  and  saying,  "I  was 
dumb,  and  opened  not  my  mouth ;  for 

thou  didst  it." T[  Foi'   (there  is)  no 

bread,  neither  {is  there  any)  water.  How 
strangely  does  excited  feeling  discolor 
and  distort  the  objects  at  which  it  looks ! 
The  fretful  impatience  of  the  people 
renders  them  incapable  of  seeing  and 
acknowledging  the  truth  of  their  con- 
dition. They  cannot  admit  that  they 
are  supplied  with  either  bread  or  water. 
The  bread  which  the  Lord  gave  them 
from  heaven  is  not  worthy  the  name. 
"  As  an  angry  child  casts  away  that 
which  is  given  him,  because  he  hath 
not  that  he  would,  so  these  foolish  Is- 
raelites ;  their  bread  is  light,  and  their 
water  unsatisfying,  because  their  way 
disjjleased  them.  Was  ever  people  fed 
with  such  bread,  or  such  water  ?  Twice 
hath  the  very  rock  yielded  them  water, 
and  every  day  the  heaven  affords  them 
bread.   Did  any  one  soul  amongst  them 


water :    and  our  soul  loatheth 
this  light  bread. 

6  And  '  the  Lord  sent  fiery 


I  Deut.  8.  15.     1  Cor.  10.  9. 


miscarry,  either  for  hunger  or  thirst? 
But  no  bread  will  answer  for  them,  save 
that  which  the  earth  yields ;  no  water 
but  that  from  the  natural  wells  or  riv- 
ers."— Bp.  Hall. ^  Our  soul  loath- 

etJi  this  light  bread.  Heb.  heloMl,  from 
a  root  signifying  primarily  to  he  light, 
and  thence  to  account  light,  'vain,  vile, 
conteinptihle.  Here,  as  the  radicals  are 
doubled,  the  meaning  is  intensified, 
and  the  idea  conveyed  is  that  of  bread 
which  is  regarded  as  exceedingly  vile 
and  despicable.  Chald.  "  This  manna 
the  light  food,"  Gr.  "  This  vain,  or 
empty  bread;"  i.e.,  bread  unsubstan- 
tial, innutritive,  and  worthless.  This 
was  not  only  a  wicked  disparagement 
of  the  natural  gift  which  the  Lord  be- 
stowed upon  them  from  heaven,  but  it 
was  a  virtual  turning  away  with  loath- 
ing from  that  spiritual  or  heavenly 
manna  which  we  are  taught  to  recog- 
nize in  the  Lord,  the  Saviour,  whose 
own  words  authenticate  this  interpre- 
tation. See  John  6  :  48-51.  Comp.  Ps. 
78  :  23,  24.  "  This  manna  rained  upon 
them  from  heaven  was  both  corporeal 
and  spiritual  food  for  them,  a  figure  of 
the  'hidden  manna'  with  which  Christ 
feedeth  his  people  unto  life  eternal. 
Rev,  2  :  17.  So  the  contempt  thereof 
was  the  contempt  of  Christ  and  hia 
grace ;  and  into  this  sin  do  all  they  fall 
that  loathe  and  leave  Christ  and  his 
gospel  for  the  momentary  pleasures  of 
life." — Ain^worth. 

The  Plague  of  Serpents  and  the 
liemedy. 
Lord  sent  Jiery  serpentsi 
Heb.  hannehds7iim\ 
im,  lit.  the  serpents  the  sero 
e.  as    generally  interpreted] 


V.  6.    77i 

among  the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


813 


serpents  among  the  people,  and    they  bit  the  people  ;  and  much 

people  of  Israel  died. 


fiery  or  hurning  servients,  from  sarapTi, 
to  hum,  whether  so  called  from  their 
glowing,  fiery  color,  or  from  the  intense 
and  excruciating  heat  and  thirst  pro- 
duced by  their  bite,  or  finally  from  the 
red  and  inflamed  appearance  of  the 
skin  of  those  who  had  been  bitten. 
The  original  term  is  a  substantive,  and 
not  an  adjective,  as  it  is  rendered  in  our 
version.  It  denotes  some  class  of  the 
serpent  tribe  which  were  ordinaiily 
somewhat  abundant  in  that  region, 
although  now  probably  miraculously 
multiplied  to  answer  a  special  end  of 
the  divine  providence.  The  popular 
idea  has  for  some  cause  invested  these 
serpents  with  wings ;  but  there  is  noth- 
ing in  the  original  to  warrant  it.  The 
epithet  is  simply  "  fiery,"  not  "  fiery 
flying  "  serpents.  The  prophet  Isaiah, 
eh.  14  :  29.  30  :  6,  makes  mention  of 
**  fiery  flying  serpents,"  but  even  in  this 
case  it  is  supposed  that  the  epithet 
"flying"  was  given  from  their  power 
of  leafing  to  a  considerable  distance  in 
passing  from  tree  to  tree.  Chald. 
"  Burning  serpents."  Gr.  "  Deadly 
serpents."  Syr.  "  Direful  serpents." 
Arab.  "Serpents  of  burning  bites." 
Bochart,  Michaelis,  and  others  have 
undertaken  to  identify  the  species,  but 
as  all  attempts  of  this  kind  can  lead 
only  to  conjectural  results,  we  shall 
waive  them  entirely,  confining  our  re- 
marks to  points  capable  of  being  satis- 
factorily illustrated.  The  most  impor- 
tant lessons  to  be  derived  from  the 
narrative  are  of  a  practical  nature,  and 
these  do  not  depend  upon  the  kind  of 
serpent  alluded  to.  In  Deut.  8  :  15,  it 
is  said  of  the  region  through  which  the 
Israelites  wandered,  probably  with  a 
reference  to  this  particular  part,  "  The 
great  and  terrible  wilderness  wherein 
were  fiery  serpents,  and  scorpions,  and 

14 


drought,  where  there  was  no  water." 
"This  description,"  says  Mr.  Kitto, 
"  answers,  to  this  day,  with  remarkable 
precision  to  these  desert  regions,  and 
particularly  to  that  part,  about  the  head 
of  the  gulf  of  Akaba,  where  the  Israel- 
ites now  were.  Scorpions  abound  in 
all  the  desert,  and  are  particularly  com- 
mon here,  and  they  inflict  a  wound 
scarcely  less  hurnlng  than  the  serpents 
of  the  same  region.  As  to  the  serpents, 
both  Burckhardt  and  Laborde  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  extraordinary  numbers 
which  are  found  about  the  head  of  the 
gulf;  but  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  nei- 
ther of  these  travellers  speaks  particu- 
larly of  the  species.  Burckhardt,  who 
at  the  time  of  making  this  observation 
did  himself  not  see  much  of  the  head  of 
the  gulf,  and  was  only  on  the  western 
coast,  nearly  opposite  the  spot  where 
the  Israelites  appear  to  have  been  thus 
visited,  says :— '  Ayd  told  me  that  ser- 
pents are  very  common  in  these  parts ; 
that  the  fishermen  were  much  afraid  of 
them,  and  extinguished  their  fires  in 
the  evening  before  they  went  to  sleep, 
because  the  light  was  known  to  attract 
them.  As  serpents  then  are  so  nume- 
rous on  this  side,  they  are  probably  not 
deficient  towards  the  head  of  the  gulf 
on  its  opposite  shore,  where  it  appears 
that  the  Israelites  passed  when  they 
journeyed  from  Mount  Hor,  by  the  way 
of  the  Red  Sea,  to  compass  the  land  of 
Edom,  and  when  the  '  Lord  sent  fiery 
serpents  among  the  people.'  (*  Tour 
in  the  Peninsula  of  Sinai,'  p.  499.)  .... 
It  would  thus  appear  that  no  creation 
of  serpents  for  this  occasion  was  re- 
quired, but  that  they  were  collected 
perhaps  in  extraordinary  numbers,  and 
endued  probably  with  a  stronger  pro- 
pensity than  usual  to  assault  all  persons 
who  fell  in  their  way,  until  it  pleased 


314 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


7  Therefore "'  the  people  came  |  the  Lord, and  against  thee;  pray 
to  Moses,  and  said,  We  have  sin-  "unto  the  Lord,  that  he  take 
ned,  for  we  have  spoken "  against 


God,  through  an  agency  which  would 
have  been  wholly  inoperative  but 
through  Him,  to  heal  those  who  had 
been  wounded  and  were  dying  of  their 
wounds."— Pirf.  BihU.  The  evidence, 
then,  is  conclusive,  that  the  route  of 
Israel  lay  over  a  r^ion  infested  by 
venomous  serpents,  and  it  must  be 
ascribed  to  the  protecting  care  of  the 
divine  providence  that  they  had  not 
hitherto  received  harm  from  this  source. 
But  the  time  had  now  come  when  they 
had  justly  rendered  themselves  obnox- 
ious to  the  plague,  and  when  we  may 
conceive  the  Lord  as  saying,  "I  will 
command  the  serpent,  and  he  shall  bite 

them,"  Am.  9  :  3. H  AndtJiey  lit  the 

people ,'  and  much  people  of  Israel  died. 
The  remark  of  one  of  the  Jewish  writers 
in  this  connection,  as  to  a  certain  anal- 
ogy between  their  sin  and  their  pun- 
ishment is  worthy  of  being  repeated. 
This  sin,  he  observes,  was  a  virtual 
calumniation  of  the  divine  providence ; 
but  calumny  is  at  once  suggestive  of 
the  bite  of  a  serpent.  Ps.  140  :  3,  "  They 
have  sharpened  their  tongues  like  a 
serpent ;  adders'  poison  is  under  their 
lips."  Comp.  Eccl.  10  :  11.  Ps.  58  :  4. 
Jer.  8  :  17.  The  divine  protection  being 
now  withdrawn,  these  ministers  of  the 
Lord's  displeasure  were  sent  to  do  their 
work  of  death  amidst  the  guilty  congre- 
gation. They  inflicted  upon  them  their 
terrible  bites.  Being  surcharged  with 
poison,  the  effects  produced  made  the 
wretched  sufferer  feel  as  though  the 
current  of  his  blood  was  changed  into 
tides  of  fire  in  his  veins,  causing  the 
anguish  of  intolerable  fever  and  thirst. 
Life  was  corrupted  at  the  fountain  ;  the 
blood  ran  polluted  from  the  heart,  and 
spread  its  defilement  over  the  whole 


i,  Ex.  8.  8,  23.        Dent.  9. 
1  K.  13.6.       Job  4-2.  S,  10. 
James  5.  16. 


>0,  ve.  1  Sam.  12.  19. 

Jer.  15.  1.        ActsS.  ■i4. 


frame,  until  the  victim  sank  beneath 
his  malady ;  "  and  much  people  of  Is- 
rael died."  In  this  we  behold  a  most 
striking  similitude  with  the  deadly 
agency  of  that  "  old  serpent"  who  aim- 
ed at  the  life  of  man  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  whose  A^enom  has  slain  so 
many  thousands  of  our  race.  The  fatal 
fang  of  these  serpents  of  the  desert  was 
but  an  emblem  of  the  far  more  fearful 
wound  inflicted  by  the  serpent  of  Eden. 
"The  sting  of  death  is  sin,"  and  this  is 
a  sting  which  entails  perdition  to  both 
body  and  soul.  And  as  no  unguent 
or  medicine,  no  appliance  of  human 
device  could  heal  the  bite  of  the  fiery 
serpents  that  now  wrought  such  de- 
vastation in  the  camp  of  Israel,  so  the 
remedy  for  the  moral  poison  which  has 
corrupted  the  life  of  the  soul  can  be 
supplied  by  the  Lord  alone.  His  alone 
it  is  to  administer  the  balm  of  Gilead, 
for  he  alone  is  the  physician  there.  But 
he  will  order  his  interposition  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  shall  be  appreciated 
and  sought  for  before  it  is  enjoyed. 

V.  7.  We  have  sinned,  etc.  In  the  ex- 
tremity that  was  now  upon  them,  what 
could  the  people  do  ?  It  was  in  vain 
that  antidotes  were  sought,  and  as  to 
arming  themselves  against  the  danger, 
this  was  impossible,  for  they  were  as- 
sailed on  every  side,  and  the  assaults 
were  irresistible.  The  course  pursued 
was  the  only  right  and  reasonable  one. 
They  apply  themselves  to  him,  who 
alone  was  able  to  deliver.  They  hum- 
ble themselves  before  God,  and  entreat 
Moses  to  intercede  for  them.  If  the 
Lord  had  not  mercy  on  them,  they 
must  all  perish.  The  very  first  step  in  ■ 
conciliating  the  forfeited  favor  of  hea- 
ven is  the  penitent  confession  of  our    jj^ 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


315 


away  the  serpents  from  us.  And 
Moses  prayed  ^  for  the  people. 

p  Ps.  106.  23. 

offences,  for  "he  that  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  sin  shall  find  mercj."  Such 
had  been  the  people's  course  on  former 
occasions,  and  always  with  a  happy  re- 
sult, and  to  this  fact  we  have  allusion 
Ps.  78  :  34,  "  When  he  slew  them,  then 
they  sought  him ;  and  they  returned 
and  inquired  early  after  God."  Past 
experience  prompts  them  to  the  same 
course  now,  and  with  like  results  ;  for 
though  the  plague  was  not  immediately 
removed,  yet  an  effectual  antidote  was 

graciously  provided. ^  P/'ay  vnto 

the  Lord,  that  he  take  away  the  ser-pents 
froni  us.  Heb.  "  And  let  him  take 
away  the  serpent  from  us,"  col.  sing, 
for  plur.  as  in  multitudinous  instances 
elsewhere.  "  They  had  spoken  against 
God  and  Moses,  and  now  they  humbly 
speak  to  Moses,  that  he  would  pray  to 
God  for  them.  Now  the  people  are 
glad  to  seek  to  Moses  unbidden.  Ever 
heretofore  they  have  been  wont  to  be 
sued  to  and  entreated  for  without  their 
own  entreaty ;  now  their  misery  makes 
them  importunate ;  there  needs  no  soli- 
citor where  there  is  sense  of  smart.  It 
were  pity  men  should  want  affliction, 
since  it  sends  them  to  their  prayers  and 
confessions.  All  the  persuasions  of 
Moses  could  not  do  that  which  the  ser- 
pents have  done  for  him.". — Bp.  Hall. 
They  seem  to  be  conscious  of  their  own 
unworthiness,  and  therefore  crave  the 
i  intercession  of  one  who  they  believed 
had  more  power  with  God  than  them- 
selves. "  How  soon  is  their  tone  alter- 
ed !  They  who  had  just  before  quar- 
relled with  Moses  as  their  worst  enemy, 
'  naw  make  their  court  to  him  as  their 
(  best  friend,  and  choose  him  as  their 
advocate  with  God.  Afflictions  often 
change  men's  sentiments  concerning 
God's  people,  teach  them  to  value  those 


8  And  the   Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Make  thee  a  fiery  ser- 


prayers,  which  at  a  former  period  they 
had  scorned." — Henry. T[  And  Mo- 
ses prayed  for  the  people.  Heb.  yith- 
pallel,  in  the  Hithpael  or  reflexive  form, 
implying  that  he  interposed  himself  and 
prayed  as  a  mediator.  The  meekness, 
patience,  and  forgiving  spirit  of  Moses 
appeared  conspicuous  on  this  occasion. 
Though  so  often  the  subject  of  their  re- 
proaches and  provocations,  yet  upon 
the  slightest  evidence  of  repentance  and 
amendment,  he  turns  with  a  parental 
yearning  towards  them,  and  virtually 
says  in  the  language  of  Samuel  on  a 
like  occasion,  1  Sam.  12:19,  23,  "As 
for  me,  God  forbid  that  I  should  sin 
against  the  Lord  in  ceasing  to  pray  for 
you ;  but  I  will  teach  you  the  good  and 
the  right  way." 

Y.  8.  MaJce  thee  a  fiery  serpent.  This 
is  expressed  in  the  Heb.  by  a  single 
word  sdrdph,  sdraph,  or  burner,  ren- 
dered by  the  Gr.  a  serpent.  As  appears 
from  the  following  verse  it  was  a  "  ser- 
pent of  brass,"  i.  e.,  the  brazen  image 
of  a  serpent,  which  was  now  to  be  con- 
structed, and  elevated  as  a  signal  in 
the  sight  of  the  congregation.  The 
material  ordered  was  no  doubt  well 
adapted  to  represent  the  fiery  quality 
of  the  serpents,  as  it  is  said  of  the 
cherubim  seen  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  ch. 
1 :  7,  that  "  they  sparkled  like  burning 
brass."  This  will  be  seen  to  be  still 
more  apropos  if  we  bear  in  mind,  the 
brass  of  the  Scriptures  is  supposed  to 
have  been  really  copper,  the  livid  hue 
of  which  comes  still  nearer  to  that  o^' 
poisonous  serpents.  Such  was  the  de- 
vice of  the  divine  wisdom  and  good- 
ness. Misery  here  gives  occasion  for 
mercy.  A  remedy  is  pointed  out  equal 
and  suitable  to  the  disease.  Had  the 
serpents  been  merely  removed,  accord- 


316 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


pent,   and  set  it  upon  a  pole : 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 


ing  to  the  prayer  of  the  people,  yet  that 
would  not  have  healed  the  wounded.  A 
remedy  was  to  be  provided'that  should 
also  recover  the  dying,  and  save  the 
living.  Such  a  remedy  is  provided  in 
the  brazen  serpent  now  ordered  to  be 
set  up.  Its  efficacy  as  a  means  of  heal- 
ing was  not  inherent  in  itself.  Obvi- 
ously there  was  nothing  in  the  repre- 
sentative semblance  that  could  possibly 
tend  to  effect  a  cure.  Its  potency  in 
this  respect  was  due  entirely  to  the  di- 
vine appointment.  This  fact  is  thus 
wisely  recognized  and  discoursed  upon 
in  the  apocryphal  book,  entitled  "  The 
Wisdom  of  Solomon,"  ch.  16  :  5-8,  "  For 
when  the  horrible  fierceness  of  beasts 
came  upon  them,  they  perished  with 
the  stings  of  crooked  serpents.  But 
they  were  troubled  for  a  small  season, 
that  they  might  be  admonished,  having 
a  sign  of  salvation,  to  put  them  in  re- 
membrance of  the  commandment  of 
thy  law.  For  he  that  turned  himself 
toward  it,  was  not  saved  by  the  thing 
that  he  saw,  but  by  thee  that  art  the 
Saviour  of  all.  And  in  this  thou  rrtadest 
thine  enemies  confess,  that  it  is  thou 

who  deliverest  from  all  evil." TJ  And 

set  it  upon  a  pole.  Heb.  DD  nes,  signi- 
fying properly  a  hanner-staff.  It  is 
often  used  in  the  Prophets  and  Psalms 
in  the  sense  of  an  ensign  or  banner,  as  a 
signal  for  the  assembling  of  the  people, 
and  which,  with  a  view  to  its  being 
more  conspicuous,  was  frequently  erect- 
ed on  the  summit  of  a  hill.  So  it  may 
be  presumed  in  the  present  case,  that 
the  standard-pole,  surmounted  by  the 
appointed  symbol,  was  elevated  in  some 
position  which  made  it  visible  to  the 
greatest  extent  throughout  the  camp. 
The  object  of  this  appointment  is  an- 
nounced in  what  follows. 1  Every 

one  that  is  hitte7i,  tohen  he  looketh  xipon 


every  one  that  is  bitten,  when 
he  looketh  upon  it,   shall  live. 

it,  shall  live.  Targ.  Jon.  "He  shall 
look  upon  it  and  live,  if  his  heart  be  in- 
tent upon  the  name  of  the  "Word  of  the 
Lord."  It  is  evident,  to  the  most  super- 
ficial glance,  that  the  remedy,  viewed 
in  itself,  was  entirely  inadeq-uate  to  the 
effect  to  be  produced.  As  Bp.  Hall 
well  remarks,  "A  serpent  of  brass 
could  no  more  heal  than  sting  them. 
What  could  a  serpent  of  cold  brass  pre- 
vail against  a  living  and  fiery  serpent  ?" 
Yet  although  neither  Moses  nor  the 
wounded  Israelites  had  any  suitable 
conceptions  of  the  full  import  of  the 
divine  ordination  here  recorded,  still 
with  the  light  afforded  to  us  in  regard 
to  its  typical  bearings,  we  can  recog- 
nize a  wonderful  adaptedness  in  the 
measure  to  the  ends  to  be  attained  by 
it.  The  healing  of  the  body  was  de- 
signed to  be  an  emblem  of  the  healing 
of  the  soul,  and  as  this  moral  cure  was  j 
to  be  compassed  by  means  such  as  hu- 
man reason  would  never  have  devised,  : 
so  it  was  fitting  that  the  symbolical  re- 
covery should  be  effected  by  a  process 
equally  strange,  extraordinary,  and  in- 
credible. If  a  resort  had  been  ordered 
to  the  virtues  of  herbs  or  balsams,  the 
divine  power  would  have  been  apt  to 
have  been  lost  sight  of  in  the  natural 
properties  and  operations  of  the  reme- 
dies. Had  the  serpents  been  removed 
at  the  solicitation  of  the  people,  the 
mercy  of  heaven  would  indeed  have 
been  conspicuous,  but  no  intimation 
would  have  been  given  of  that  hatred 
of  sjiu  and  that  delight  in  holiness  which 
were  figuratively  displayed  in  the  sus- 
pension on  the  pole,  corresponding  to  _ 
the  Saviour's  suspension  on  the  cross.  I 
The  representation,  or  typical  relation, 
between  the  lifting  up  of  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness  and  the  lifting  up  of 
Christ  upon  the  cross  is  expressly  af- 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


317 


firmed  by  our  Lord  himself,  John  3  :  14, 
15,  and  it  is  therefore  proper,  in  order 
to  make  the  narrative  more  impressive, 
that  we  should  collect  and  array  be- 
fore our  minds  all  the  points  of  coinci- 
dence between  the  two  events.  Among 
these  the  following  are  the  most  strik- 
ing: (1.)  The  disease  in  both  cases  is 
similar.  Both  parties  of  sufferers  are 
bitten  of  serpents — the  one  by  natural 
serpents  inhabiting  the  desert,  and 
armed  with  poisonous  tooth  ;  the  other 
by  that  Old  Serpent,  the  Devil,  called 
also  a  Great  Red  Dragon.  Sin  is  the 
biting  of  this  deadly  serpent,  who  may 
be  called  "fiery,"  as  his  temptations 
are  termed  "fiery  darts,"  whose  in- 
fluence inflames  all  the  evil  passions 
and  lusts,  and  who  brings  his  subjects 
at  last  to  a  fiery  perdition.  Through 
his  conquest  the  poison  of  sin  rankles 
in  our  whole  constitution  ;  the  body 
and  the  soul  are  affected  by  it ;  the 
body  being  the  victim  of  disease,  and 
the  soul  of  depravity.  (2.)  In  both 
cases  the  remedy  was  divinely  pre- 
scribed, and  no  other  could  be  of  any 
avail.  (3.)  The  cure  prescribed  was, 
in  both  instances,  of  a  nature  very  un- 
likely to  be  effectual.  The  sight  of  a 
lifeless  serpent  of  metal,  working  as  an 
antidote  to  the  mortal  poison  of  one 
alive,  how  incredible  and  absurd  would 
it  appear  to  human  reason*!  So  our 
salvation  by  the  cross  of  Christ  is  "to 
the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  to  the 
Greeks  foolishness."  Yet  how  mighty 
the  efficacy  of  the  remedy  as  flowing 
from  the  divine  appointment !  The  be- 
lieving Israelite  hears,  even  in  his  dy- 
ing agonies,  the  proclamation  of  deliv- 
erance, lifts  up  his  drooping  head,  looks, 
and  is  healed.  The  perishing  sinner 
hears  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  say- 
ing, "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  and  turns 
towards  him  an  eye  of  faith.  This 
suggests  another  point  of  resemblance, 


viz.,  (4.)  That  it  was  solely  by  a  looh 
that  the  effect  was  produced.  There 
was  nothing  else  required  of  the  bitten 
Israelites.  They  were  not  to  look  at 
the  aggravations  of  their  wounds,  or  to 
attempt  partially  to  heal  themselves  by 
the  application  of  some  other  remedy  in 
conjunction  with  this.  Nor  were  they 
to  do  any  thing  either  to  merit  or  to  in- 
crease its  efficacy.  They  were  simply 
to  look  upon  the  serpent  as  God's  ordi- 
nance for  recovery.  In  like  manner,  it 
is  by  renouncing  every  other  depend- 
ence, and  simply  looking  to  the  Lord 
as  lifted  up  for  our  salvation  that  we 
experience  the  benefits  of  his  saving 
mercy.  "  Whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  not  perish,  but  shall  have  ever- 
lasting life."  (5.)  That  which  cured 
was  shaped  in  the  likeness  of  that 
which  wounded.  So  our  divine  Sav- 
iour, though  perfectly  free  from  sin 
himself,  yet  was  he  "  made  in  the  like- 
ness of  sinful  flesh."  (6.)  The  mercy 
bestowed  was  in  both  cases  provided 
when  it  was  least  expected.  The  Is- 
raelites had  just  been  murmuring 
against  a  merciful  Providence  which 
had  led  and  supplied  them  for  many 
years  in  their  wearisome  march  through 
the  wilderness.  They  had  quarrelled 
with  Moses  and  with  the  Lord  on  the 
ostensible  ground  that  they  were  not 
furnished  with  a  due  supply  of  bread 
and  water,  though  one  miracle  after 
another  had  been  wrought  to  satisfy 
both  their  hunger  and  their  thirst.  Yet 
on  the  very  heels  of  these  provocations, 
when  they  had  more  reason  to  expect 
severer  judgments  than  fresh  mercies, 
the  Most  High  comes  forward  with  this 
amazing  device  for  their  deliverance 
from  the  miseries  which  they  had 
brought  upon  themselves.  So  when 
we,  by  our  iniquities,  had  utterly  for- 
feited every  favor  at  the  Lord's  hands, 
and  condign  punishment  was  all  we 
I  could  reasonably  anticipate,  the  cloud, 


318 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


9  And  Moses  made  a  serpent  ^ 

q  -2  K.  18.  4.     John  3.  14,  15. 


apparently  surcharged  with  wrath, 
broke  in  mercy  over  our  heads,  and 
the  divine  Saviour  was  lifted  up  '<  that 
he  might  draw  all  men  unto  him." 

These  points  of  similitude  might  be 
still  further  multiplied,  but  those  al- 
ready cited  will  be  sufficient  for  our 
purpose,  the  scope  of  which  may  be 
summed  up  in  the  words  of  Henry : 
"  The  brazen  serpent's  being  lifted  up 
would  not  cure,  if  it  was  not  looked 
upon.  If  any  pored  on  their  wound, 
and  would  not  look  up  to  the  brazen 
serpent,  they  inevitably  died.  If  they 
slighted  this  method  of  cure,  and  had 
recourse  to  natural  medicines,  and 
trusted  to  them,  they  justly  perished. 
So,  if  sinners  either  despise  Christ's 
righteousness,  or  despair  of  benefit  by 
it,  their  wound  will,  without  doubt,  be 
fatal.  Whoever  looked  up  to  this  healing 
sign,  though  from  the  outermost  part 
of  the  camp,  though  with  a  weak  and 
weeping  eye,  was  certainly  healed.  So, 
whosoever  believes  in  Christ,  though  as 
yet  but  weak  in  faith,  shall  not  perish." 

V.  9.  Moses  made  a  serpent  of  brass, 
and  put  it  'upon  a  pole,  etc.  The  leader 
of  Israel  here  shows  himself,  as  usual, 
the  obedient  servant  of  God.  He  con- 
sults not  with  flesh  and  blood,  nor 
yields  to  the  suggestions  of  carnal  wis- 
dom. He  is  not  staggered  by  the 
strangeness  of  the  command.  He  stays 
not  to  reason  whether  it  were  likely 
that  a  piece  of  brass  should  remedy  a 
deadly  bite,  or  whether  a  dead  thing 
should  be  made  a  medium  of  life.  Hav- 
ing received  the  command,  he  knows 
that  nothing  remains  for  him  but  to 
obey,  and  this  he  does  with  promptitude 
and  fidelity, \  If  a  serpent  had  bit- 
ten any  man,  etc.  So  richly  laden  is 
this  portion  of  the  sacred  story  with 
instruction,  that  we  are  prompted  to 


of  brass,  and  put  it  upon  a  pole : 
and  it  came  to  pass,   that  if  a 

dwell  somewhat  more  at  length  upon 
the  various  particulars  that  challenge 
our  attention.  It  is  clear  that  the  ser- 
pents were  not  removed  according  to 
the  pi-ayer  recorded  v.  7,  for  they  still 
continued  to  bite  the  people ;  but  the 
divine  mercy  provided  an  antidote 
which  should  be  efficacious  in  the 
midst  of  the  bites,  and  thus  evince  how 
far  superior  was  the  divine  power  to 
save  to  the  power  of  the  enemy  to  de- 
stroy. So  when  Paul  besought  the 
Lord  thrice  to  remove  from  him  the 
thorn  in  the  flesh,  he  did  not  obtain 
the  precise  favor  sought,  but  he  re- 
ceived an  assurance  which  was  abun- 
dantly equivalent,  "  My  grace  shall  be 
sufficient  for  thee."  So  in  the  present 
case  death  was  arrested,  and  life  and 
health  restored,  notwithstanding  the 
plague  continued.  Let  us  pause  for  a 
moment  on  the  scene  that  the  pencil 
of  inspiration  depicts  before  us.  An 
Israelite  has  been  bitten.  A  darting 
pain  shoots  through  his  system,  and  a 
deadly  sickness  and  faintness  comes 
upon  him,  soon  to  be  succeeded  by  a 
burning  heat  which  seems  to  consume 
his  very  vitals.  His  whirling  brain  is 
racked  with  ineffable  torture,  and  as 
the  poison  approaches  nearer  and  yet 
nearer  to  the  fountain  of  life,  he  looks 
wildly  around  for  aid  that  none  can 
render.  He  is  just  ready  to  yield  to 
hopeless  despair,  when  the  voice  of 
mercy  is  heard,  "Look  and  live." 
The  eye  of  the  poor  sufferer,  already 
glazed  in  death,  is  feebly  turned  to  the 
blessed  object,  and  how  rich  is  the  re- 
ward !  One  glimpse  is  Life.  The  fe- 
ver subsides,  the  inflammation  leaves 
the  blood,  the  convulsions  cease,  the 
action  of  the  pulse  returns,  the  pain 
dies  away,  the  whole  frame  is  conscious 
of  renovation.    It  is  the  work  of  a  few 


3.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


819 


seipent  had  bitten  any  man, 
whea  he  beheld  the  serpent  of 
brass  he  lived. 


moment&  only  ;  the  cure  is  perfected ; 
the  sufienr  is  well.  Those  lately  mark- 
ed for  death,  and  almost  numbered  with 
the  dead,  take  their  places  again  among 
the  living.  The  man  resumes  his  out- 
door occupations,  and  the  woman  her 
domestic  employments,  whilst  the  child 
returns  to  its  play.  Many  who  were 
given  up  as  lost  are  now  found  again  ; 
they  come  flocking  by  hundreds  and 
thousands  to  their  tents,  and  as  fiithers, 
mothers,  brothers,  sisters,  and  children 
rush  into  each  other's  arms,  the  gene- 
ral mourning  is  turned  to  dancing,  and 
the  camp  becomes  one  scene  of  tumult- 
uous and  grateful  joy.  How  all  this 
finds  its  counterpart  in  the  case  of  the 
sin-slain  soul  looking  up  to  him  who 
was  elevated  upon  the  cross  for  our  sal- 
vation, will  be  easily  perceived  from 
what  we  have  already  said  upon  the 
typical  scope  of  the  transaction. 

We  remark  in  addition,  as  to  the  final 
disposal  of  the  brazen  serpent,  that  it 
seems  not  improbable  that  whether  the 
camp  was  subsequently  molested  in  the 
same  manner  or  not,  still  the  sacred 
symbol  was  carried  with  them  in  their 
after  journeyings,  and  set  up  whenever 
they  encamped  as  a  preservative  against 
a  recurrence  of  the  danger ;  and  that 
when  they  settled  in  Canaan,  they  fixed 
it  somewhere  within  the  borders  of  the 
land.  This  is  faii-ly  to  be  inferred  from 
the  fact,  that  in  the  history  of  Hezekiah, 
2  Kings  18  : 4,  we  read  that  the  brazen 
serpent  was  preserved,  doubtless  as  a 
memorial  of  the  miracle  here  recorded, 
till  his  time,  when,  in  consequence  of 
its  having  become  an  object  of  idolatry, 
he  caused  it  to  be  destroyed.  It  is  to 
be  presumed,  therefore,  that  if  it  had 
been  kept  for  so  long  a  period,  it  was 


10  And  the  children  of  Is- 
rael set  forward,  and  pitched  in 
Oboth\ 


laid  up  at  Jerusalem  or  some  other  part 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  for  we  cannot 
suppose  that  the  people  of  Israel  went 
so  far  off  as  this  station  into  the  wilder- 
ness, to  burn  incense  to  it,  as  we  find 
they  did  in  the  passage  referred  to. 
"He  removed  the  high  places,  and 
brake  the  images,  and  cut  down  the 
groves,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  serpent 
that  Moses  had  made;  for  unto  those 
days  the  children  of  Israel  did  burn  in- 
cense to  it :  and  he  called  it  Xehushtan." 
The  term  "  Nehushtau  "  is  a  diminutive 
from  Heb.  nehosheth,  bmss,  and  implies 
a  certain  degree  of  contempt ;  as  if  he 
had  said,  "  Whatever  of  honor  or  rev- 
erence may  have  pertained  to  this  sym- 
bol in  ancient  times,  it  is  intrinsically 
but  a  mere  piece  of  brass,  a  brazen  bau- 
ble, and  so  long  as  you  are  disposed  to 
idolize  it,  it  is  proper  it  should  be  called 
by  a  name  that  suitably  expresses  its 
quality."  Types  are  no  farther  valua- 
ble than  as  they  lead  to  the  spiritual 
mysteries  of  Christ.  They  are  pervert- 
ed from  their  end  when  viewed  as 
clothed  with  peculiar  sanctity  apart 
from  the  substance  Avhich  they  repre- 
sented. The  propensit}'  to  a  supersti- 
tious veneration  of  the  relics  of  anti- 
quity has  been  apparent  in  all  ages,  and 
in  the  idolatrous  regard  that  finally 
sprung  up  for  this  significant  emblem 
we  may  recognize  perhaps  a  foreshad- 
owing of  that  excessive  reverence  for 
the  bare  C7'0ss  which  has  for  ages  dis- 
tinguished the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

The  Boide  of  the  Children  of  Israel  along 
the  Borders  of  Moab,  in  their  farther 
progress  towards  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
V.  10.  The  children  of  Israel  set  for- 
ward.   Heb.  "  Broke  up,"  as  explained 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


11  And  they  journeyed  from 
Oboth,  and  pitched  at  Ije-aba- 

in  the  Note  on  ch.   2  :  9. IT  And 

pitched  in  Ohotli.  The  meaning  of  the 
original  is  lottles,  i.  e.,  sacks  or  vessels 
made  of  skins  for  holding  water.  As  it 
is  evident,  from  v.  16,  that  names  were 
sometimes  given  to  stations  founded 
upon  some  features  of  the  place,  or 
upon  some  incident  there  occurring,  we 
deem  it  altogether  probable  that  this 
was  the  case  in  the  present  instance ; 
that  the  station  was  named  from  the 
supply  of  water  with  which  they  were 
now  enabled  to  provide  themselves. 
As  all  these  wanderings  of  Israel  in  the 
desert  represent  the  diversified  states 
of  Christians  in  the  progress  of  their 
regeneration,  a  pious  reflection  is  here 
naturally  suggested,  viz.,  that  as  they 
who  had  so  often  experienced  thirst  in 
the  desert,  and  had  thus  known  the 
preciousness  of  water,  would,  upon 
leaving  a  place,  be  careful  to  carry 
away  with  them  their  vessels  full ;  so 
believers  should  endeavor  to  keep  their 
vessels  full  to  serve  them  for  those  sea- 
sons when  the  springs  should  become 
comparatively  dry.  They  will  be  of 
use  as  long  as  they  sojourn  in  the  wil- 
derness. Ere  long  their  journey  will 
be  ended,  when  the  weary  pilgrims  will 
come  to  the  rest  and  be  led  to  the  liv- 
ing fountains  of  waters.  Meantime  let 
them  not  throw  away  their  vessels  or 
neglect  the  means  of  spiritual  reviving. 
Happy  they  who  carry  with  them  water 
for  the  way;  whose  memory,  under- 
standing, and  heart,  filled  with  the 
Lord's  heavenly  treasure,  become  like 
a  well  of  water  springing  up  to  ever- 
lasting life.  It  appears,  from  ch.  33  : 
41,  42,  that  after  leaving  Mount  Hor 
their  first  encampment  was  at  Zalmo- 
nah,  and  the  second  at  Punon,  both 
which  are  here  omitted.  As  Zalmonah 
is  derived  from  tzelem,  image,  it  is  sup- 


rim,  in  the  wilderness  which  is  6e- 
fore  Moab,  toward  the  sun-rising. 

posed  that  it  was  at  that  station  that 
the  plague  of  the  serpents  occurred, 
and  that  the  erection  of  the  image  of  a 
serpent  was  designed  to  be  commemo- 
rated in  the  name  given  to  the  place. 
As  to  their  route  henceforward,  it  is 
dilBcnlt  to  trace  it  in  detail,  but  we 
know  in  general  that  from  a  point  near 
the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Aiabah,  they 
proceeded  through  some  mountain  pass, 
to  the  east,  probably  the  Wady  Ithm, 
and,  rounding  the  south-eastern  borders 
of  Edom,  emerged  on  to  the  great  plains 
which  are  traversed  by  the  Syrian  pil- 
grims going  south  to  Mecca,  and  others 
going  north  to  Damascus.  The  course 
of  the  Israelites  would  have  been  main-  _ 
ly  to  the  north,  along  the  eastern  fron-  M 
tiers  of  Moab,  whose  territory  lay  be-  1 
tween  their  route  and  the  eastern  shore 
of  the  Dead  Sea.  This  route  they  would 
naturally  follow  till  they  reached  the 
point  a  little  beyond  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  that  Sea,  whence  they  were  to 
turn  westward  to  cross  the  Jordan.  Ref- 
erence to  the  best  modern  maps  of  this 
region,  as,  for  instance,  those  of  Robin- 
son, Stanley,  or  Kiepert,  will  supply  all 
that  is  wanting  in  our  verbal  descrip- 
tion. Of  the  several  stations  mentioned 
in  this  connection,  the  precise  locality 
is  matter  of  conjecture;  and  therefore 
the  older  maps  conveniently  place  them 
at  about  equal  distances  from  each 
other,  which  may  be  correct,  or  may 
not.  Happily  nothing  of  moment  de- 
pends upon  the  ascertainment  of  their 
exact  position. 

V.  11.  Pitched  at  Ije-Abarim.  That 
is,  at  the  heaps  of  the  fords,  as  the 
original  implies ;  referring,  perhaps,  to 
some  heaps  of  stones  that  had  for  some 
reason  been  piled  up  at  certain  ford- 
ing-places  across  which  lay  their  route. 
Chald.  "  Close  by  the  ford  of  the  pas^' 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


321 


12  From  thence  they  re- 
moved, and  pitched  in  the  val- 
ley of  Zared  *. 

13  From  thence  they  removed, 
and  pitched  on  the  other  side 
of '  Arnon,  which  is  in  the  wil- 
derness that  Cometh  out  of  the 

*  Dtut.  2.  13.  t  c.  a.  36.    Judg.  11.  IS. 


sengers-." T[  In  the  wilderness  before 

Moab,  toward  the  sun-rising.  That  is, 
to  the  east  of  the  country  of  Moab, 
which  lay  between  the  small  rivers 
Arnon  and  Jabbok,  as  its  northern  and 
southern  boundaries. 

V.  12.  Pitched  in  the  xalley  of  Zared. 
Heb.  hencChal,  in  the  talley,  elsewhere 
rendered  7'iver,  and  implying  a  valley 
which,  in  a  rainy  season,  was  liable  to 
become  the  bed  of  a  stream.  The  same 
word  occurs,  Deut.  2  :  13,  where  Moses 
is  recounting  the  events  of  this  part  of 
their  journey,  "Now  rise  up,  said  I, 
and  get  you  over  the  hrooh  (na'hal) 
Zared;  and  we  went  over  the  brooi: 
{na'?ial)  Zared."  It  is  hardly  practica- 
ble at  present  to  identify  this  locality, 
though  both  Kitto  and  Robinson  in- 
cline to  regard  it  as  the  same  with  a 
considerable  stream  now  called  Ahsa, 
or  Ahsy,  which  empties  into  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  Dead  Sea.  It  favors 
this  supposition,  that  the  Ahsy  is  not 
only  the  largest  river  south  of  the  Ar- 
non, but  is  the  first  the  Israelites  would 
meet  with  in  coming  from  the  direction 
of  the  Elanitic  Gulf,  as  they  did. 

V.  13.  Pitched  on  the  other  side  of 
Arnon.  This  river  formed  the  south- 
ern boundary  of  the  Israelitish  tribes 
dwelling  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Jor- 
dan, and  separating  their  territory  from 
the  land  of  Moab.  It  is  now  known 
under  the  name  of  Wady  Modjeb.  It 
rises  in  the  mountains  of  Gilead,  whence 
it  pursues  a  circuitous  course  of  about 
eighty  miles  to  the  Dead  Sea.    It  flows 


coasts  of  the  Amorites  :  for  Ar- 
non is  the  border  of  Moab,  be- 
tween Moab  and  the  Amor- 
ites. 

14  Wherefore  it  is  said  in  the 
book  of  the  wars  of  the  Lord, 
What  he  did  in  the  Red  Sea, 
and  in  the  brooks  of  Arnon, 


in  a  rocky  bed,  and  in  several  places  in 
a  channel  so  deep  and  precipitous  as 
to  appear  inaccessible;  yet  along  this 
channel,  winding  among  huge  frag- 
ments of  rock,  lies  the  most  frequented 
road,  and,  not  being  far  from  Dibon, 
probably  that  taken  by  the  Israelites. 
The  stream  is  almost  dried  up  in  sum- 
mer; but  large  masses  of  rock,  torn 
from  the  banks,  and  deposited  high 
above  the  usual  channel,  evince  its  ful- 
ness and  impetuosity  in  the  rainy  sea- 
son. Burckhardt,  and  Irby  and  Man- 
gles have  given  the  fullest  account  of 
this  river. 

V.  14.  Wherefore  it  is  said  in  the 
book  of  the  wars  of  the  Lord,  etc.  We 
here  encounter  one  of  the  most  impene- 
trably obscure  passages  in  the  whole 
compass  of  Holy  Writ.  The  volumi- 
nous labors  of  commentators  of  all  pe- 
riods still  leave  the  meaning  of  the  sa- 
cred writer  enveloped  in  doubt.  We 
shall  not  enter  into  a  discussion  of  the 
various  senses  that  have  been  put  upon 
the  words,  but  simply  state  what  ap- 
pears to  us,  on  the  whole,  most  proba- 
ble. The  passage  is  evidently  a  quo- 
tation, but  the  source  from  which  it  is 
derived  it  is  impossible  clearly  to  de- 
termine. The  term  rendered  "  book  " 
may  signify  narrative  or  rehearsal,  and 
refer  either  to  some  writing  of  the 
Amorites  recounting  in  poetical  style 
the  victories  of  Sihon  their  king,  or 
some  document  originating  with  the  Is- 
raelites, but  long  since  lost,  like  other 
works  to  which  we  find  occasional  allu- 


322 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


15  And  at  the  stream  of  the 
brooks  that  goeth  down  to  the 

sion  in  the  canonical  Scriptures.  The 
passage  may  thus  be  presented  in  its 
most  literal  form : 

"Wherefore  it  is  said  in  the  book  (or 
narrative)  of  the  wars  of  the  Lord  : 

'  Vaheb  in  a  whirlwind, 
And  the  brooks  of  Arnon ; 
And  the  lowlands  of  the  streams 
"Which  turn  to  the  dwelling  of  Ar, 
And  incline  to  the  border  of  Moab.' " 

From  the  impossibility  of  eliciting  a  co- 
herent sense  from  these  words,  we  in- 
fer that  it  is  a  fragmentary  extract  from 
some  pre-existing  work  which  is  here 
introduced  apart  from  its  connections 
both  preceding  and  succeeding,  and 
therefore  leaving  us  without  an  ade- 
quate clue  to  its  meaning.  "  What  he 
did  in  the  Red  Sea"  is  given  in  our 
English  version  as  a  translation  of  the 
original  eth  valieb  hesupJtali,  for  which 
the  marginal  reading  exhibits  "  Vaheb 
in  Supha,"  as  if  both  were  proper 
names,  but  about  which  nothing  defi- 
nite was  known.  By  some  violence  'va- 
Jieh  may  be  converted  into  a  verb  with 
the  import  of  doing  or  acting,  and  as 
the  common  Heb.  term  for  Bed  Sea  is 
supli,  or  rather  yam  suph,  our  trans- 
lators have  rendered  it  "  What  he  did 
in  the  Red  Sea,"  wherein  they  follow 
the  Chaldee,  which  renders  it  in  the 
same  manner.  But  the  original  is  not 
suph,  but  supliah,  a  molent  storm  or 
whirlwind,  and  may  here  imply  the 
desolating  character  of  the  divine  judg- 
ments, as  recorded  in  the  ancient  docu- 
ments referred  to— judgments,  perhaps, 
inflicted  upon  the  Moabites  by  Sihon, 
king  of  the  Amorites,  vs.  28,  29.  Wars, 
we  know,  are  often  represented  under 
the  figure  of  fire,  tempest,  whirlwind, 
etc.    Thus,  Am.  1 :  14,  " I  will  kindle 


dwelling  of  Ar  ",  and  lieth  upon 
the  border  of  Moab. 


a  fire  in  the  wall  of  Rabbah,  and  it  shall 
devour  the  palaces  thereof,  with  shout- 
ing in  the  day  of  battle,  with  a  tempest 
in  the  day  of  the  whirlwind."  Is.  29  : 
6,  "  Thou  shalt  be  visited  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts  with  thunder,  and  with  earth 
quake,  and  great  noise,  with  storm  and 
tempest,  and  the  flame  of  devouring 
fire."  Is.  G6  :  15,  "  The  Lord  will  come 
with  fire,  and  with  his  chariots  like  a 
whirlwind."  Comp.  Neh.  1:3.  Is.  6 : 
28.  Jer.  4  :  13.  Thus,  too,  the  Gr.  "  The 
war  of  the  Lord  hath  set  Zoob  on  fire," 
where  "  Zoob "  is  intended  to  answer 
to  "Vaheb,"  but  corrupted  by  the 
ti'anslators  mistaking  V  (1)  for  Z  (T). 
From  vs.  28,  29,  of  this  chapter,  it  ap- 
pears that  Arnon  as  well  as  Heshbon, 
formerly  the  possession  of  Moab,  had 
some  time  previous  been  wrested  from 
that  people  by  Sihon,  king  of  the  Amor- 
ites, and,  being  now  in  their  hands,  it 
was  lawful  for  the  Israelites  to  capture 
it,  ars  it  was  said  to  them,  Deut.  2  :  24, 
"  Rise  vip  and  take  your  journey,  and 
pass  over  the  river  Arnon  :  behold,  I 
have  given  into  thine  hand  Sihon  the 
Amorite,  king  of  Heshbon,  and  his 
land  :  begin  to  possess  it,  and  contend 
with  him  in  battle."  Towards  the 
Moabites,  on  the  other  hand,  they  were 
to  engage  in  no  acts  of  hostility,  Deut, 
2:9.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  we  deem 
it  most  probable,  that  Moses  is  here 
quoting  some  history  or  poem  of  the 
Amorites,  with  a  view  to  determine  the 
extent  of  the  country  of  which,  by  his 
victory  over  them,  he  had  become  mas- 
ter. He  adduces  the  lines  to  show,  that 
this  people  had,  in  their  wars  with  the 
Moabites,  pushed  their  southern  boun- 
dary as  far  as  the  river  Arnon  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly, as  far  as  this,  the  Israelites 
might  now  maintain  a  claim  against 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


16    And    from    thence   they  '  gether,   and   I  will  give   them 


went  to  "  Beer  :  that  is  the  well 
whereof  the  Lord  "  spake  unto 
Moses,   Gather   the   people  to- 


Judg.  9. 


the  people  of  Moab,  whom  thej  did  not 
propose  to  disturb  in  their  own  posses- 
sions. Ar  was  a  city  of  Moab,  v.  28.  By 
"  lying  (Heb.  leaning)  upon  the  border 
of  Moab,"  is  meant  being  conterminous 
with  it. 

V.  16.  Ff'om  thence  {they  went)  to 
Beer.  Heb.  "■  To  the  well,"  that  is,  to 
the  place  distinguished  by  the  digging 
of  a  well,  and  the  obtaining  thence  a 
fresh  supply  of  water.  The  name 
"Beer"  does  not  occur  among  the 
names  of  the  stations  mentioned,  oh. 

83. 1[  Whereof  the  Lord  sjmke  tuito 

Moses.  The  want  of  water  had  no 
doubt  begun  to  be  experienced  by  the 
host;  but,  unlike  their  deportment  in 
former  instances,  we  now  read  of  no 
murmurings  or  complaints.  The  Lord, 
therefore,  had  compassion  upon  them, 
and  bi'ought  them  to  a  well  of  water  to 
encourage  them  to  wait  upon  him  in  the 
patience  of  hope,  assured  that  he  would 
ever  care  for  them  so  long  as  they  calm- 
ly put  their  trust  in  him.  "  They  that 
seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any  good 
thing,"  It  is  implied  that  a  promise  was 
given,  at  least  to  Moses,  that  their  wants 
in  this  respect  should  be  supplied ;  but 
when  this  promise  was  given,  whether 
before  they  came  to  the  jjlace,  or  at  the 
time,  does  not  appear  from  the  narra- 
tive. But  we  may  with  confidence  say, 
that  the  well  of  Beer  was  a  spring  pre- 
viously ordained  to  afford  refreshment 
to  the  "church  in  the  wilderness." 
The  Lord  knew  the  spot,  though  they 
themselves  were  ignorant  of  it ;  and  so 
in  the  matter  of  our  salvation,  the  di- 
vine beneficence  anticipates  our  own 
conscious  wants.  He  "prevents  us 
with  the  blessings  of  goodness." 


water. 

17    Then    Israel   sang  *  this 

X  Ex.  15.  1.    Judg.  5.  1.     Ps.  106.  12. 

\  Gather  the  people  together,  and  I  will 
give  them  water.  In  obedience  to  the 
divine  direction,  they  are  convened  on 
the  very  spot  where  the  water  is  to 
burst  forth,  and  yet  know  it  not  till 
Moses  points  it  out  to  them.  They 
are  gathered  in  expectation  and  desire, 
looking  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  prom- 
ise. The  princes  surround  it  with  their 
staves,  but  as  yet  no  well  is  seen,  no 
water  appears ;  the  dry  and  sandy  sur- 
face indicates  no  treasure  beneath.  But 
throughout  the  whole  of  their  journey, 
their  supplies  had  been  furnished  them 
contrary  to  all  appearances.  As  from 
the  smitten  flinty  rock  a  flowing  stream 
broke  forth,  so  from  the  parched  soil, 
when  pierced,  a  fountain,  not  before  ex- 
pected, arose.  So  in  the  spiritual  ex- 
perience of  the  church,  while  passing 
on  to  its  Canaan  in  heaven,  is  the  pro- 
phetic declaration  verified,  "in  the  wil- 
derness shall  waters  break  forth,  and 
springs  in  the  desert."  The  cheering 
truths  of  the  Word  are  suddenly  opened 
to  them  in  the  midst  of  spiritual  death 
and  desolation,  and  they  are  enabled 
to  sing  of  the  Lord's  mercies  as  did  Is- 
rael on  this  occasion. 

V.  17.  Then  Israel  sang  this  song. 
Being  wrought  up  to  a  kind  of  trans- 
port of  grateful  joy  on  account  of  the 
unexpected  kindness  of  the  Lord  in 
supplying  their  wants,  they  burst  forth 
into  a  song  of  celebration,  a  poetical 
apostrophe,  making  memorable  ever 
after  this  oasis  in  the  desert.  Analo- 
gous is  the  language  of  the  prophet.  Is. 
12  ;  3,  4,  "  Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye 
draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salva- 
tion. And  in  that  day  shall  ye  say, 
Praise  the  Lord,  call  upon  his  name, 


324 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


song,  Spring  up,  0  well;  sing 
ye  unto  it : 

18  The  princes  digged  the 
well,  the  nobles  of  the  people 
digged  it,  by  the  direction  of 

declare  his  doings  among  the  people, 
make  mention  that  his  name  is  exalted." 

1[  Spring  up,  0  well ;  sing  ye  unto 

it.  Or,  Heb.  "Ascend,  0  well."  It 
would  appear,  from  the  ensuing  verse, 
that  the  people  were  gathered  to  a  cer- 
tain appointed  spot,  around  which  stood 
the  princes  or  heads  of  the  tribes,  to- 
gether with  Moses,  their  "law-giver," 
with  their  staves  in  their  hands,  and 
that,  at  a  given  signal,  they  struck 
them  into  the  earth,  when  the  hidden 
waters  forthwith  gushed  forth  as  they 
did  from  the  rock  when  smitten  by  the 
rod  of  Moses.  As  they  had  now  de- 
meaned themselves  properly,  abstain- 
ing from  all  murmuring  and  complaint, 
the  whole  people  are,  through  their 
princes,  admitted  to  share  in  the  honor 
of  working  the  miracle ;  whereas,  for- 
merly, their  rebellious  conduct  ren- 
dered them   unworthy,  and  therefore 

the  honor  was  restricted  to  Moses. 

T[  Sing  ye  unto  it.  Heb.  "  Answer  ye 
unto  it."  The  original  term  "  answer  " 
is  employed  to  denote  that  kind  of  al- 
ternative or  responsive  singing,  of 
which  a  specimen  occurred  in  the  case 
of  Miriam  and  the  children  of  Israel  at 
the  Red  Sea,  Ex.  15  :  20,  21,  "  And 
Miriam  the  prophetess,  the  sister  of 
Aaron,  took  a  timbrel  in  her  hand : 
and  all  the  women  went  out  after  her, 
with  timbrels,  and  with  dances.  And 
Miriam  answered  them,  Sing  ye  to  the 
Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  glorious- 
ly :  the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  he 
thrown  into  the  sea."  So  also,  1  Sam. 
18 :  6,  7,  "And  it  came  to  pass  as  they 
came,  when  David  was  returned  from 
the  slaughter  of  the  Philistine,  that  the 


the  lawgiver  ^,  with  their  staves. 
And  from  the  wilderness  ihe>j 
went  to  Mattanah : 

19  And   from    Mattanah  to 


5,  Deut.  33.  4.    Is.  33.  22. 


women  came  out  of  all  the  cities  of  Is- 
rael, singing  and  dancing,  to  meet  king 
Saul,  with  tabrets,  with  joy,  and  with 
instruments  of  music.  And  the  women 
answered  one  another  as  they  played, 
and  said,  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
and  David  his  ten  thousands."  Again, 
Ps.  147  :  7,  "Sing  (Heb.  answer)  unto 
the  Lord  with  thanksgiving."  The  sug- 
gestion of  Ainsworth  strikes  us  as  prob- 
able, viz.,  that  the  order  of  the  words 
mday  be  properly  transposed,  so  as  to 
read,  "Answer  (or  sing)  ye  unto  it. 
Spring  up,  0  well."  A  transposition 
very  similar  occurs.  Is.  27  :  2,  "In  that 
day  sing  ye  (Heb.  answer  ye)  unto  her, 
A  vineyard  of  red  wine."  These  two 
clauses  change  places  in  the  original. 

V.  18.  The  princes  digged  the  well, 
etc.  Heb.  "  The  well,  the  princes  digged 
it ;"  or,  "  0  well,  which  the  princes 
digged,  which  the  nobles  delved,"  The 
import  of  the  two  original  words  is  very 
nearly  the  same.  The  act  of  digging  is 
no  doubt  literally  implied  by  them,  but 
it  is  palpable  that  staves  are  not  the 
proper  implements  for  digging,  and 
therefore  we  take  the  expression  to  be 
poetical  or  hyperbolical,  the  effect  of 
striking  their  staves  into  the  sandy  soil 
having  been  the  same  as  if  they  had 
actually  dug  a  well  with  spades  and 

pickaxes. Ij  From   the   wilderness 

{they  went)  to  Mattanah.  The  verb  in- 
dicating their  journeying  is  omitted, 
both  here  and  in  other  places  in  the 
connection,  and  the  general  style  is 
somewhat  peculiar,  as  if  the  poetical 
cast  of  the  preceding  verses  was  still 
continued.  Neither  this  nor  the  other 
names  occurring  in  this  context  are 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTEK  XXI. 


325 


Nahaliel :  and  from  Nahaliel  to    which   looketh  '  toward    Jeshi- 
Bamoth :  mon. 

20  And  from  Bamoth  in  the  :      21  And  "  Israel  sent  messen- 
valley,  that  is  in  the  country  j 
of  Moab,  to  the  top  of  Pisgah,  [    20.23. 9s.     a  Deut.  s.26,27.  judg.  n.i9,-2o. 


found  in  the  catalogue  of  stations  given 
in  ch.  33.  The  reasons  of  this,  togeth- 
er with  a  great  many  minor  points  of 
criticism  growing  out  of  the  text,  we 
forbear  to  enlarge  upon,  as  we  despair 
of  attaining  to  certainty  respecting 
them. 

V.  20.  Ffcr/n  Bamoth  {in)  the  valley. 
Rather,  to  the  valley,  as  the  construc- 
tion seems  to  require,  which  is  the  same 
with  that  in  the  preceding  verse,  where 
there  is  nothing  in  the  original  to  an- 
swer to  the  word  "  to."  As  to  the  pre- 
cise locality  it  is  in  vain  to  think  at 
this  day  of  identifying  it.  Chazkuni,  a 
Jewish  writer,  says  it  is  the  same  with 
what    is    called,   ch.   33  :  49,    "  Abel- 

shittim  in  the  plains  of  Moab." 

TI  To  the  top  of  Pisgah.  Heb.  "  The 
head  of  Pisgah."  The  preposition  "  to" 
is  wanting  in  the  Hebrew,  and  some 
would  render  it  literally,  "And  from 
Bamoth  (to)  the  valley  which  is  the 
field  of  Moab,  the  head  of  Pisgah." 
But,  as  Rosenmuller  remarks,  a  strange 
sense  is  made  by  **  a  valley  which  is  in 
the  field  (or  country)  of  Moab,  the  head 
of  Pisgah."  His  suggestion  is,  that  it 
denotes  a  general  acclivity  commencing 
in  the  low  grounds  of  Moab,  and  termi- 
nating in  the  mountain  summit  known 
as  Pisgah,  which  is  apparently  the  same 
with  Mount  Nebo,  both  mountains  being 
assigned  as  the  place  where  Moses  died. 
But  we  shall  hereafter  have  occasion  to 
consider  the  topography  of  these  moun- 
tains more  fully. T[  Which  looketh 

toward  Jeshimon.  Or,  Heb.  "And  it 
standeth  out,  or  projecteth,  before  the 
face  (or  in  front  of)  the  wilderness ;" 
implying  a  kind  of  promontory,  from 


which,  on  one  side,  an  extensive  view 
of  the  wilderness  they  had  passed  was 
afforded,  while  on  another,  the  eye 
could  reach  along  the  valley  of  the 
Jordan,  and  to  the  promised  region  be- 
yond. Jeshimon  is  rendered  "  wilder- 
ness" in  repeated  instances.  See  Deut. 
32  :  10.  Ps.  68  :  7.  78  :  40.  The  Chald. 
understands  this  entire  context  of  the 
flowing  of  the  water  of  the  well,  v.  ]  (3, 
along  the  route  of  the  Israelites.  "  And 
from  (the  place)  where  it  was  given 
unto  them,  it  descended  with  them  to 
the  valleys  ;  and  from  the  valleys  it  as- 
cended with  them  to  the  high  places  ; 
and  from  the  high  places  to  the  valley 
that  is  in  the  field  of  Moab,  etc." 

Messengers  sent  to  Sihon,  King  of  the 
Amorites. 
Y.  21.  Israel  sent  messengers.  This  is 
attributed  to  Moses,  Deut.  2  :  26,  but  the 
same  act  is  often  ascribed  interchange- 
ably to  an  individual,  or  to  a  multitude 
in  whose  name  he  acts.  The  place  from 
which  these  messengers  were  dispatch- 
ed was  Kedemoth,  from  Kedem,  east, 
the  eastern  territory.  It  seems  to  have 
bad  its  name  given  to  it  by  a  city  which 
subsequently  fell  to  the  tribe  of  Reuben, 
Josh.  13  :  18,  situated  near  the  river 
Arnon,  which  constituted  the  boundary 
between  the  kingdom  of  the  Ammonites 
and  the  Moabites.  In  thus  dispatching 
messengers  to  the  Amoritish  king,  he 
pursued  the  same  friendly  policy  as  he 
had  before  towards  the  king  of  Edom, 
of  whom  he  civilly  requested  a  free 
passage  through  his  dominions,  at  the 
same  time  offering  every  reasonable 
pledge  to  abstain  from  all  molestation 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


gers  unto  Sihon  king  of  the 
Amorites,  saying, 

of  himself  or  his  subjects.  The  occa- 
sion which  suggested  this  measure  we 
recognize  in  the  Lord's  words,  Dent.  2 : 
24,  "  Rise  ye  up,  take  your  journey,  and 
pass  over  the  river  Arnon  :  behold,  I 
have  given  into  thy  hand  Sihon  the 
Amorite,  king  of  Heshbon,  and  his 
land  :  begin  to  possess  it,  and  contend 
with  him  in  battle."  The  result  we 
read  in  what  follows. 

V.  22.  Let  me  pass  tJirougJi,  etc.  Gr. 
"  Let  us  pass  through."  The  singular 
is  often  used  for  the  plural,  where  a 
special  unity  is  implied  in  the  collective 
body.  It  has  occurred  to  some  as  a 
difficulty,  that  Moses  should  have  sent 
such  an  embassy  and  offered  terms  of 
peace,  when  at  the  same  time  the  Israel- 
ites had  been  commanded  to  destroy 
them  and  take  possession  of  their  coun- 
try ;  as  it  seems  altogether  inconsistent 
to  offer  conditions  of  peace  when  war 
has  been  actually  determined  upon.  But 
the  supposed  inconsistency  is  founded 
on  the  presumption  that  the  sole  design 
of  sending  the  messengers  was  to  in- 
duce Sihon  to  grant  the  favor  desired. 
This  presumption,  however,  is  not  well 
sustained,  as  the  Most  High  may  have 
had  other  ends  to  answer  in  directing 
or  secretly  prompting  the  message  to 
be  sent.  On  parallel  grounds  it  might 
be  objected,  that  the  message  to  Pha- 
raoh to  let  Israel  go  was  inconsistent 
with  the  previous  declaration  that  he 
would  not  let  him  go.  In  either  case 
the  event  was  of  course  fully  known  to 
Omniscience,  but  it  was  entirely  proper 
for  Him  to  adopt  a  course  which  would 
more  fully  disclose  the  latent  iniquity 
and  obstinacy  of  the  rebellious  king, 
and  thus  make  the  justice  of  his  pun- 
ishment more  obvious.  The  divine 
wisdom  would  so  order  things  that  all 
occasion  should  be  cut  off  of  remon- 


22  Let  *  me  pass  through  thy 

b  c.  20.  n. 


strance  or  complaint,  importing  that  he 
had  not  been  honorably  or  fairly  dealt 
with.  It  is  to  be  remarked,  moreover, 
that  Sihon  did  not  stand  on  the  same 
footing  with  the  rest  of  the  Canaanites. 
His  territory  was  originally  a  posses- 
sion of  the  Moabites.  Otherwise  this 
embassy  of  peace  would  not  have  been 
sent  to  him.  A  similar  mission  to  the 
Canaanites  on  the  west  side  of  the  Jor- 
dan, would  have  been  a  practical  denial 
of  the  divine  promises.  There  such 
language  as,  "7/"  thou  wilt  let  me  pass, 
then  I  will  do  thee  no  harm,"  would 
have  been  totally  out  of  place,  because 
the  relation  of  that  people  to  the  pur- 
poses of  heaven  was  altogether  ditiier- 
ent.  In  the  present  case,  all  excuse 
was  to  be  taken  away  from  one  who 
could  voluntarily  provoke  to  war  a 
people  that  declared  themselves  willing 
to  be  at  peace  with  him.  We  therefore 
rest  in  the  language  of  holy  writ  re- 
specting this  event,  Deut.  2  :  30,  "  But 
Sihon,  king  of  Heshbon,  would  not  let 
us  pass  by  him,  for  the  Lord  thy  God 
hardened  his  spirit,  and  he  made  his 
heart  obstinate,  that  he  might  deliver 
him  into  thy  hand."  The  way  is  open- 
ed for  him  by  which,  if  so  disposed,  he 
can  escape  his  fate.  His  deliverance  is 
placed  in  his  own  hands,  and  if  he  will 
fling  it  away  and  blindly  rush  upon  de- 
struction, the  consequences  are  his  own. 
The  Lord  hardens  only  by  his  permis- 
sive providence,  never  by  any  positive 
act.  In  the  allusion  to  this  incident, 
Judg.  11 :  19,  we  read  that  "  Israel  said 
unto  him,  Let  us  pass,  we  pray  thee, 
through  thy  land  unto  my  place."  We 
know  too  little  of  the  geography  of  the 
region  to  judge  of  what  they  would 
have  gained  by  passing  through  the 
territory  of  the  Amorites,  or  what 
would  have  been  their  precise  route  in 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


327 


land :  we  will  not  turn  into  the 
fields,  or  into  the  vineyards ;  we 
will  not  drink  of  the  waters  of 
the  well :  hut  we  will  go  along 
by  the  king's  high-^aij^  until 
we  be  past  thy  borders. 

23  And  Sihon  would  not  suf- 
fer Israel  to   pass  through  his 

so  doing,  but  it  would  seem  that  their 
aim  was  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  con- 
tinuing so  far  to  the  east  and  the  north 
before  turning  westward  to  the  fords 

of  the  Jordan. T[  We  will  not  drink 

{of)  the  waters  of  the  well.  Gr.  ''  Of 
thy  well ; "  that  is,  of  any  of  thy  wells ; 
collective  singular  for  plural,  as  in  mul- 
titudes of  other  instances.    Of  course 

no  particular  well  is  intended. %  By 

the  king^s  {high)  way.  See  Note  on  ch. 
20 :  17.  It  is  literally  "  the  king's  way," 
there  being  nothing  in  the  original  to 
answer  to  the  epithet  "  high."  It  un- 
doubtedly denotes  the  most  open  and 
public  thoroughfare.  The  parallel  pas- 
sage, Deut.  2  :  27,  is  worded  somewhat 
differently;  "I  will  go  along  by  the 
way,  by  the  way,"  i.  e.  I  will  keep  con- 
stantly in  the  way  without  turning  aside 
from  it. 

V.  23.  And  Sihon  would  not  suffer 
Israel  to  pass  through  his  border.  Heb. 
"Sihon  gave  not  (granted  not)  Israel 
to  pass  through,"  etc.  The  reason  of 
this  refusal  is  more  explicitly  stated 
in  the  recital  of  the  circumstances  by 
Jephthah,  Judg.  11 :  19,  20,  "  And  Israel 
sent  messengers  unto  Sihon  king  of  the 
Amorites,  the  king  of  Heshbon;  and 
Israel  said  unto  him,  Let  us  pass,  we 
pray  thee,  through  thy  land  unto  my 
place.  But  Sihon  trusted  not  Israel  to 
pass  through  his  coast :  but  Sihon  gath- 
ered all  his  people  together,  and  pitched 
in  Jahaz,  and  fought  against  Israel." 
From  this  it  appears  that  he  was  actu- 
ated by  distrust,  being  ready,  no  doubt. 


border ;  but "  Sihon  gathered 
all  his  people  together,  and 
went  out  against  Israel  into 
the  wilderness  :  and  he  came 
to  Jahaz,  and  fought  against 
Israel. 

24  And  '^  Israel   smote    him 

c  Deut.  29.  7.  d  Josh.  12.  1,  2.     24.  8. 

to  impute  to  others  the  motives  by  which 
he  was  conscious  he  wovdd  himself  be 
governed  in  the  same  circumstances. 
Men  that  know  themselves  to  be  un- 
worthy of  confidence  are  usually  the 

first  to   withhold  it  from  others. 

^  Gathered  all  his  people  together,  and 
went  out  against  Israel.  This  haughty 
prince  contented  not  himself  with  a  bare 
denial  of  the  request  of  Israel.  Worse 
than  the  Edomites  on  a  former  occasion, 
he  not  only  refused  them  passage,  but 
mustered  his  forces  and,  passing  out  of 
his  own  border,  he  went  forth  into  the 
wilderness  to  attack  the  advancing  host. 
As  this  was  done  without  the  least  pro- 
vocation on  the  part  of  Israel,  he  could 
not  but  encounter  his  own  ruin  in  thus 
assaulting  them.  He  little  thought  of 
the  power  he  was  contending  with  in 
this  rash  onset.  "The  enemies  of 
God's  church  are  often  infatuated  in 
those  very  counsels  which  they  think 
most  wisely  taken." — Henry. 

V.  24.  Israel  smote  him  with  the  edge 
of  the  sword.  The  most  important 
practical  inference  to  be  drawn  from 
this  is  suggested  by  the  parallel  pas- 
sage in  Judg.  11:21,  "And  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel  delivered  Sihon  and  all 
his  people  into  the  hand  of  Israel,  and 
they  smote  them :  so  Israel  possessed 
all  the  land  of  the  Amorites,  the  inhab- 
itants of  that  country."  So  also  Deut. 
2 :  32,  33,  "  Then  Sihon  came  out  against 
us,  he  and  all  his  people,  to  fight  at 
Jahaz.  And  the  Lord  our  God  deliver- 
ed him  before  us ;  and  we  smote  him. 


828 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and 
possessed  his  land  from  Arnon 
unto    Jabbok,   even    unto    the 

and  his  sons,  and  all  his  people."  This 
ascribes  the  glory  of  the  victory  to  the 
proper  source.  As  it  was  the  Most 
High  who,  to  punish  these  guilty  na- 
tions, ordered  Israel  to  destroy  them, 
so  it  was  Ms  power,  and  not  their  own, 
that  obtained  for  them  the  victory.  And 
in  like  manner,  both  in  the  Psalms  and 
the  Prophets,  all  occasion  for  Israel's 
glorying  in  his  own  prowess,  is  cut  off. 
Ps.  135  :  10,  11,  "  Who  smote  great  na- 
tions and  slew  mighty  kings;  Sihon 
king  of  the  Amorites,  and  Og  king  of 
Bashan,  and  all  the  kingdoms  of  Ca- 
naan." Comp.  136  :  17-21.  So  also 
Amos  2:9,  "  Yet  destroyed  I  the  Amor- 
ite  before  them,  whose  height  was  like 
the  height  of  the  cedars,  and  he  was 
strong  as  the  oaks ;  yet  I  destroyed  his 
fruit  from  above,  and  his  roots  from  be- 
neath." It  was  now  that  those  judicial 
exterminating  wars  commenced  which 
were  undertaken  by  the  Israelites  at  the 
express  command  of  God,  and  which 
they  were  to  continue  to  wage,  until 
all  the  guilty  nations  of  Canaan  were 
cut  oflF.  As  they  approached  the  Jor- 
dan, their  conflicts  with  their  enemies 
became  more  severe  and  their  victo- 
ries more  signal.  So  the  Christian,  as 
he  nears  the  Jordan  of  death,  is  often 
called  to  record  a  similar  experience. 
As  his  spiritual  enemies  then  redouble 
their  assaults  upon  him,  greater  con- 
quests are  vouchsafed  him.  That  he 
may  be  the  better  prepared  for  heaven, 
faith  grows  stronger,  hope  becomes 
brighter,  love  increases  in  ardor,  and 
therefore  Satan  is  more  effectually  trod- 
den under  foot.  Thus  the  Christian 
goes  on  conquering  and  to  conquer,  till 
at  length  his  last  enemy,  death,  is  van- 
quished, and  he  stands  on  Zion  waving 
the  palm-branch  of  victory. ^  Pos- 


children  of  Ammon  :  for  the 
border  of  the  children  of  Am- 
mon was  strong. 

sessed  his  land  from,  Arnon  unto  Jabhoh. 
The  Amorites  formed  one  of  the  de- 
voted nations  whose  land  God  had 
promised  to  Abraham  and  his  seed,  ■ 
which  promise  was  to  be  fulfilled  when 
"the  iniquity  of  the  Amorites  should 
come  to  the  full,"  Gen.  15  :  16.  This 
time  had  now  arrived,  and  the  victory 
which  the  Israelites  were  enabled  to 
achieve  over  them  put  them  in  posses- 
sion of  their  lands,  while  the  virtue  of 
the  divine  promise,  made  ages  before, 
enabled  them  to  keep  possession.  This 
conquest  is  therefore  justified  against 
the  Amorites,  who  had  also  been  the 
aggressors  and  provoked  the  war,  so 
that  by  the  laws  of  nations  they  were 
justly  deprived  of  their  territory.  The 
Jabbok  is  one  of  the  streams  which 
traverse  the  country  east  of  the  Jor- 
dan, and  which,  after  a  nearly  westerly 
course,  falls  into  that  river  about  thirty 
miles  below  the  Lake  of  Tiberias.  It 
is  mentioned  in  Scripture  as  the  bound- 
ary between  the  kingdom  of  Sihon  and 
that  of  Og  king  of  Bashan ;  and  it  ap- 
pears subsequently  to  have  formed  the 
boundary  between  the  tribe  of  Reuben 

and   the  half  tribe   of  Manasseh. 

T[  For  the  border  of  the  children  of  Am- 
mon teas  strong.  It  is  not  clear  whether 
this  is  stated  as  a  reason  of  the  Israel- 
ites' not  pushing  on  their  conquests  fiir- 
ther  into  the  country  of  the  Ammonites, 
or  as  a  reason  why  Sihon  had  not  gain- 
ed vipon  the  country  of  the  Ammonites 
as  he  had  upon  that  of  the  Moabites. 
Owing  to  the  defences  furnished  by  the 
river,  or  by  the  strongholds  and  fast- 
nesses of  the  mountains,  the  borders  of 
the  Ammonitish  territory  were  practi- 
cally inaccessible.  This  seems  on  the 
whole  the  most  probable  construction, 
as  the  Israelites  were  expressly  forbid- 


B.  C.  1452.J 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


329 


25  And  Israel  took  all  these 
cities :  and  Israel  dwelt  in  all 
the  cities  of  the  Amorites,  in 
Heshbon,  and  in  all  the  villages 
thereof. 

den,  Deut.  3  :  8,  to  meddle  with  the  Am- 
monites. In  respect  to  this  latter  peo- 
ple we  may  remark,  that  the  boundaries 
between  them  and  the  iloabites  appear 
never  to  have  been  well  defined  or  dis- 
tinctly preserved.  Moab  was  east  of 
the  Dead  Sea ;  and  Ammon  north  of 
Moab  and  east  of  the  lower  part  of  Jor- 
dan. But  cities  about  Heshbon  and 
eastward  from  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan 
are  sometimes  enumerated  among  the 
cities  of  Moab ;  at  others  as  belonging 
to  Ammon. 

Y.  25.  A?id  Israel  took  all  tJiese  cities. 
How  complete  was  the  conquest  on  this 
occasion  we  learn  from  the  parallel  re- 
cital, Deut.  2  :  32-35,  "  Then  Sihon  came 
out  against  us,  he  and  all  his  people,  to 
fight  at  Jahaz.  And  the  Lord  our  God 
delivered  him  before  us ;  and  we  smote 
him,  and  his  sons,  and  all  his  people. 
And  we  took  all  his  cities  at  that  time, 
and  utterly  destroyed  the  men,  and  the 
women,  and  the  little  ones,  of  every 
city ;  we  left  none  to  remain  :  only  the 
cattle  we  took  for  a  prey  unto  ourselves, 
and  the  spoil  of  the  cities  which  we 

took." ^   And  in  all  the    villages 

thereof.  Heb.  "In  all  the  daughters 
thereof."  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  usage  which  terms  chief  cities  moth- 
ers ;  the  adjacent  towns  and  villages 
would  then  naturally  receive  the  de- 
nomination of  daughters.  2  Sam.  20  : 
19,  "  Thou  seekest  to  destroy  a  city  and 
a  mother  in  Israel,"  where  the  Gr.  ren- 
ders, "  Thou  seekest  to  destroy  a  city 
and  a  mother-city  (metropolis)  in  Is- 
rael." Comp.  Ezek.  16  :  4A^bZ.  The 
villages  (daughters)  here  spoken  of  are 
alluded  to  Deut.  3  :  5,  under  the  appel- 
lation of  "unwalled  towns."    Israel's 


26  For  Heshbon  *  ivas  the  city 
of  Sihon  the  king  of  the  Amor- 
ites, "who  had  fought  against  the 
former  king  of  Moab,  and  taken 


e  C'Hnt.  7.4.  Is.  15.4. 


dwelling  in  these  cities  and  towns  show- 
ed that  they  had  not  devoted  them  to 
destruction  by  anathema,  as  in  that 
case  they  would  not  have  been  at  lib- 
erty to  occupy  them. 

V.  26.  For  Heshhon  {teas)  the  city  of 
Sihon,  etc.  Sihon,  after  wresting  this 
part  of  their  country  from  the  hands  of 
the  Moabites,  had  made  Heshbon  the 
seat  of  his  kingdom.  This  place  was 
situated  in  the  southern  district  of  the 
Israelitish  territory  beyond  the  Jordan, 
parallel  with,  and  twenty-one  miles  east 
of,  the  point  where  the  Jordan  enters 
the  Dead  Sea,  and  nearly  midway  be- 
tween the  rivers  Jabbok  and  Arnon. 
It  originally  belonged  to  the  Moabites  ; 
but  when  the  Israelites  searched  this 
region,  it  was  found  to  be  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Amorites,  from  whom  it  was 
taken  by  Moses,  and  became  eventually 
a  Levitical  city  in  the  tribe  of  Reuben  ; 
but  being  on  the  confines  of  Gad,  is 
sometimes  assigned  to  the  latter  tribe. 
At  the  present  day  it  is  known  by  its 
ancient  name  of  Heshbon,  in  the  slight- 
ly modified  form  of  Eesbun.  The  ruins 
of  a  considerable  town  still  exist,  cov- 
ering the  sides  of  an  insulated  hill,  but 
not  a  single  edifice  is  left  entire.  It 
was  formerly  noted  for  its  pools  of 
water.  Cant.  7 :  4,  but  no  remains  of 
these  of  any  consequence  are  now  to  be 

seen. T[  Who  had  fought  against  tha 

former  Icing  of  Moab,  and  taken  all  his 
land  out  of  his  hand,  even  unto  Arnon. 
It  is  not  to  be  inferred  with  any  cer- 
tainty that  the  Sihon  whom  the  Israel- 
ites now  vanquished  was  the  same  with 
him  who  had  dispossessed  the  Moab- 
ites. It  was  probably  some  one  of  his 
ancestors  called  by  the  same    name. 


830 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


all  his  land  out  of  his  hand,  even 
unto  Arnon. 

27  Wherefore  they  that  speak 
in  proverbs-' saj,Come  into  Hesh- 


/  Ilab.  2.  6. 


This  is  confirmed  by  the  Gr.,  which  ren- 
ders, "  that  heretofore,  or  formerly,  was 
king  of  Moab."  It  was  usual  in  the 
East  for  royal  titles  to  be  perpetuated, 
as  Abimelech  in  Palestine,  Pharaoh  in 
Egypt,  etc.  The  design  of  alluding  in 
this  connection  to  the  incidents  men- 
tioned is  to  vindicate  the  seizure  re- 
corded against  any  claims  that  might 
be  urged  on  the  part  of  the  Moabites, 
who  had  formerly  been  the  proprietors 
of  the  country.  Moses  here  furnishes 
the  ground  of  the  plea  which  was  made 
by  Jephthah  260  years  afterwards,  when 
Israel's  title  was  questioned,  Judg.  11 : 
23,  24.  The  position  assumed  is,  that 
Israel  did  not  take  it  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  Moabites,  who  had  previously 
lost  it  to  the  Amorites;  and  having 
taken  it  from  the  Amorites  they  were 
under  no  obligation  to  restore  it  to  the 
Moabites,  whose  title  was  long  since  ex- 
tinguished. Without,  therefore,  trans- 
gressing the  divine  command  relative 
to  distressing  or  disturbing  Moab,  they 
had  still  come  in  possession  of  what 
was  once  his  territory. 

V.  27.  Wherefore  they  that  speak  in 
proverbs,  say,  etc.  Heb.  hammoshelim, 
parabolists,  or  those  who  deal  in  para- 
bles. Gr.  **  Enigmatists,  or  those  who 
deal  in  riddles."  The  original  term  is 
applied  occasionally  to  the  Hebrew 
prophets,  who  delivered  their  messages 
in  a  parabolical  style,  as  Ezek.  17  : 2. 
20 :  49,  but  doubtless  denotes  in  this 
connection  those  bards  or  rhapsodists 
who  delivered  historical  events  to  pos- 
terity in  a  poetical  style,  with  the  adorn- 
ments of  figure  and  allegory.  This  was 
the  more  frequent  form  of  national  an- 
nals in  the  early  ages  of  the  world,  and 


bon,  let  the  city  of  Sihon  be  built 
and  prepared  : 

28  For  ^  there  is  a  fire  gone 
out  of  Heshbon,  a  flame  from 


g  Jer.  4S.  45,  46. 


the  probability  is,  that  the  present  is 
a  quotation  from  some  Amorite  war- 
poem,  originally  written  to  celebrate 
their  victory  over  the  Moabites.  These 
poems,  becoming  familiar  in  the  lips  of 
the  people,  would  in  process  of  time  be 
quoted  like  proverbs  or  common  say- 
ings, for  which  the  appropriate  Heb. 
term  is  meshallim,  from  mdshal,  to  utter 
a  comparison  or  proverb,  to  speak  in 

parables. T[  Come  into  Heshbon.  This 

is  doubtless  to  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of 
summons  or  appeal  by  which  the  victo- 
rious Amorites  would  encourage  one 
another  to  flock  to  and  repair  the  cap- 
tive and  ruined  city  of  Heshbon,  and 
make  it  the  seat  of  their  own  princes. 
•  V.  28.  For  there  is  a  fire  gone  out  of 
Heshbon,  etc.  The  strain  commenced 
in  the  preceding  verse  is  here  contin- 
ued. The  tide  of  victory  which  had  set 
in  from  the  centre  and  mother  city 
would  soon  spread  and  overrun  the 
whole  extent  of  the  Moabitish  territory. 
The  "fire"  and  "flame"  here  spoken 
of  denote  the  ravages  of  war.  See  Is. 
47  :  14.  Dan.  11 :  33.  Amos  1 :  7,  10,  12, 
14.  Obad.  1:18.  Ps.  78:63.  Chald. 
"  A  strong  east  wind  like  fire,  and  war- 
riors like  a  flame."  Jerus.  Targ.  "  A 
people  strong  and  burning  like  fire,  and 

warriors  like  a  flame  of  fire." T[  Fro7n 

the  city  of  Sihon.  That  is,  from  the 
city  which  had  now  become  Sihon's. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  in  the  pre- 
dictions of  Jeremiah  against  Moab,  the 
language  of  the  prophet  bears  a  close 
analogy  to  that  of  the  canticle  here 
quoted.  Jer.  48  :  45,  46,  "  They  that 
fled  stood  under  the  shadow  of  Hesh- 
bon because  of  the  force :  but  a  fire 
shall  come  forth  out  of  Heshbon,  and  a 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


331 


the  city  of  Sihon  :  it  hath  con- 
sumed Ar  ^  of  Moab,  and  the 
lords  of  the  high  places  of  Ar- 
non. 

29    Woe    to    thee,     Moab  ! 
thou  art  undone,   0  people  of 

A  Deut.  2.  9,  18.  Ib.  15.  1,  2. 


flame  from  the  midst  of  Sihon,  and  shall 
devour  the  corner  of  Moab,  and  the 
crown  of  the  head  of  the  tumultuous 
ones.  Wo  be  unto  thee,  0  Moab !  the 
people  of  Chemosh  perisheth  :  for  thy 
sons  are  taken  captives,  and  thy  daugh- 
ters captives." ^  Hath  consumed  Ar 

of  Moab.  Heb.  "Hath  eaten  up  or  de- 
voured." That  is,  the  war  hath  de- 
stroyed the  people,  the  inhabitants,  of 
Ar,  rather  than  the  city  itself,  for  the 
city  remained  still  at  a  much  later  peri- 
od the  possession  of  the  Moabites,  Deut. 
2  :  9,  18,  29.  Jer.  15  : 1.  Jeremiah,  in- 
stead of  "  Ar  of  Moab,"  has  "  the  corner 
of  Moab,"  which  may  be  equivalent  to 
chief  place,  or  principal  dignity  of 
Moab,  as  the  corner  of  a  room,  accord- 
ing to  oriental  ideas  and  usages,  is  the 
most  honorable  position,  and  occupied 

by  great  personages. Tf  Lords  of  the 

high  places  of  Arnon.  Or,  Heb.  "  Mas- 
ters (patrons)  of  the  high  places." 
Chald.  "The  Chemarims  (or  priests) 
which  served  in  the  God's-house  (or 
temple)  of  the  high  place  of  Arnon." 
Gr.  "  The  pillars  of  Arnon." 

V.  29.  0 people  of  Chemosh.  Chald. 
"  0  people  that  serve  Chemosh."  Che- 
mosh was  the  idol-god,  or  "  abomina- 
tion" (1  Kings  11 :  7)  of  the  Moabites, 
considered  to  be  the  same  as  Baal- 
Peor,  and  thus  referred  to  by  Milton : 

"  Next  Chemosh,  th'  obscene  dread  of  Moab's 

sons, 
Peor  his  other  name,  when  he  enticed 
Israel  in  Sittim,  on  their  march  from  Nile, 
To  do  him  wanton  rites,  which  cost  them 

woe." 


Chemosh  ' :  he  hath  given  his 
sons  that  escaped,  and  his  daugh- 
ters, into  captivity  unto  Sihon 
king  of  the  Amorites. 

30  We  have  shot  at  them  : 
Heshbon  is  perished  even  unto 

t  Judg.  11.  24.     2K.  23.  13. 


His  worshippers  are  here  exulted  over 
as  having  been  betrayed  or  abandoned 
by  their  deity,  who  had  shown  himself 
incapable  of  protecting  his  sons  or  his 
daughters,  i.  e.,  his  most  devoted  wor- 
shippers, against  the  conquering  arms 
of  their  enemies.  The  following  paral- 
lel allusions  may  be  cited  in  this  con- 
nection, Jer.  48  :  13,  "  Moab  shall  be 
ashamed  of  Chemosh,  as  the  house  of 
Israel  was  ashamed  of  Beth-el  their 
confidence."  Is.  16  :  12,  "  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  when  it  is  seen  that  Moab 
is  weary  on  the  high  place,  that  he  shall 
come  to  his  sanctuary  to  pray ;  but  he 
shall  not  prevail."  So  Jephthah,  speak- 
ing in  the  language  of  idolaters,  who 
make  their  gods  dispensers  of  good  and 
evil  to  their  votaries,  says,  Judg.  li  : 
24,  "  Will  not  thou  possess  that  which 
Chemosh  thy  god  giveth  thee  to  pos- 
sess ?" 

V.  30.  We  have  shot  at  them.  Heb. 
vanniram  abad  Heshboon  ad  Dihon,  of 
which  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  deter- 
mine the  true  sense.  The  radical  word 
nir,  a  light,  or  lamp,  seems  to  be  in- 
voked in  vanniivim,  which  would  in  that 
case  bring  out  the  rendering  preferred 
by  Ainsworth,  Horsley,  and  others,  viz., 
"  their  light  (or  lamp)  has  perished  (or 
been  taken  away)  from  Heshbon  unto 
Dibon,"  that  is,  from  one  extremity  of 
the  land  to  another.  By  lamp,  in  this 
connection,  the  old  versionists  under- 
stand seed,  heir,  succession,  intimating 
that  the  line  of  rulers  is  entirely  cut  off. 
This  would  seem  to  be  confirmed  by  the 
language  of  the  Lord  through  Abijah, 


832 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


Dibon  ^,  and  we  have  laid  thein 
waste  even  unto  Nophah,  which 
reacheth  even  unto  Medeba. 


k  Jer.  48.  18,  22. 


1  Kings  11  :  36,  "  And  unto  his  son 
will  I  give  one  tribe,  that  David  my 
servant  may  have  a  light  always  before 
me  in  Jerusalem,  the  city  which  I  have 
chosen  me  to  put  my  name  there."  So 
also,  1  Kings  15  :  4,  "  Nevertheless,  for 
David's  sake  did  the  Lord  his  God  give 
him  a  lamp  in  Jerusalem,  to  set  up  his 
son  after  him,  and  to  establish  Jerusa- 
lem." As  this  strikes  us  as  on  the 
whole  the  most  probable  construction, 
we  waive  the  recital  of  any  others, 
which  may  be  found  in  abundance  in 

RosenmuUer. H  Unto  Dibon.     This 

name,  it  appears,  is  still  preserved  in  a 
ruined  town  called  Diban,  about  three 
miles  north  of  the  Arnon.  This,  with 
other  towns  of  this  district,  was  origin- 
ally assigned  to  the  tribe  of  Gad  (ch. 
S2  :  3,  33,  34),  but  it  is  afterwards 
found  in  the    possession  of  Reuben. 

T[  Unto  Medeba.     "This  name  is 

preserved  in  that  of  '  Madeba,'  applied 
to  a  large  ruined  town  about  six  miles 
south-east  from  Heshbon.  In  Is.  15  :  2, 
its  name  is  connected  with  Mount  Nebo  : 
'  Moab  shall  howl  over  Nebo  and  over 
Medeba.'  By  which  we  are  probably 
to  understand  that  this  was,  in  the  time 
of  the  prophet,  the  principal  town  of 
this  rich  district.  '  Madeba '  was  built 
upon  a  round  hill,  and  is  now  most 
completely  ruined.  There  are  many 
remains  of  the  walls  of  private  houses, 
constructed  with  blocks  of  silex ;  but 
not  a  single  edifice  is  standing.  On  the 
west  side  of  the  town  may  be  seen  the 
remains  of  a  temple,  built  with  large 
stones,  and  apparently  of  great  an- 
tiquity. A  part  of  its  eastern  wall  re- 
mains ;  and  at  the  entrance  to  one  of 
the  courts  stand  two  Doric  columns, 


31  Thus  Israel  dwelt  in  the 
land  of  the  Amorites. 

32  And  Moses  sent  to  spy 


which  have  the  peculiarity  of  being 
thicker  in  the  centre  than  at  either  ex- 
tremity :  a  circumstance  which  Burck- 
hardt,  to  whom  Scripture  geography 
owes  the  discovery  of  this  site,  never 
elsewhere  observed  in  Syria.  There  is 
no  spring  or  river  near  this  town  ;  but 
the  large  tank  or  reservoir  of  hewn 
stone  still  remains,  which  appears  to 
have  secured  the  inhabitants  a  supply 
of  water."— Picz;.  Bible. 

V.  31.  TJius  Israel  dwelt  in,  the  land 
of  the  Amorites.  Gr.  **  In  all  the  cities 
of  the  Amorites."  This  region  having 
been  formerly  wrested  from  the  Moab- 
ites  by  the  Amorites,  and  having  now 
been  taken  from  the  latter  by  the  Is- 
raelites, they  entered  at  once  upon  the 
occupancy  of  it,  according  to  what  we 
read,  ch.  32  :  33,  34,  etc.,  "  And  Moses 
gave  unto  them,  even  to  the  children 
of  Gad,  and  to  the  children  of  Reuben, 
and  unto  half  the  tribe  of  Manasseh 
the  son  of  Joseph,  the  kingdom  of  Si- 
hon  king  of  the  Amorites,  and  the  king- 
dom of  Og  king  of  Bashan,  the  land, 
with  the  cities  thereof  in  the  coasts, 
even  the  cities  of  the  country  round 
about." 

V.  32.  And  Moses  sent  to  spy  out 
Jaazer.  This  is  supposed  to  be  identi- 
cal with  the  modern  Ssyr,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  Heshbon.  The  region  was 
esteemed  so  excellent  for  pasture- 
ground  that  the  children  of  Reuben 
and  Gad,  who  had  extensive  herds  of 
cattle,  came  to  Moses  with  a  special  re- 
quest that  he  would  allot  it  to  them. 
See  ch.  32  : 1-5.  This  will  account  for 
Jaazer's  being  particularly  specified 
when  it  had  been  said  just  before  in 
general  terms,  that   "Israel  dwelt  in 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


333 


out  ^  Jaazer  ;  and  they  took  the 
villages  thereof,  and  drove  out 
the  Amorites  that  were  there. 


I  c.  3-2.  1. 


tie  land  of  the  Amorites." H  The 

villages  thereof.     Heb.  "  The  daughters 
thereof."    See  Note  on  v.  25. 

Encounter  with  Og,  King  of  Bashan. 
V.  33.  And  they  turned  and  went  up 
hy  the  way  of  Bashan.  We  insert  from 
Kitto  an  interesting  sketch  of  the  re- 
gion thus  denominated.  "  The  beauti- 
ful kingdom  of  Og,  on  the  east  of  Jor- 
dan, extended  from  the  river  Jabbok 
on  the  south  to  Mount  Hermon  on  the 
north.  It  comprehended  three  dis- 
tricts, all  famous  in  the  Bible  for  their 
exuberant  fertility  and  their  general 
excellence.  Of  these  Argob  was  in  the 
north ;  Bashan,  properly  so  called,  in 
the  middle;  and  Grilead  in  the  south. 
Part  of  Gilead,  however,  which  lay 
south  of  the  Jabbok,  was  not  included 
in  the  kingdom  of  Bashan.  But  Argob 
may  seem  to  be  only  a  district  of  Ba- 
shan ;  whence  the  whole  of  Og's  king- 
dom may  be  said  to  consist  of  all  Bashan, 
and  the  greater  part  of  Gilead.  Or,  in- 
deed, it  may  be  that  Bashan  was  the 
general  name  for  the  whole,  and  Argob 
and  Gilead  only  of  particular  districts — 
the  former  a  small  district  in  the  north, 
and  the  latter  a  large  one  in  the  south. 
Parts  of  this  country  have  been  well 
described  by  Mr.  Buckingham.  He 
crossed  the  Jordan  about  ten  miles 
above  Jericho,  and  proceeded  north- 
west to  Jerash ;  consequently,  till  he 
came  to  the  Jabbok  (Zerka),  his  jour- 
ney lay  through  that  part  of  Gilead 
which  was  south  of  that  river,  and 
which  had  belonged  to  the  Amorites. 
After  ascending  two  ranges  of  barren 
hills,  '  we  found  ourselves  on  plains  of 
nearly  as  high  a  level  as  the  summits 
of  the  hills  themselves,  and  certainly 


33    And  '"  they   turned   and 
went  up  by  the  way  of  Bashan  * 


TO  Deut.  3.  1,  etc. 


800  feet  at  least  above  the  level  of  the 
Jordan.  The  character  of  the  country, 
too,  was  quite  different  from  any  thing 
I  had  seen  in  Palestine.  .  .  .  "We  were 
now  in  a  land  of  extraordinary  richness, 
abounding  with  the  most  beautiful  pros- 
pects, clothed  with  thick  forests,  varied 
with  verdant  slopes,  and  possessing  ex- 
tensive plains  of  a  fine  red  soil,  now 
covered  with  thistles,  as  the  best  proof 
of  its  fertility,  and  yielding  in  nothing 
to  the  celebrated  plains  of  Zabulon  and 
Esdraelon,  in  Galilee  and  Samaria.' 
('  Palestine,'  vol.  ii.  p.  104,  8vo.  edit.) 
This  continued  to  be  the  character  of 
Gilead  south  of  the  Jabbok.  After 
passing  that  river,  the  travellers  enter- 
ed that  part  of  Gilead  which  formed  the 
south  portion  of  the  kingdom  of  Ba- 
shan :  "We  ascended  the  steep  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Zerka  (the  Jabbok), 
and  on  reaching  its  summit,  came  again 
on  a  beautiful  plain,  of  an  elevated  level. 
.  .  .  We  continued  our  way  over  this 
elevated  tract,  continuing  to  behold, 
with  surprise  and  admiration,  a  beauti- 
ful country  on  all  sides  of  us ;  its  plains 
covered  with  a  very  fertile  soil,  its  hills 
clothed  with  forests,  at  every  new  turn 
presenting  the  most  magnificent  land- 
scapes that  could  be  imagined.  Among 
the  trees  the  oak  was  frequently  seen, 
and  we  know  that  this  territory  pro- 
duced them  of  old."  (Is.  2 :  13,  Ezek. 
27  :  6.  Zech.  11 :  2.)  .  .  .  "  Some  learned 
commentators,  indeed,  believing  that 
no  oaks  grew  in  this  supposed  desert 
region,  have  translated  the  word  by 
alders,  to  prevent  the  appearance  of  in- 
accuracy in  the  inspired  writers.  The 
expression  of  the  fat  bulls  of  Bashan, 
which  occurs  more  than  once  in  the 
Scriptures,  seemed  to  us  equally  iucon- 


834 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


and  Og  tne  king  of  Bashan 
went  out  against  them,  he  and 

sistent,  as  applied  to  a  country  gener- 
ally thought  to  be  a  desert,  in  common 
with  the  whole  tract  that  is  laid  down 
in  our  modern  maps  as  such,  between 
the  Jordan  and  the  Euphrates ;  but  we 
could  now  fully  comprehend  not  only 
that  the  bulls  of  this  luxuriant  country 
might  be  proverbially  fat,  but  that  its 
possessors,  too,  might  be  a  race  re- 
nowned for  strength  and  comeliness 
of  person."  ('Travels,'  vol.  i.  p.  113- 
14.)  Continuing  the  journey  in  a  north- 
westerly direction — "  The  general  face 
of  this  region  improved  as  we  advanced 
farther  in  it,  and  every  new  direction 
of  our  path  opened  upon  us  views  which 
charmed  us  by  their  grandeur  and  their 
beauty.  Lofty  mountains  gave  an  out- 
line of  most  magnificent  character; 
flowing  beds  of  secondary  hills  softened 
the  romantic  wildness  of  the  picture ; 
gentle  slopes,  clothed  with  wood,  gave 
a  rich  variety  of  tints,  hardly  to  be  imi- 
tated by  the  pencil ;  deep  valleys,  filled 
with  murmuring  streams  and  verdant 
meadows,  offered  all  the  luxuriance  of 
cultivation  ;  and  herds  and  flocks  gave 
life  and  animation  to  scenes  as  grand, 
as  beautiful,  and  as  highly  picturesque, 
as  the  taste  or  genius  of  a  Claude  could 
either  invent  or  desire."  (Vol.  i.  p. 
117-18.)  The  travellers  returned  from 
Jerash  to  the  Jordan  by  a  more  north- 
erly route.  In  the  first  part  of  the 
journey,  the  beautiful  wooded  scenery 
of  the  south  was  still  continued.  Mr. 
Buckingham  says:  "Mr.  Bankes,  who 
had  seen  the  whole  of  England,  the 
greater  part  of  Italy  and  France,  and 
almost  every  province  of  Spain  and 
Portugal,  frequently  remarked  that,  in 
all  his  travels,  he  had  met  with  nothing 
equal  to  it,  excepting  only  in  some 
parts  of  the  latter  country,  Entre  Minho 
and  Duoro,  to  which  he  could  alone 


all  his  people  to  the  battle  of 
Edrei. 

compare  it.  It  is  certain  that  we  were 
perpetually  exclaiming,  '  How  rich  ! ' 
*  How  picturesque ! '  *  How  magnifi- 
cent ! '  '  How  beautiful ! '  and  that  we 
both  conceived  the  scenery  around  to 
be  quite  worth  all  the  hazard  and 
privation  of  a  journey  to  the  eastward 
of  Jordan."  It  is  true  that,  in  prose- 
cuting their  route  to  the  Jordan,  the 
travellers  met  with  much  austere  and 
barren  land ;  but  that  the  general  char- 
acter of  the  northern  part  of  Og's  king- 
dom coincides  in  a  great  degree  with 
this  account  of  the  southern  portion, 
we  can  gather  even  from  the  brief  and 
inanimate  indications  of  Burckhardt, 
who  traversed  the  more  northern  parts 
of  Bashan  and  Argob,  and  speaks  fre- 
quently of  desert  fields  covered  with 
the  richest  pasturage,  and  than  which 
artificial  meadows  could  not  be  finer ; 
and  describes  the  soil,  where  cultivated, 
as  affording  the  richest  crops  of  wheat 
and  barley.  Upon  the  whole,  the  re- 
gions of  Bashan  and  of  Gilead,  even 
now,  after  ages  of  neglect  and  desola- 
tion, bear  witness  to  the  accuracy  of 
the  frequent  allusions  to  their  fertility 
and  beauty,  which  occur  in  the  Sacred 
books.  For  the  knowledge  of  this  we 
are  entirely  indebted  to  modern  re- 
search, as  the  region  beyond  Jordan 
has  only  ceased  to  be  an  unknown  land 
within    the    present    century." — Fict. 

Bible. II  And  Og  the  king  of  Bashan 

went  oxit  against  them.  It  would  nat- 
urally have  been  supposed  that  the-fate 
of  the  neighboring  kings  of  Edom  and 
the  Amorites  would  have  operated  as  a 
warning  to  this  proud  potentate,  but  it 
seems  to  have  been  lost  upon  him,  and 
he  accordingly  courts  his  own  destruc- 
tion by  resisting  the  march  of  Israel. 
A  more  particular  account  is  given  of 
this  passage  in  the  history  in  Deut.  3  : 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


B35 


34  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Fear  him  not  :  for  I  have 
delivered  him  into  thy  hand,  and 
all  his  people,  and  his  land ;  and 
thou  shalt  do  to  him  as  thou 
didst  unto  Sihon  king  of  the 
Amorites,  which  dwelt  at  Hesh- 
bon. 

35  So "  they  smote  him,  and 
his    sons,   and  all    his   people, 

n  Deut.  29.  7.  Josh.  13. 12.  Fa.  135.  m,  11.     136.  20. 

11,  etc.,  from  which  it  appears  that  Og 
was  personallj  a  man  of  gigantic  dimen- 
sions, and  probably  for  that  reason 
prompted  to  rely  much  on  his  individ- 
ual prowess.    But  it  proved  unavailing. 

V.  34.  Fea?'  him  not.  I  have  deliv- 
ered him  into  thy  hand.  So  strong  and 
absolute  is  the  assurance  of  conquest 
that  they  might  consider  it  as  in  effect 
already  achieved.  "  I  have  delivered," 
etc. 

V.  35.  So  they  smote  him,  etc.  The 
contest  ended  as  it  could  no  otherwise 
end  with  those  who  fight  against  the 
Lord.  Had  a  peaceable  passage  been 
allowed  to  Israel,  and  only  the  kind- 
ness due  to  strangers  shown  them, 
these  trans-Jordanic  tribes  would 
doubtless  have  been  exempted  from  the 
slaughter  and  devastations  to  which 
their  obstinacy  subjected  them.  But 
the  measure  of  their  iniquity  was  full, 
and  in  the  infatuation  of  hardened  sin- 
ners they  rushed  headlong  upon  their 
destruction.  The  description  given  in 
the  parallel  history  of  Deuteronomy  of 
this  royal  giant,  and  of  the  fortified 
places  the  people  inhabited,  magnify 
the  conquest  obtained.  "  Threescore 
cities  fenced  with  high  walls,  gates,  and 
bars,  besides  unwalled  towns  a  great 
many."  The  most  impregnable  fort- 
resses, whether  of  nature  or  art,  give 
way  at  once  to  the  breath  of  Omnipo- 
tence.   The  Host  High  makes  men  feel 


until  there  was  none  left  him 
alive :  and  they  possessed  his 
land. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

AND  "  the  children  of  Israel 
set  forward,  and  pitched  in 
the  plains  of  Moab,  on  this  side 
Jordan  hy  Jericho. 


that  all  refuges  fail  them,  and  that  noth- 
ing secures  from  his  stroke,  when  once 
he  goes  forth  to  contend  with  his  ar- 
mies. And  what  are  the  strongholds 
of  sin  and  Satan  when  assailed  by  the 
weapons  of  the  Gospel?  "  Many  high 
places,  fortresses  of  spiritual  wicked- 
ness, have  become  the  conquests  of 
truth.  Many  citadels  in  the  dominion 
of  darkness,  even  principalities  and 
powers,  once  under  the  control  of  the 
god  of  this  world,  have  yielded  to  the 
subduing  sword  of  the  Spirit.  Gigantic 
forms  of  wickedness,  like  the  king  of 
Bashan,  have  lain  breathless  at  the 
feet  of  our  all-conquering  Redeemer."— 
Seaton. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Encampment  in  the  Plains  of  Moab. 
Balaam  sent  for  'by  JBalaJc  to  curse 
the  chosen  People. 

Y.  1.  The  children  of  Israel  set  for- 
ward. Heb.  yissn,  broke  up.  The  sta- 
tion of  the  Israelites  prior  to  the  pres- 
ent removal  is  thus  indicated,  ch.  33 : 
48,  "  And  they  departed  from  the  moun- 
tains of  Abarim,  and  pitched  in  the 
plains  of  Moab,  by  Jordan  near  Jeri- 
cho." Abarim  was  the  name  of  a  chain 
of  mountains  forming  or  belonging  to 
the  mountainous  district  east  of  the 
Dead  Sea  and  the  lower  Jordan.    It 


336 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


presents  many  distinct  masses  and  ele- 
vations, commanding  extensive  views 
of  the  country  west  of  the  river.  From 
one  of  the  highest  of  these,  called  Mount 
Nebo,  Moses  surveyed  the  Promised 
Land  before  he  died.  From  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  names  Abarim,  Nebo, 
and  Pisgah  are  connected,  Deut.  32 :  49. 
34 : 1,  it  would  seem  that  Nebo  was  a 
mountain  of  the  Abarim  chain,  and  that 
Pisgah  was  the  highest  and  most  com- 
manding peak  of  that  mountain.  The 
loftiest  mountain  of  the  neighborhood 
is  Mount  Attarous,  about  ten  miles  north 
of  the  Arnon  ;  and  travellers  have  been 
disposed  to  identify  it  with  Mount  Ne- 
bo. But  Prof.  Robinson  was  unable  to 
fix  upon  any  special  locality  answering 
to  the  description  given  in  the  sacred 
narrative.  As,  however,  he  did  not  cross 
the  Jordan,  his  inability  to  identify  the 
spot  is  not  surprising.  Other  travellers, 
who  may  succeed  in  getting  on  the  pre- 
cise track  of  the  Israelites,  will  be  likely 
to  be  more  fortunate.  But  if  the  par- 
ticular locality  should  never  be  deter- 
mined, it  will  be  of  no  special  conse- 
quence, as  it  is  certain  that  there  are 
several  points  in  the  vicinity  from 
whence  the  venerable  leader  of  Israel 
might  have  surveyed  the  inspiring 
scenery  upon  which  he  was  not  per- 
mitted to  enter.  It  would  seem  that 
the  Israelites,  in  their  conquests  of  the 
country  of  the  Amorites  which  had  for- 
merly belonged  to  the  Moabites,  had 
proceeded  considerably  farther  north 
than  the  parallel  of  the  ford  of  the  Jor- 
dan, and  from  hence  returned  south- 
ward before  bending  their  course  east- 
ward   towards  the  place  where  they 

were  to  cross  that  river. T[  Pltclied  in 

the  plains  of  Moab.  Heb.  hearhoth  Moah, 
in  campestrihus  Moab,  in  the  cJiam- 
paign  country  of  Moab.  This  phrase 
denotes  that  region  of  the  country  of 
Moab  which  bordered  upon  the  Jordan, 
and  is  now  called  El  GJuyr,  of  which 


an  ample  account  will  be  found  in  Rob- 
inson and  other  oriental  travellers.  The 
"  plains  of  Moab  "  are  formed  by  a  nar- 
row strip  of  land  scarcely  six  miles  in 
breadth,  lying  along  the  eastern  bank 
of  the  Jordan,  opposite  to  the  plains  ot 
Jericho.  The  Dead  Sea  lies  to  the  south 
of  it.  Mount  Pisgah  somewhere  on  the 
southeast,  and  the  mountains  on  the 
east ;  and  towards  the  north,  losing  its 
specific  name,  this  plain  continues  as 
"  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,"  even  to  the 
Sea  of  Tiberias.  This  side  formed  part 
of  the  territory  which  had  formerly 
been  taken  by  the  Amorites  from  Moab ; 
but,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  it  still  re- 
tained the  name  of  the  former  posses- 
sors. It  is  probable  the  phrase  was  de- 
signed to  include  more  than  the  mere 
narrow  strip  along  the  course  of  the 
river,  although  how  much  more  it  is 
difficult  to  say.  It  appears  that  there 
are  several  passes  from  the  valley  of 
the  Jordan  to  the  table-lands  of  Moab, 
and  that  when  these  are  attained,  the 
eye  is  refreshed  with  the  view  of  undu- 
lating downs,  clothed  with  rich  grass 
throughout,  and  in  the  northern  parts 
with  magnificent  forests  of  sycamore, 
beech,  terebinth,  ilex,  and  enormous 
fig-trees.  Such  was  the  general  face 
of  the  country  to  which  the  Israelites 
had  now  arrived,  but  the  central  point 
of  their  encampment  was  undoubtedly 
in  the  valley  of  the  Ghor,  termed  the 
arbotJi  Moab,  or  plains  of  Moab.  Here 
they  remained  for  several  months, 
even  till  the  death  of  Moses,  encamp- 
ing ''from  Beth-jesimoth  unto  Abel- 
shittim,"  ch.  33  :  49.  This  station  be- 
came in  fact  the  theatre  of  all  the  events 
recorded  from  this  point  of  the  history 
onwards  to  the  end  of  Deuteronomy  and 
the  beginning  of  Joshua.  These  events 
embraced  the  deliverance  from  the 
curse  of  Balaam ;  the  mustering  for  the 
inheritance  of  Canaan ;  the  victory  over 
the  Midianites;   the  additional  enact- 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


837 


2  And  Balak*,  the  son  of 
Zippor,  saw  all  that  Israel  had 
done  to  the  Amorites. 

6  Jiidg.  11.  -25. 


ment  of  various  divine  ordinances,  espe- 
cially the  repetition  and  enforcement 
of  the  whole  Law,  and  the  renewal  of 
the  covenant  between  God  and  the  peo- 
ple by  the  hand  of  Moses— all  which 
matters  form  the  subject  of  the  remain- 
der of  this  book,  and  of  the  book  of 
Deuteronomy  which  follows.  In  refer- 
ence to  this  series  of  events  the  Lord 
says  unto  their  posterity  by  the  pro- 
phet, Mic.  6:5,  "  0  my  people,  remem- 
ber now  what  Balak  king  of  Moab 
consulted,  and  what  Balaam  the  son  of 
Beor  answered  him  from  Shittim  unto 
Gilgal;  that  ye  may  know  the  right- 
eousness of  the  Lord."  That  is,  re- 
member the  many  gracious  providen- 
tial incidents  that  occurred  between 
Shittim,  where  they  now  were,  and 
Gilgal  where  they  were  circumcised  by 

Joshua,  Josh.  5  :  2-9. ^  On  this  side 

Jordan  {by)  Jericho.  Heb.  meeher, 
ley ar den,  lit.  from  across  to  the  Jordan, 
an  expression  variously  interpreted, 
but  implying  in  general  at  the  passage 
of  the  Jordan.  It  is  to  be  rendered  on 
this  side  or  on  that  side,  according  to 
the  position  of  the  speaker.  Here  the 
general  consent  of  interpreters  renders 
it  on  this  side,  from  which  the  inference 
is  fairly  drawn,  that  the  author  of  the 
book,  at  the  time  of  writing,  was  on  the 
east  of  the  Jordan,  which  is  virtually 
the  same  as  saying  that  it  was  written 
by  Moses,  prior  to  the  entrance  of  the 
Israelites  into  Canaan. 

V.  2.  And  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor 
saw  all  that  Israel  had  done  to  the  Amor- 
ites. That  is,  considered,  pondered, 
viewed  in  its  consequences.  The  gen- 
uine force  of  the  original  does  not  re- 
quire that  he  should  have  been  an  eye- 
witness of  all  that  Israel  had  done  to 

15 


3  And  '  Moab  was  sore  afraid 
of  the  people,  because  they  ivere 
many :   and  Moab  was  distress- 


F.x.  15.  15.    Deut.  2.  25. 


the  Amorites,  though  he  may  have 
been.  But  if  he  were,  he  looked  upon 
it  with  an  evil  eye,  and  could  not  ap- 
propriate to  himself  the  words  of  the 
wise  man,  Prov.  24 :  32,  "  Then  I  saw 
and  considered  it  well :  I  looked  upon 
it,  and  received  instruction." 

V.  3.  Moab  was  sore  afraid  of  the 
people  because  they  {were)  many.     The 
trepidation  of  Moab  on  this  occasion 
was  in  truth  groundless,  for  Israel  had 
received  express  orders  not  to  molest 
that  people  on  their  way,  Deut.  2 :  9. 
But  there  was  evidently  a  secret  hos- 
tility in  the  mind  of  Balak,  which  was 
doubtless    shared    in    by  his    people, 
prompting  him  to  oppose  their  farther 
progress.     But,  in  order  to  justify  his 
course,  he  must  adduce  to  himself  some 
plausible  ground  for  the  contemplated 
opposition,  and  this  he  does  on  the  plea 
that  they  are  undoubtedly   intending 
evil   against  him.     "Thus   it  is   com- 
mon," says  Henry,  "  for  those  that  de- 
sign mischief,  to  pretend  that  mischief 
is   designed   against  them ;  and   their 
groundless  jealousies  must  be  the  color 
of  their  causeless  malice.     They  hear 
of   the    triumphs    of   Israel   over  the 
Amorites,  and  think  their  own  house  is 
in  danger  when  their  neighbor's  is  on 
fire."      Notwithstanding    that    in    de- 
stroying the  Amorites  they  had  done 
the  Moabites  a  service,  for  they  had  re- 
leased them  from  the  yoke  of  their  op- 
pressors, yet,  being  smitten    with    a 
kind  of  panic  terror,  and  cherishing  an 
innate  aversion  to  the  favored  people, 
they  persuade  themselves  that  a  nation 
so  numerous  and  mighty,  which  had 
already  conquered  two  powerful  kings, 
would  not  scruple  to  push  on  their  ad- 
vantages, and,  if  possible,  vanquish  all 


838 


NUMBERS. 


[U.  C.  1452. 


ed  because  of  the  children  of 
Israel. 

4  And  Moab  said  unto  the 

before  them.  This,  however,  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  "the  prophecy  which 
went  before  upon  them,"  Ex.  15  :  15, 
"Then  the  dukes  of  Edom  shall  be 
amazed,  the  mighty  men  of  Moab, 
trembling  shall  take  hold  upon  them." 
Thus  it  is  said  also  of  the  beginning  of 
their  victories,  Deut.  2  :  25,  "  This  day 
will  I  begin  to  put  the  dread  of  thee, 
and  the  fear  of  thee,  upon  the  nations, 
that  are  under  the  whole  heaven,  who 
shall  hear  report  of  thee,  and  shall 
tremble,  and  be  in  anguish  because  of 

thee." 1[  Moab  was  distressed  because 

of  the  children  of  Israel.  Heb.  ydkdtz, 
implying  both  the  idea  of  chagrin  and 
abhorrence.  They  were  prompted  by  a 
peculiar  kind  of  loathing  towards  the 
Israelites,  as  were  the  Israelites  them- 
selves in  regard  to  the  manna,  ch.  21 : 
5,  where  the  word  in  the  original  is  the 
same.  See  also  the  Note  on  Ex.  1 :  12, 
where  the  import  of  the  term  is  fully 
illustrated.  Gr.  "  Moab  was  incensed," 
the  original  word  being  the  same  with 
that  Heb.  3  :  10,  "  Wherefore  I  was 
grieved  with  that  generation."  The 
"distress"  here  predicated  of  Moab 
was  evidently  self-procured,  for  the 
command  given  to  Israel,  Deut.  2 :  9, 
was,  "  Distress  not  the  Moabites,  neither 
contend  with  them  in  battle."  They 
had  therefore  only  themselves  to  blame 
for  their  trouble. 

V.  4.  And  Moab  said  unto  the  elders 
of  Midian,  etc.  Gr.  "  The  senate,  or 
eldership,  of  Madiam."  The  elders  in 
those  ancient  countries  were  the  sena- 
tors who  managed  the  affairs  of  state, 
and  were  thence  called  "  princes,"  v.  8. 
The  Midian  here  spoken  of  is  undoubt- 
edly to  be  regarded  as  a  different  re- 
gion from  that  where  Moses  found 
refuge  when  he  fled  from  Egypt,  and 


elders    of  Midian,    Now   shall 
this  company  lick  up  all  that 


8.     Josh.  13.  21,  2-2. 


whose  priest  or  sheikh  was  Jethro,  who 
became  the  father-in-law  of  the  future 
law-giver  of  Israel.  These  people  dwelt 
about  the  eastern  arm  of  the  Red  Sea, 
which  was  at  too  great  a  distance  from 
the  territories  of  Moab  to  allow  of  their 
being  referred  to  in  the  present  connec- 
tion. The  Midianites  here  mentioned, 
though  probably  descended  from  Abra- 
ham and  Keturah,  were  a  people  of 
nomade  or  semi-nomade  habits,  occu- 
pying the  country  east  and  south-east 
of  the  Moabites,  who,  as  we  have  seen, 
were  seated  on  the  east  of  the  Dead  Sea. 
They  pastured  their  flocks  in  the  un- 
settled country  beyond  the  Moabites, 
with  whom  they  seem  to  have  been  on 
the  most  friendly  terms,  and  on  whose 
borders  were  situated  those  "  cities  and 
goodly  castles  which  they  possessed." 
Num.  31 :  10.  They  seem  also  to  have 
shared  with  the  Moabites  in  a  deep- 
rooted  hostility  to  the  Israelites,  as  in 
conjunction  with  them  they  designedly 
enticed  the  Israelites  to  idolatry,  as  we 
read  in  the  sequel  to  the  present  narra- 
tive. It  was  this  class  of  Midianites 
who,  at  a  subsequent  period,  harassed 
the  chosen  people  to  such  a  degree  that 
Gideon  was  raised  up  as  a  divinely  en- 
dowed champion  and  deliverer  of  his 
people,  and  enabled  to  achieve  a  signal 
and  final  triumph  over  these  marauders, 
from  which  they  never  afterwards  recov- 
ered. The  communication  was  no  doubt 
made  by  messengei's  sent  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  though  the  precise  purport 
of  the  message  is  not  stated,  yet  the  se- 
quel makes  it  evident  that  they  united 
in  the  scheme  of  engaging  Balaam  to 
come  and  exercise  his  magical  skill  in 
banning  or  cursing  the  chosen  people, 
as  it  is  said,  v.  7,  that  "  the  elders  of 
Moab  and  the  elders  of  Midian  departed 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


are  round  about  us,  as  the  ox 
licketh  up  the  grass  of  the  field. 
And  Balak,  the  son  of  Zippor, 

with  the  rewards  of  divination  in  their 

hands." ^  N^ow  shall  this  company 

lick  up  all  {that  are)  round  about  us, 
etc.  Heb.  yelahaku  hakMihol  eth  kol 
sedebothenu,  the  congregaiion  shall  lick 
up  all  our  surroundings.  An  analogous 
mode  of  speech  still  prevails  in  the 
East.  "  A  native  gentleman,  who  had 
many  people  depending  upon  him,  says, 
'  Yes,  they  are  all  grazing  upon  me.  If 
I  am  not  careful,  they  will  soon  graze 
up  all  I  have.'  Of  people  who  have  got 
all  they  can  out  of  one  rich  man,  and 
who  are  seeking  after  another,  'Yes, 
yes,  they  have  done  grazing  there, 
and  are  now  looking  out  for  another 
place.'  *  These  bulls  are  grazing  in 
every  direction.'  "—Roberts.  The  root 
of  the  Heb.  verb  is  Idhak,  from  which 
our  English  lick  is  evidently  derived. 
The  import  is  that  of  devouring  or  con- 
suming, as  a  fire  that  consumes  is  said 
to  lick  up,  1  Kings  18  :  36.  Here,  how- 
ever, the  metaphor  is  taken  from  the 
feeding  of  cattle,  of  which  Buffon,  in  his 
"  Natural  History,"  says,  "  The  horse 
eats  day  and  night,  slowly,  but  almost 
continually ;  the  ox  or  beeve,  on  the 
contrary,  eats  quick,  and  takes  in  a  little 
time  all  the  nourishment  he  ivauis ; 
after  which  he  ceases  to  eat,  and  lies 
down  to  chew  the  cud."  The  policy  of 
Moab  is  first  to  inoculate  Midian  with 
his  own  fear,  which  he  does  by  assur- 
ing him  that  this  mighty  host,  without 
some  concerted  resistance  on  the  part 
of  the  exposed  nations  and  tribes,  will 
sweep  the  whole  of  them  from  the  face 
of  the  ground,  with  the  same  ease  that 
the  grazing  ox  causes  the  grass  to  dis- 
appear in  the  pasture.  The  actual  con- 
duct of  Israel  had  already  effectually 
disproved  the  justice  of  this  charge. 


was  king  of  the  Moabites  at  the 
time. 

5  He  sent* messengers,  there- 

e  Deut.  23.  4.  Josh.  24.  9.  Neh.  13.  1,  2.  Mic.  6.  5. 


They  had,  of  their  own  accord,  turned 
aside  into  a  circuitous  route  in  order  to 
avoid  doing  them  injury.  This  forbear- 
ance would  have  delivered  them  from 
all  apprehension,  had  not  their  own 
malignity  prompted  them  to  entertain 
foul  suspicions;  for  why  had  not  the 
Israelites  made  a  direct  attack  upon 
their  territories,  but  that  they  designed 
to  obey  the  divine  command  and  leave 
them  totally  unharmed?  The  repre- 
sentation of  Balak,  however,  takes  ef- 
fect, and  the  two  peoples  agree  to  act 
together  in  the  emergency  which  is  now 
upon  them. 

V.  5,  He  sent  messengers  therefore,  etc. 
The  despatching  the  messengers  is  here 
attributed  solely  to  Balak,  doubtless  be- 
cause he  was  principal  in  the  affair,  but 
it  is  evident,  from  v.  7,  that  the  Midian- 

ites  shared  in  the  delegation. T[  Unto 

Balaam  the  son  of  Bear.  Heb.  £3?^^ 
Bildm,  from  bdla,  to  consume,  to  destroy, 
and  dm,  people,  equivalent  to  destroyer 
of  the  people.  The  name  was  probably 
borne  by  Balaam  as  a  dreaded  charmer 
and  conjurer,  though  given  to  him,  we 
may  suppose,  according  to  Oriental  cus- 
tom, at  a  later  period,  when  the  fact  in- 
dicated by  it  had  become  well  known. 
This  import  of  the  name  is  confirmed 
by  Rev.  2  :  6,  14,  15,  where  mention  is 
made  of  the  Nicolaitans  as  holding  the 
same  doctrines  with  the  Balaamites, 
and  Nicolaitans  is  a  name  signifying 
etymologically  conquerors  or  destroyers 
of  the  people.  There  is  no  evidence 
from  Church  history  of  the  existence  of 
any  such  heretical  sect  as  the  Nicolai- 
tans, and  therefore  there  need  be  no 
hesitation  in  taking  the  denomination 
mystically  or  symbolically  as  denoting 
talse  teachers  of  a  certain  type,  just  as 


340 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


fore,  unto  Balaam  the  son  of 
Beor,  to  Pethor,  which  is  bj 

the  name  of  Jezebel  occurs,  Rev.  2  :  20, 
not  as  a  historical  but  as  a  symbolical 
designation.  It  is  used  simply  to  denote 
a  class  of  persons  who  inculcated  the 
most  abominable  doctrines,  and  there- 
fore were  fitly  denominated  by  the  name 
of  a  woman  who  had  proved  the\ilest 

and  most  detestable  of  her  sex. 

T[  T/ie  son  of  Beor.  There  would  be 
nothing  to  call  for  special  remark  in  re- 
gard to  the  parentage  of  Balaam,  were 
it  not  that  the  apostle  Peter,  2  Pet.  2  : 
15,  calls  him  "  Balaam  the  son  of  Bo- 
sor."  This  may  be  explained  either  on 
the  ground  of  a  transmutation  of  letters 
with  a  view  to  soften  the  sound  of  the 
original  Hebrew  letters,  of  which  Ains- 
worth  {in  loc.)  has  given  a  number  of 
analogous  instances ;  or  with  Grotius,  we 
may  suppose  "  Bosor  "  is  another  mode 
of  writing  "  Pethor,"  and  that  Peter 
does  not  intend  to  say  that  Balaam  was 
the  son  of  Bosor,  but  that  he  was  of  the 
city  or  place  "  Bosor,"  inasmuch  as  the 
original  Gr.  phrase  is  elliptical,  "  the 

son"  being  omitted. T[   To  PetJior. 

E.eb.pethordh,  having  the  local  particle 
at  the  close  indicating  the  direction  to 
which  or  towards.  As  the  name  is  be- 
yond question  derived  from  the  radical 
patlior,  to  interpret,  some  of  the  an- 
cient versions  have  rendered  it  by  sooth- 
sayer, as  the  Vulg.,  while  the  Syriac  rep- 
resents it  by  expounder  or  avgvr.  The 
probability  is,  that  it  is  the  name  of  a 
place  so  called  from  the  fact  of  its  being 
a  chief  resort  of  men  devoted  to  occult 
arts,  or  professing  to  interpret  the  will 
of  the  gods.  The  precise  location  of 
the  place  is  of  course  unknown  to 
geography,  and  we  are  obliged  to  con- 
tent ourselves  with  the  bare  intimation 
that  it  was  situated  in  Mesopotamia. 

H  Which  is  hy  the  river  of  the  land 

of  the  children  of  his  'people.    One  is 


the  river  of  the  land  of  the  chil- 
dren of  his  people,  to  call  him, 


conscious  at  once  of  something  peculiar 
in  the  phraseology  of  this  clause,  that 
prompts  the  inquiry  whether  it  is  ac- 
curately translated  from  the  original. 
Judging  from  the  diversity  of  render- 
ings, this  may  be  justly  doubted.  Our 
version  follows,  perhaps,  the  current  of 
authorities,  which  is  always  entitled  to 
special  weight  with  an  interpreter, 
though  not  an  absolute  criterion  of 
truth.  The  Hebrew  is  capable  of  being 
translated  thus  :  "  He  sent  messengers 
unto  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  to  Pethor 
(which  is  by  the  river),  the  land  of  the 
children  (sons)  of  his  people."  The 
parenthesis  is  inserted  simply  to  show 
the  connection.  "The  river"  is  here 
emphatic,  denoting  the  Euphrates, 
which  is  several  times  so  termed  in  the 
Scriptures.  The  purport  on  this  con- 
struction, would  be,  that  Balak  sent 
messengers  to  Balaam,  who  resided  at 
Pethor,  on  the  Euphrates,  a  country 
distinguished  as  the  dwelling-place  of 
"  the  children  of  his  people,"  by  which 
we  may  perhaps  understand  the  stocJc 
of  his  peculiar  hind  of  peojde,  a  class 
compjosed  of  persons  similar  to  himself, 
i.  e.,  soothsayers  and  reputed  prophets, 
who  were  prone  to  rendezvous  and  con- 
centrate themselves  about  particular 
districts.  As  this  sense  of  the  words 
has  not  been  previously  suggested,  the 
reader  will  probably  share  in  the  hesi- 
tation of  the  author  in  adopting  it.  The 
Vulg.  has  the  following :  "  He  sent 
therefore  messengers  to  Balaam  the 
son  of  Beor,  a  soothsayer,  who  dwelt 
by  the  river  of  the  land  of  the  children 
of  Ammon."  This  reading  depends 
upon  a  substitution  of  the  Heb.  bene 
Ammon,  children  of  Ammon,  instead 
of  bene  ammo,  children  of  his  people,  for 
which  it  is  said  there  is  authority  in 
some  of  the  ancient  manuscripts,  as 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


341 


saying,  Behold,  there  is  a  people 
come  out  from  Egypt :  behold. 


also  in  the  Syriac  and  Samaritan  ver- 
sions. The  change  is  favored  by  Mr. 
Kitto  (Note  in  loc).  But  our  proposed 
constniction  renders  the  reading  un- 
necessary, to  which  we  may  add,  that 
there  is  no  evidence  of  the  territory  of 
the  Ammonites  ever  having  extended  to 
the  Euphrates.  Yet  that  Balaam  came 
from  Mesopotamia  (Aram),  through 
which  runs  the  Euphrates,  is  expressly 
aflfirmed,  ch.  23 : 7.  We  are  on  the 
whole  strongly  persuaded  of  the  cor- 
rectness  of  the   above  interpretation. 

1  To  call  Jam,  saying,  etc.     The 

signal  success  of  the  Israelites  in  con- 
quering all  the  opposing  powers  with 
whom  they  came  in  conflict,  had  im- 
pressed the  king  and  people  of  Moab 
with  the  conviction  that  it  was  vain  to 
contend  with  them  by  force  of  arms, 
while  they  so  manifestly  enjoyed  the 
blessing  and  protection  of  the  Divine 
Power.  They  must,  therefore,  have  re- 
course to  some  other  policy  than  that 
of  open  warfare,  and  they  concluded 
that  if,  in  accordance  with  the  ideas 
then  prevalent  among  ancient  nations, 
they  could  lay  upon  them  the  anathe- 
ma or  ban  of  some  powerful  magician, 
they  might  be  shorn  of  their  strength, 
and  having  become  as  weak  as  other 
men,  might  be  made  an  easy  prey  to 
their  adversaries ;  for  even  among  the 
heathen  there  was  a  latent  conviction, 
that  the  removal  of  God's  blessing  was 
the  exhaustion  of  the  strength  and  he- 
roism of  a  people.  The  general  belief 
on  which  their  policy  was  founded  is 
thus  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Kitto :  "  Their 
procedure,  in  seeking  to  lay  the  armies 
of  Israel  under  a  curse,  that  their  own 
arms  might  be  successful  against  them, 
is  a  strange  notion  to  us.  But  it  is  not 
so  in  the  East.  Even  at  the  present 
day,  the  pagan  Orientals,  in  their  wars, 


they  cover  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  they  abide  over  against  me. 

have  always  their  magicians  with  them 
to  curse  their  enemies,  and  to  mutter  in- 
cantations for  their  destruction.  Some- 
times they  secretly  convey  a  potent 
charm  among  the  opposing  troops,  to 
ensure  their  destruction.  In  our  own 
war  with  the  Burmese,  the  generals  of 
that  nation  had  several  magicians  with 
them,  who  were  much  engaged  in 
cursing  our  troops ;  but  as  they  did  not 
succeed,  a  number  of  witches  were 
brought  for  the  same  purpose.  We 
may,  indeed,  trace  it  as  a  very  ancient 
opinion,  among  all  people,  that  the 
maledictions  and  the  blessings,  the 
charms,  the  incantations,  and  the  de- 
votements  of  men,  who  were  believed 
to  be  inspired  by  a  superior  spirit,  good 
or  evil,  had  the  most  marked  effects  not 
only  upon  individuals  but  upon  regions 
and  entire  nations,  and  even  upon  cat- 
tle and  upon  the  fruits  of  the  field."  In 
Balaam  they  were  well  assured  of  find- 
ing an  instrument  suited  to  their  pur- 
pose, and  accordingly  they  resolve  to 
enlist  him  in  their  service.  His  charac- 
ter will  develope  itself  as  the  narrative 

proceeds. T[  Behold  they  cover.  Heb. 

kmah,  it  covereth,  the  collective  people 
being   spoken   of   as   one — a  frequent 

idiom  in  Hebrew. ^  The  face  of  the 

earth.  Heb.  "  The  eye  of  the  earth." 
See  the  phrase  fully  explained  in  the 

Note  on  Ex.   10  :  5. TT  TJiey  abide 

over  against  me.  Heb.  "He  is  sitting 
over  against  me."  The  subject  is  still 
the  "  people  "  spoken  of  above,  which 
in  the  original  is  singular,  and,  conse- 
sequently,  the  predicates  all  along  are 
singular,  with  still  a  plural  import. 
The  various  items  of  grievance  here 
mentioned  were  intended  to  form  a 
plea  or  an  argument  which  should  avail 
with  Balaam.  By  saying  that  they  were 
a  people  that  had  come  out  of  Egypt, 


842 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


6  Come  now,  therefore,  I  pray 
thee,  curse -^  me  this  people,  for 


he  would  intimate  that,  being  strangers, 
they  had  no  right  to  invade  the  land ; 
the  fact  that  they  covered  the  face  of 
the  earth,  was  an  indication  of  their 
great  numbers,  by  reason  of  which  they 
had  prevailed  over  the  Amorites  and 
shown  themselves  irresistible  in  ordi- 
nary warfare ;  while  their  abiding  over 
against  Moab  was  a  sure  sign,  that  they 
meditated  an  early  invasion  of  that  ter- 
ritory. In  all  this  there  is  no  intima- 
tion of  the  fact,  of  which  the  Moabites  as 
descendants  of  Abraham  could  not  well 
have  been  ignorant,  that  the  Lord  had 
of  old  promised  the  land  of  Canaan  to 
Israel,  Gen.  15:18;  or  that  the  sins  of 
the  Canaanites  should  grow  to  that 
pitch  of  enormity  that  the  land  should 
spew  them  out,  Lev.  18  :  24,  25 ;  or  how 
Israel,  in  their  progress,  had  religious- 
ly abstained  from  harming  either  Moab 
or  Edom,  Deut.  2 :  4,  8,  9,  13,  warring 
only  with  the  devoted  nations.  All 
these  facts  were  ignored  in  the  message, 
and  the  proposed  resistance  put  solely 
on  the  ground  of  the  presumed  Tiostile 
intentions  of  the  chosen  people.  Even 
supposing  there  had  been  no  special 
divine  appointments  in  the  case,  how 
much  worse  was  it  for  the  Israelites  to 
expel  the  Canaanites,  than  it  was  for 
these  very  Moabites,  Edomites,  and  Am- 
monites to  combine  and  drive  out  the 
Emims,  Horims,  and  Zamzummims, 
and  possess  their  lands  and  cities,  as 
they  were  now  doing  ?  Deut,  2  :  9-21. 
But  men  have  not  the  same  eyes  with 
which  to  look  upon  their  own  faults, 
and  those  of  their  neighbors. 

V.  6.  Come  now  therefore^  I  pray  thee, 
cwrse  me  this  people.  Although  a  pro- 
phetic malediction  might  be  supposed 
to  have  some  efficacy  when  uttered  at 
ever  so  great  a  distance,  yet  it  is  clear 


they  are  too  mighty  for  me : 
peradventure  I  shall  prevail, 
that  we  may  smite  them,  and 


that  Balak  imagined  that  the  prophet's 
personal  presence,  when  his  senses  as 
well  as  his  thoughts  could  act,  would 
be  attended  with  deeper  interest,  more 
vehemency  of  spirit,  and,  consequently, 
with  more  intensity  of  influence.  This 
was  on  the  principle  that  *'  the  eye 
affects  the  heart,"  and  it  seems  to  be 
recognized  in  the  case  of  Elisha  when 
he  cursed  the  mocking  children,  2  Kings 
2  :  24,  "  And  he  turned  back  and  looked 
on  them,  and  cursed  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord."  So  when  Balaam  had 
arrived,  it  is  said,  v.  41,  that  "  Balak 
took  Balaam,  and  brought  him  up  into 
the  high  places  of  Baal,  that  thence  he 
might  see  the  utmost  part  of  the  peo- 
ple." The  more  he  saw  of  them,  the 
more  he  would  be  likely  to  be  affected 
by  the  sight,  and  the  more  he  was  af- 
fected the  greater  would  be  the  efficacy 
infused  from  that  affection  into  the 
words  he  might  utter.  "It  was,"  as 
Calvin  remarks,  *'  to  the  credit  of  Ba- 
lak that  he  recognized  an  overruling 
Providence,  whose  favorable  regards 
he  would  conciliate  and  secure,  as  the 
only  basis  of  the  success  which  he  prom- 
ised himself  in  the  undertaking.  He 
places  his  confidence  of  victory,  not 
in  his  own  sufficiency,  but  in  the 
auspices  of  a  superior  power.  But  in 
seeking  the  interposition  of  this  power 
by  indirect  and  circuitous  ways,  he  in 
fact  departs  still  further  from  him.  He 
desires  deliverance  from  danger,  but 
the  means  fixed  upon  are  of  his  own 
device,  and  therefore  fruitless.  When 
he  would  purchase  incantations  from  a 
mercenary  prophet,  and  bind  the  Most 
High  down  to  his  own  corrupt  inven- 
tions, he  could  not  but  array  the  divine 
Providence  against  him."  As  to  the 
widely  extended  and  long  established 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


843 


that  I  may  drive  them  out  of  the 
land :  for  I  wot  that  he  whom 

belief  relative  to  the  potency  of  charms, 
exorcisms,  and  anathemas,  we  are  in- 
clined to  think  there  is  some  founda- 
tion for  it  in  the  truth  of  things,  pro- 
vided it  be  borne  in  mind  that  no  such 
influence  can  reach  the  truly  good  who, 
by  a  devout,  believing,  obedient,  and 
holy  life,  put  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Omnipotence.  Of  all  such 
the  constrained  words  of  Balaam  him- 
self must  ever  hold  true,  "  Surely  there 
is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob, 
neither  is  there  any  divination  against 
Israel."  But  in  the  case  of  the  wicked 
towards  the  wicked,  we  are  inclined  to 
believe  that  an  exceedingly  evil  and 
malignant  spirit  may  concentrate  itself 
in  a  curse  that  shall  have  more  or  less 
power  to  harm,  and  therefore  that  the 
traditions,  prevalent  to  a  degree  among 
all  nations,  of  the  power  of  "  the  evil 
eye"  and  of  inward  imprecations,  do 
not  rest  upon  a  basis  of  mere  idle  super- 
stition. But  it  is,  of  course,  among 
heathen  peoples,  destitute  of  the  light 
of  revelation,  that  we  are  to  look  for 
these  manifestations  of  the  effects  of  in- 
fernal agency,  for  it  is  among  them 
that  the  sway  of  evil  spirits  is  more 
free  and  rampant.  At  any  rate,  the 
facts  related  of  the  marvellous  powers 
ot  conjurers,  wizards,  necromancers, 
etc.,  evinced  among  many  barbarous 
nations,  when  sifted  and  divested  of  the 
ordinary  large  measure  of  fiction,  would 
seem  to  be  in  many  instances  such  as 
to  challenge  a  rational  credence.  How- 
ever this  may  be,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
both  Balak  and  Balaam  were  well  aware 
that  a  peculiar  potency  attached  to  a 
divine  curse,  and  that  nothing  would 
be  more  efficacious  to  weaken  and  an- 
nihilate the  strength  of  Israel  than  to 
bend  the  divine  purpose  so  as  to  make 
that  people  subject  to  such  an  execra- 


thou  blessest  is  blessed,  and  he 
whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed. 

tion,  for  "  they  that  are  cursed  of  Him 
shall  be  cut  off,"  Ps.  37  :  22.  This,  how- 
ever, they  were  powerless  to  effect. 

T[  They  {are)  too  migTdyfor  me.  Heb. 
"It  (the  people)  is  mightier  than  I." 
That  is,  both  in  number  and  strength, 
and  therefore  too  formidable  for  me  to 
cope  with.  This  was,  in  respect  to  Is- 
rael, a  fulfilment  of  the  promise  made 
to  Abraham,  that  he  should  become,  in 
his  seed,  "  a  mighty  nation,"  as  indeed 
had  been  verified  at  an  earlier  period, 
inasmuch  as  in  the  land  of  their  afflic- 
tion, "he  made  them  mightier  than 
their  enemies."  Ps.  105,:  4.  Balak's 
conscious  inability  to  match  them  in  a 
fair  field  prompts  him  to  resort  to  mag- 
ical  imprecations. T[  /  wot  that  he 

whom  thou  blessest  (is)  blessed,  and  he 
whom,  thou  cursest  is  cursed.  Every 
thing  bespeaks  the  infatuated  and  cor- 
rupt mind  of  this  Moabitish  king.  He 
is  convicted  out  of  his  own  lips  of  being 
a  man  of  violence  and  wrong.  Why 
should  he  desire  to  smite  the  Israelites, 
who  had  done  him  no  harm  ?  An d  if  he 
thought  that  Balaam  could  bless  as  well 
as  curse  whom  he  pleased,  why  did  he 
not  choose  a  blessing  for  himself  rather 
than  a  curse  for  Israel  ?  Why  not  de- 
sire to  be  himself  protected  from  the 
injury  which  he  feared,  rather  than  to 
have  power  to  injure  those  who  had  as 
yet  done  him  no  wrong  ?  But  this  is 
the  nature  of  envy,  jealousy,  and  un- 
charitableness  the  world  over.  Men 
seek  to  exalt  themselves  by  depressing 
their  rivals,  and  not  by  the  legitimate 
operation  of  their  own  superior  excel- 
lence. A  true  Christian,  while  he  seeks, 
from  good  ends,  to  promote  himself  in 
whatever  position  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence has  placed  them,  will  not  know- 
ingly disparage  others  in  so  doing ;  but 
a  thoroughly  malignant  and  envious 


344 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


7  And  the  elders  of  Moab, 
and  the  elders  of  Midian,  de- 
parted with  the  rewards  •"  of 
divination  in  their  hand  ;  and 
thej    came    unto    Balaam,  and 

g  1  Sam.  9.  7,  8.    Mic.  3.  11.    Jiicle  11. 

nature  will  be  sure  to  seek  its  own 
triumph  through  the  degradation  of 
others. 

v.  7.  With  the  rewards  of  divination 
in  their  hand.  Heb.  "  (With)  divina- 
tions in  their  hands."  But  the  idea  is 
no  doubt  correctly  expressed  in  our 
version,  rewards  of  divination,  which 
is  equivalent  to  the  wages  or  fees  of 
soothsaying.  The  words  of  the  apostle, 
2  Pet.  2  :  15,  confirm  this  sense  of  the 
phrase,  as  he  calls  it  "the  wages  of  un- 
righteousness." Targ.  Jon.  "  The  fruits 
of  divinations  sealed  in  their  hands."  A 
similar  idiom  appears  2  Sam.  4  :  10, 
"  Who  thought  I  would  have  given  him 
a  reward  foi'  his  tidings"  where  the 
Heb.  is  simply  hesorah,  tidings.  But 
the  sense  requires  the  established  ren- 
dering. So  also,  Job  7:2,  "  work"  is 
used  for  the  "reward  of  work,"  and 
"sin"  often  for  the  "punishment  of 
sin."  Some  commentators  have  sug- 
gested that,  as  it  was  usual  for  those 
who  consulted  prophets  and  seers  to 
bring  a  present  with  them,  1  Sam.  9  : 
7,  8,  it  cannot  be  fairly  inferred  that 
the  intention  was  to  corrupt  him,  but 
merely  to  comply  with  a  universal  cus- 
tom. The  testimony,  however,  of  both 
Peter  and  Jude,  that  he  "loved  the 
wages  of  unrighteousness,"  and  "  ran 
greedily  after  error  for  reward,"  is  de- 
cisive that  the  passion  of  covetousness 
was  rankling  in  his  heart,  and  this  is 
abundantly  evinced  in  the  sequel.  Com- 
pare this  with  what  the  Lord  says  by 
the  prophet,  Mic.  3  :  10-12,  respecting 
the  discharge  of  sacred  offices  from 
venal  motives :  "  They  build  up  Zion 
with   blood,  and  Jerusalem  with  in- 


spake  unto  him   the  words   of 
Balak. 

8  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Lodge  here  this  night,  and  T 
will  bring  you  word  again,  as 


iquity.  The  heads  thereof  judge  for  re- 
ward, and  the  priests  thereof  teach  for 
hire,  and  the  prophets  thereof  divine 
for  money  :  yet  will  they  lean  upon  the 
Lord,  and  say,  Is  not  the  Lord  among 
us?  none  evil  can  come  upon  us. 
Therefore,  shall  Zion  for  your  sake  be 
ploughed  as  a  field,  and  Jerusalem  shall 
become  heaps,  and  the  mountain  of  the 
house  as  the  high  places  of  the  forest." 
It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  while  all 
manner  of  wizards,  conjurers,  and 
witches  are  ready  to  engage  to  help 
others  to  the  possession  of  great  riches, 
they  never  rely  upon  these  means,  but 
upon  the  fees  received  from  their  dupes, 
to  enrich  themselves. 

V.  8.  Lodge  here  this  night,  and  I  will 
'bring  you  word  again,  as  the  Lord  shall 
speak  unto  me.  His  object  in  this  invi- 
tation was  undoubtedly  to  secure  the 
night  season  for  consulting  the  Most 
High,  and  receiving  such  communica- 
tions as  he  should  be  pleased  to  make. 
"  0  God,  who  shall  give  me  this  care  to 
obey  thee  that  seemeth  to  be  in  this 
man! — that  I  may  say  nothing,  think 
nothing,  do  nothing,  without  consult- 
ing with  thee."  — ^.  BaMngton.  It 
was  the  divine  wont  to  speak  to  the 
prophets  by  dreams  and  visions  of  the 
night,  Num.  12 : 6.  Job  4: 13.  33:14,15. 
Jer.  23  :  25,  28.  But  the  question  here 
arises,  whether  Balaam  knew  that  the 
Israelites  were  under  the  especial  divine 
care  and  providence — that  they  were 
a  people  whom  the  Lord  had  marvel- 
lously distinguished  by  the  tokens  of 
his  favor — and  whom  he  was  now  con- 
ducting by  his  own  hand  to  a  land  long 
since  promised?     We  think  he  must 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


345 


the  Lord  shall  speak  unto  me  : 


have  known  this,  for  the  things  in  ques- 
tion had  not  been  transacted  in  a  cor- 
ner. But  if  he  did  know  them,  here 
was  the  point,  at  the  very  outset  of  the 
communication,  where  he  should  have 
taken  his  stand.  He  should  have  told 
the  messengers  that  this  people  was 
blessed,  and  that  it  was  vain  and  im- 
pious to  think  of  cursing  them.  He 
should  have  sent  back  his  advice  to  the 
king  of  Moab,  to  let  them  pass  safely 
and  without  molestation,  and  even  to 
court  their  friendship  by  rendering 
them  service.  But  his  requesting  them 
to  stay  betrayed  an  anxiety  on  his  part 
to  get  over  the  obstacles,  if  possible, 
which  stood  in  the  way  of  his  receiving 
the  proffered  rewards.  Instead  of  this, 
he  should  not  even  have  entertained 
them  for  a  night.  Had  not  the  ruling 
passion  of  his  mind  been  accordant 
with  their  wishes,  he  would  have  left 
the  men  to  find  lodging  where  they 
could,  and  have  had  nothing  more  to  do 
with  them.  But  he  would  tamper  with 
temptation.  He  would  try  an  experi- 
ment on  the  divine  forbearance,  the  re- 
sult of  which  he  promised  to  report  to 
the  messengers  in  the  morning.  This 
the  Gr.  renders,  "  I  will  answer  you  the 
things  which  the  Lord  shall  speak  unto 
me."  This,  we  think,  is  to  be  regarded 
as  an  honest  declaration  on  the  part  of 
Balaam  at  the  time,  though  the  leaven 
was  secretly  at  work  in  his  mind  which 
prompted  him,  when  the  morning  came, 
to  fall  short  of  the  exact  truth  in  his 
statement.  But  we  see  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  he  possessed  a  certain  de- 
gree of  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
here  denominated  "  Jehovah,"  and  that 
hitherto  he  had  been  comparatively  a 
sincere  worshipper  of  Him,  and  had  ac- 
quired an  extensive  reputation  as  one 
who  had  near  access  to  the  Deity  and 

15* 


And  the  princes  of  Moab  abode 
with  Balaam. 


great  power  and  prevalence  with  him  as 
a  prophet.  Long  prior  to  the  selection 
of  the  Jewish  people  as  the  special  de- 
positories of  the  divine  truth,  there  was 
undoubtedly  a  wide-spread  knowledge 
of  the  Most  High  which  obtained  among 
what  are  termed  the  Gentile  nations, 
though  it  was  continually  becoming 
more  and  more  dim  and  confused,  till  it 
finally  became  extinguished  in  the  mid- 
night of  idolatry.  Hengstenberg,  in 
his  elaborate  essay  on  the  "  History  of 
Balaam  and  his  Prophecies,"  appended 
to  his  "  Genuineness  of  Daniel,"  thus 
remarks  on  this  question,  "  Whence 
Balaam  had  obtained  what  he  possessed 
of  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  God." 
While  inclined  himself  to  the  opinion 
that  Balaam's  acknowledgment  of  the 
true  God  had  been  derived  from  the 
knowledge  of  the  God  of  Israel,  which 
had  been  widely  diffused  in  the  Mosaic 
age,  from  the  covenanted  people,  among 
the  surrounding  heathen  nations,  he 
thus  alludes  to  another  theory  on  the 
subject,  according  to  which,  "the  re- 
ligious state  of  Balaam  is  to  be  regard- 
ed as  one  excited  and  developed  on 
heathen  soil,  by  the  traditions  from 
monotheistic  antiquity,  and,  indeed,  by 
isolated  sounds  from  the  revelations  to 
the  patriarchs,  which  had  resounded 
into  the  heathen  world,  and  had  not 
then  entirely  died  away.  This  opinion 
is  the  general  one."  And  then,  after 
observing  that  it  was  held  by  Buddeus 
and  Benzol  among  the  earlier  writers, 
cites  Tholuck  among  the  later  as  espous- 
ing the  same  view.  In  fact,  the  latter 
writer,  in  a  parallel  drawn  between  Ba- 
laam and  Melchizedek,  remarks  :  "  Ap- 
pearances such  as  these  serve  to  con- 
firm the  belief,  that  a  purer  worship 
preceded  idolatry  and  natural  religion 
with  all  nations,  but  which  was  already 


346 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


9  And  Grod  came  unto  Ba- 
laam, and  said,  What  men  are 
these  with  thee  ? 

10  And  Balaam  said  unto  God, 
Balak  the  son  of  Zippor,  king  of 
Moab,  hath  sent  unto  me,  saying^ 


at  the  time  of  Abraham  extinguished 
among  the  greater  part  of  mankind." 
Some  portion  of  the  lingering  relics  of 
this  ancient  faith  we  suppose  still  to 
have  survived  in  Mesopotamia,  the  na- 
tive country  of  Abraham,  and  the  place 
of  Jacob's  sojourn,  and  now  found  its 
principal  representative  in  the  person 
of  Balaam.  At  the  same  time  we  are 
ready  to  admit,  with  Hengstenberg, 
that  the  marvellous  manifestations  of 
the  divine  omnipotence  in  behalf  of  Is- 
rael must  have  produced  a  powerful 
sensation  throughout  the  surrounding 
nations,  in  which  Balaam  probably 
shared.  But  we  nevertheless  are  per- 
suaded that  independent  of  this,  he  was, 
to  a  certain  degree,  a  worshipper  of  the 
true  God, 

V.  9.  And  God  came  unto  Balaam, 
and  said,  etc.  God  is  said  to  "  come  " 
to  men  when  he  imparts  to  them  special 
communications  or  revelations ;  and 
this  he  does  for  the  most  part,  as  here, 
in  the  night  season,  when  he  can  con- 
verse with  them  by  the  medium  of 
dreams  and  visions.  Thus  he  "came 
to  Abimelech  in  a  dream  by  night," 
Gen.  20  :  3.  So  he  "  came  also  to  Laban 
the  Syrian,  in  a  dream  by  night,"  Gen. 
31 :  14.  For  purposes  of  his  own  glory, 
and  the  good  of  his  people,  he  has  often 
seen  fit  to  reveal  his  counsels,  and  even 
impart  the  gifts  of  knowledge  and  un- 
derstanding in  his  word  to  those  who 

were  inwardly  estranged  from  him. 

Tl  WJtat  men  are  these  with  thee  ?  No 
one  acquainted  with  the  peculiar  dic- 
tion of  Holy  Writ  will  suppose  that 
God  required  to  be  informed  respecting 


11  Behold,  {here  is  a  people 
come  out  of  Egypt,  which  cover- 
eth  the  face  of  the  earth  :  come 
now,  curse  me  them  ;  peradven- 
ture  I  shall  be  able  to  overcome 
them,  and  drive  them  out. 


the  messengers  or  their  errand,  any 
more  than  he  sought  for  new  informa- 
tion when  he  asked  Adam  in  Paradise, 
"  Where  art  thou  ?" — or  Cain,  "  Where 
is  thy  brother  Abel?" — or  Hagar,  Sa- 
rah's maid,  "  Whence  comest  thou,  and 
whither  goest  thou  ?"  —  or  Abraham, 
"  Where  is  Sarah  thy  wife?" — or  Heze- 
kiah,  upon  receiving  the  Babylonish 
ambassadors,  *'  Whence  are  these  men  ? 
What  said  they  ?  What  have  they  seen 
in  thy  house?  etc."  The  interrogation 
proceeded  of  course  from  the  purpose 
of  eliciting  from  Balaam  himself  the 
character  of  the  men  and  the  object  of 
their  errand.  "  I  have  ever  seen  that 
God  loves  to  take  occasion  of  proceed- 
ing with  us  from  ourselves,  rather  than 
from  his  own  immediate  prescience." — 
Bp.  Hall.  The  language  is  evidently 
that  of  rebuke,  as  when  it  was  said  to 
our  sinning  first  parent,  ''Where  art 
thou,  Adam?"  It  is  tacitly  assumed 
that  he  could  not  answer  the  question 
without  bringing  himself  into  an  atti- 
tude where  he  would  have  reason  to 
be  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  his 
own  perverseness.  What  apology  could 
he  offer — professed  prophet  as  he  was, 
of  the  true  Jehovah — for  being  found 
in  such  equivocal  company  ? 

V.  11.  Come  notv,  curse  me  them. 
Heb.  Mhah,  a  different  word  from  that 
occurring  v.  6,  and  there  rendered 
"  curse,"  though  of  equivalent  import 
as  appears  from  the  use  of  both  terms 
eh.  23  : 7,  8.  It  properly  denotes  a 
pricking,  piercing,  or  striking  through, 
with  evil,  reproachful,  and  blasphemous 
speeches.    See  the  Note  on  Lev.  24 :  11, 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


347 


12  And  God  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, Thou  shalt  not  go  with 
them ;  thou  shalt  not  curse  the 
people  :   for  ^  they  are  blessed. 

13  And  Balaam  rose  up  in 

h  Gen.  22.  16-18.  Deut.  33.  29. 

where  the  word  is  more  fully  explained. 
"  The  blasphemer,  Lev.  24 :  11,  did,  as 
it  were,  strike  through  that  sacred  and 
tremendous  name  of  Jehovah  ;  and  here 
Balak  grows  upon  Balaam,  not  only 
with  stronger  assaults  in  his  more  hon- 
orable ambassadors  and  highest  prefer- 
ments, but  also  with  his  demands  of 
deeper  performances.  Balaam  must  do 
more  work  for  more  wages.  He  must 
now  not  only  curse  Israel  lightly,  but 
he  must  strike  them  through  with  his 
curses,  and  utterly  devote  them  to  de- 
struction."— Ness.  It  will  be  observed 
that  Balaam  in  reply  gives  a  perfectly 
correct  statement  of  the  matter  of  fact, 
and  yet  we  wonder  how  he  dared  to  do 
it  He  knew,  in  all  probability,  that  it 
was  God's  own  people  that  he  was  now 
asked  to  curse,  and  yet  he  was  in  treaty 
with  the  enemies  of  that  people,  and 
consequent!}-  with  the  enemies  of  the 
God  of  that  people.  Notwithstanding 
all  this,  and  notwithstanding  he  shows 
no  resentment  that  they  should  have 
attempted  to  seduce  him  from  his  alle- 
giance, he  coolly  recites  to  the  Most 
High  the  object  of  the  visit  of  the  mes- 
sengers rather  with  the  composure  of  a 
martyr  than  with  the  terror  of  a  traitor. 
But  in  his  answer  to  the  deputies, 
V.  13,  he  is  not  quite  so  scrupulously 
exact. 

V.  12.  Thou  shalt  not  go  with  them, 
etc.  Here  was  a  positive  command 
coupled  with  plain  and  direct  informa- 
tion relative  to  the  lot  of  the  chosen 
people,  which  should  have  removed 
every  doubt  from  the  mind  of  Balaam, 
and  become  at  once  the  imperative  law 


the  morning,  and  said  unto  the 
princes  of  Balak,  Get  you  into 
your  land :  for  the  Lord  re- 
fuseth  '  to  give  me  leave  to  go 
with  you. 


of  his  conduct.  "  Thou  shalt  not  go 
with  them ;  thou  shalt  not  curse  the 
people;  for  they  are  blessed."  The 
tenor  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham 
ran  thus,  "  I  will  curse  him  that  curseth 
thee."  This  made  it  not  onl}^  fruitless, 
but  perilous,  to  attempt  to  curse  them. 
Balaam's  own  welfare  was  therefore 
consulted  in  the  prohibition,  which  not 
only  forbade  him  to  go  with  the  mes- 
sengers for  the  purpose,  but  even  to 
attempt  to  curse  them  at  a  distance. 
The  reason  was — "they  are  blessed," 
and  the  gifts  and  callings  of  God  are 
without  repentance.  When  once  the 
blessing  was  pronounced  upon  Jacob, 
Esau  could  not  avail  to  reverse  it : — 
*'  I  have  blessed  him  ;  yea,  and  he  shall 
be  blessed."  Israel  had,  indeed,  often 
provoked  the  Lord  by  their  sins  in  the 
wilderness,  but  he  would  not  suffer 
their  enemies  to  curse  them.  He  made 
them  heirs  of  the  blessedness  pertain- 
ing to  those  "  whose  iniquities  are  for- 
given, and  whose  sins  are  covered." 
Accordingly,  the  people  are  subse- 
quently reminded  of  this  signal  in- 
stance of  the  divine  favor,  Deut.  23  :  5, 
"  Nevertheless,  the  Lord  thy  God  would 
not  hearken  unto  Balaam ;  but  the  Lord 
thy  God  turned  the  curse  into  a  bless- 
ing unto  thee,  because  the  Lord  thy 
God  loved  thee." 

v.  13.  Get  you  into  your  own  land  ; 
for  the  Lord  refuseth  to  give  me  leave 
to  go  with  you.  This  was  true,  but  not 
the  whole  truth.  The  divine  prohibi- 
tion, V.  12,  consisted  of  two  parts,  one 
forbidding  him  to  go,  the  other  forbid- 
ding him  to  curse.     The  latter  he  sup- 


348 


NUMBERS. 


14  And  the  princes  of  Moab 
rose  up,  and  they  went  unto 
Balak,  and  said,  Balaam  re- 
fuseth  to  come  with  us. 

15  And  Balak  sent  yet  again 
princes,  more,  and  more  honour- 
able than  they. 

presses,  and  dwells  only  on  the  former. 
He  admits  that  the  Lord  had  interdict- 
ed his  going  with  them,  but  says  not  a 
word  of  his  being  strictly  commanded 
not  to  curse  them,  inasmuch  as  it  would 
be  wicked  and  dangerous  both  for  him 
and  them  to  seek  to  Israel's  harm,  for 
that  they  were  blessed.  He  evidently 
softened  the  terms  of  his  response,  so 
as  to  indicate  that  his  heart  was  really 
with  them,  and  that  he  would  intrinsi- 
cally like  to  go.  He  virtually  says, 
"  God  does  not  give  me  leave  to  go,  I 
wish  he  would  give  me  leave ;  but  as 
he  does  not,  I  cannot  gratify  or  enrich 
myself  by  the  attempt  to  oblige  your 
master,"  "  Those  are  a  fair  mark  for 
Satan's  temptation  that  speak  diminish- 
ingly  of  divine  prohibitions,  as  if  they 
amounted  to  no  more  than  the  denial 
of  a  permission,  and  as  if  to  go  against 
God's  law  were  only  to  go  witlwut  Ms 
leave." — Henry. 

V.  14,  Balaam  refusetTi  to  come  with 
us.  Here  is  a  farther  instance  of  the 
propensity  of  unprincipled  men  to  min- 
ify instead  oi  magnify  the  Lord's  word. 
Balaam  told  the  princes  less  than  God 
spake  to  him,  and  now  they  relate  less 
to  Balak  than  Balaam  told  them.  All 
the  account  they  give  of  it  is,  "  Balaam 
refuseth  to  come  with  us  ;  "  intimating 
that  he  only  wanted  more  solicitation 
and  higher  proffers.  They  left  him  to 
infer  that  the  refusal  was  wholly  the 
act  of  Balaam  himself,  keeping  back 
the  fact  that  God  had  expressly  forbid- 
den the  prophet's  compliance  with 
their  invitation.     As  the  matter  was 


[B.  0.  1452. 
Ba- 


And    they  came   to 
and    said    to    him 


16 
laam,  and  said  to  him.  Thus 
saith  Balak  the  son  of  Zip- 
per, Let  nothing,  I  pray  thee, 
hinder  thee  from  coming  unto 
me : 


reported  to  Balak,  it  is  not  at  all  sur- 
prising that  he  should  have  sent  again. 

V,  15.  Balah  sent  yet  again  princes 
more,  and  more  Jwnoralle  than  they. 
By  fitting  out  and  dispatching  a  more 
numerous  retinue,  composed  of  more 
honorable  and  imposing  personages,  he 
determines  to  assault  his  cupidity  more 
vigorously.  From  all  that  he  could 
learn  he  was  persuaded  that  Balaam 
"  had  his  price,"  and  he  would  not  run 
the  risk  of  losing  his  services  by  under- 
bidding. He  therefore  bids  still  high- 
er in  this  second  mission,  and  therein 
shows  an  example  of  persistency  in  an 
evil  cause  which  might  well  be  imitated 
by  the  advocates  of  a  good  one.  "  O 
that  we  could  be  so  importunate  for 
our  good,  as  wicked  men  are  for  the 
compassing  of  their  own  designs !  A 
denial  doth  but  whet  the  desires  of  ve- 
hement suitors.  Why  are  we  faint  in 
spiritual  things,  when  we  are  not  de- 
nied, but  delayed  ?  " — Bp.  Hall. 

V.  16.  Let  nothing,  I  pray  thee,  hin- 
der thee  from  coming  unto  me.  Heb. 
"  Be  not  kept  back,  or  withholden,  from 
coming."  Gr.  "  I  pray  thee,  delay  not 
(or,  slack  not)  to  come  unto  me,"  the 
same  word  in  the  original  with  that 
which  occurs  Acts  9  :  38,  where  the  dis- 
ciples send  to  Peter  **  desiring  that  he 
would  not  delay  to  come  unto  them." 
It  imports  that  Balaam  should  not  suf- 
fer himself,  either  by  the  repugnance 
of  his  own  will,  or  from  any  other  cause, 
to  be  prevented  from  compliance  with 
Balak's  urgent  entreaties.  Importunity 
is  therefore  added  to  unlimited  proffers. 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


349 


17  For  I  will  promote  thee 
unto  very  great  honour,  and  I 
will  do  whatsoever  thou  sajest 
unto  me  :  come  *  therefore,  I 
pray  thee,  curse  me  this  people. 

18  And  Balaam  answered 
and  said  unto  the  servants  of 
Balak,  If '  Balak  would  give  me 


He  appeals  to  the  vanity  and  ambition, 
as  well  as  the  covetousness,  of  the  pro- 
phet. Under  the  influence  of  the  pow- 
erful motives  presented  he  would  have 
Balaam  manfully  break  through  every 
impediment  and  hasten  to  a  closure 
with  his  offers. 

V.  17.  I  will  promote  thee  unto  tery 
great  honor,  etc.  Heb.  "Honoring  I 
■will  honor  thee  very  much."  Gr.  "  I 
will  honorably  honor  thee."  It  is  nat- 
ural for  those  who  put  a  great  value 
themselves  upon  worldly  honors  and 
dignities  to  suppose  that  others  are  not 
proof  against  their  seductions.  The  ex- 
perience of  all  ages  has  shown  that  they 
are  few  indeed  who  are  not  assailable 
from  this  quarter,  and  the  sequel  shows 
that  Balaam  formed  no  exception  to  the 
general  rule. 

V.  18.  If  Balak  would  give  me  7m 
house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  etc.  The 
answ^er  of  Balaam  thus  far  was  truly 
noble,  and  worthy  of  being  prompted 
by  a  better  spirit.  But  the  effect  of  it 
is  utterly  spoilt  by  Avhat  follows,  where- 
in he  invites  them  to  tarry  over  night. 
He  had  nothing  more  to  do  than  to  cut 
the  matter  short  at  once  and  dismiss 
them  without  farther  ceremony.  But 
the  sequel  shows  that  under  a  seeming 
resistance  to  the  temptation  there  was 

a  real  yielding  to  it. ^  I  cannot  go 

leijond  the  word  of  the  Lord  my  God. 
Heb.  "  Beyond  the  mouth  of  the  Lord." 
Chald.  •'  Beyond  the  decree  of  the  Word 
of  the  Lord,"    Yulg.  "I  cannot  alter 


his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold, 
I '"  cannot  go  beyond  the  word 
of  the  Lord  my  God,  to  do  less 
or  more, 

19  Now  therefore,  I  pray  you, 
tarry  ye  also  here  this  night,  that 
I  may  know  what  the  Lord  will 
say  unto  me  more. 


:3.  56.     24.  13. 


the  word  of  the  Lord  my  God,"  His 
emphatic  appropriation  of  Jehovah  as 
his  God  is  no  doubt  to  be  regarded  as 
proof  of  his  possessing  a  knowledge  of 
the  true  object  of  worship,  to  whose  will 
he  did  not  dare  to  go  directly  counter, 
notwithstanding  his  heart  was  hanker- 
ing for  the  lucre  which  Balak  held  out 
before  his  eyes.  He  was  now  obviously 
involved  in  a  struggle  between  his  con- 
victions and  his  corruptions.  He  knew, 
indeed,  that  the  wealth  of  this  world, 
all  its  gold  and  silver,  was  as  nothing 
compared  with  the  favor  of  God,  and 
probably  for  a  moment  persuaded  him- 
self that  he  would  act  according  to  his 
convictions.  But  alas,  how  soon  does 
he  waver!  In  the  next  sentence  he 
manifests  clearly  that  he  loves  the 
wages  of  unrighteousness,  and  is  in 
hopes  that  some  way  may  open  by 
which  he  can  compass  the  secret  desire 
of  his  soul  without  at  the  same  time 
forfeiting  his  title  to  the  divine  regards. 
"Balaam  here  becomes  the  graphical 
picture  of  a  covetous  and  ambitious 
hypocrite,  pretending  one  thing,  and 
4/itending  another.  Oh  how  shy  he 
here  seems !  By  no  means  must  he 
dare  to  act  any  thing  against  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God,  no,  not  for  a  house- 
full,  when  with  all  his  heart  he  would 
have  done  it  for  an  handful,  of  gold  and 

silver," — JSess. \  To  do  less  or  Tnore. 

Heb.  "  Little  or  great,"  equivalent  to 
any  thing  at  all. 
V.  19.    That  I  m/xy  know  what  the 


350 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


20  And "  God  came  unto  Ba- 
laam at  night,  and  said  unto  him, 


Lord  will  say  unto  me  more.  But  what 
"  more  "  could  he  wish  or  expect  to  re- 
ceive from  the  Lord  ?  Did  he  fashion 
to  himself  a  god  after  his  own  heart, 
and  imagine  that  he  also  was  to  be 
moved  from  his  purpose  by  the  gifts 
and  promises  of  Balak  ?  Did  he  think 
that  God  was  a  man  that  he  should  lie, 
or  the  son  of  man  that  he  should  re- 
pent ?  Did  he  hope  to  obtain  from  him 
permission  to  curse  a  people  which  had 
been  so  long  and  so  conspicuously  the 
object  of  his  covenant  care,  and  whom 
he  had  so  emphatically  pronounced 
"  blessed  ?  "  What  could  more  decided- 
ly prove  what  Peter  calls  "  the  madness 
of  the  prophet "  than  his  thus  tamper- 
ing with  the  Moabitish  emissaries  ? 
"Why  did  he  not  repel  their  proposal  as 
did  Peter  that  of  Simon  Magus,  "  Thy 
money  perish  with  thee."  Why  did 
he  not  dismiss  them  as  did  our  blessed 
Lord  the  tempter  who  "  showed  him  all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the 
glory  of  them,  and  said  unto  him,  All 
these  things  will  I  give  thee  if  thou  wilt 
fall  down  and  worship  me."  The  an- 
swer was  instant  and  decisive,  "Get 
thee  hence,  Satan ;  for  it  is  written. 
Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  Alas, 
the  canker  of  covetousness  was  even 
then  eating  into  the  vitals  of  his  soul. 

V.  20.  IftJie  men  come  to  call  thee,  ef-c. 
But  the  men  had  already  come,  and  had 
called  or  invited  him  to  go  with  them, 
and  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
any  additional  call  was  anticipated. 
Therefore  the  preferable  rendering  un- 
doubtedly is,  "since,  seeing  that,  inas- 
much as,  the  men  are  come."  This  is 
often  the  force  of  the  Heb.  im,  if.  It  is 
what  is  termed  the  concessive  sense  of 
the  particle. 1[  Eise  up,   {and)  go 


If  the  men  come  to  call  thee, 
rise  up,  and  go  with  them ;  but 


with  them.  This  permission,  when 
viewed  in  contrast  with  the  express 
prohibition,  v.  12,  may  well  be  con- 
ceived to  constitute  a  stumbling-block 
in  the  way  of  the  ordinary  reader  of 
the  Bible.  It  has  surely  the  air  of 
marked  inconsistency  to  forbid  the 
prophet's  going  in  one  sentence,  and 
then  allow  it  in  another.  But  if  the  in- 
ternal state  of  the  man's  heart  be 
viewed  in  connection  with  the  laws  of 
the  divine  providence,  we  shall  obtain 
the  key  to  the  solution  of  the  mystery. 
Lured  by  the  prospect  of  the  rewards, 
Balaam's  heart  was  set  upon  going ; 
and  as  the  divine  wisdom,  in  its  proce- 
dures with  men,  allows  them  always  to 
act  in  freedom,  so  here  it  is  permitted 
Balaam  to  go,  seeing  he  was  so  fully 
bent  upon  it.  His  telling  him  to  go 
was,  we  suppose,  Tnerely  the  Lord^s 
providential  permission  put  into  words. 
It  was  the  virtual  language  of  his  deal- 
ing with  the  mercenary  prophet.  We 
read  in  the  following  paragraph  a 
strikingly  analogous  incident,  1  Kings 
22  :  iy-23,  "And  he  said,^  Hear  thou 
therefore  the  word  of  the  Lord  :  I  saw 
the  Lord  sitting  on  his  throne,  and  all 
the  host  of  heaven  standing  by  him  on 
his  right  hand  and  on  his  left.  And 
the  Lord  said.  Who  shall  persuade 
Ahab,  that  he  may  go  up  and  fall  at 
Ramoth-gilead  ?  And  one  said  on  this 
manner,  and  another  said  on  that  man- 
ner. And  there  came  forth  a  spirit, 
and  stood  before  the  Lord,  and  said,  I 
will  persuade  him.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  him.  Wherewith?  And  he  said,  I 
will  go  forth,  and  I  will  be  a  lying  spirit 
in  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets.  And 
he  said.  Thou  shalt  persuade  him,  and 
prevail  also  :  go  forth  and  do  so.  Now 
therefore,  behold,  the  Lord  hath  put  a 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


351 


yet "  the  word  which  I  shall  say 
unto  thee,  that  shalt  thou  do. 


lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  these 
thy  prophets,  and  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
evil  concerning  thee."  The  Lord  is  here 
pleased  to  attribute  to  himself,  or  to  his 
agency,  what  he  permits  to  be  done 
with  an  evil  intent.  In  no  other  sense 
could  he  be  said  to  put  a  lying  spirit 
into  the  mouth  of  prophets.  It  is  no 
unusual  thing  for  the  Most  High  to  act 
on  this  principle  with  men  as  free  moral 
agents.  Thus  Ps.  81 :  11,  12,  "  But  my 
people  would  not  hearken  to  my  voice ; 
and  Israel  would  none  of  me.  So  I  gave 
them  up  unto  their  own  heart's  lust : 
and  they  walked  in  their  own  counsels." 
When  men  refuse  to  hearken  to  the 
Lord's  voice,  they  are  not  to  be  sur- 
prised if  he  leaves  them  to  themselves 
k>  rush  into  the  open  jaws  of  destruc^ 
tion.     "As  God  sometimes  denies  the 

)  prayers  of  his  people  in  love,  so  some- 
times  he  grants  the  desires  of  the  wick- 

l    ed  in  wrath." — Henry. ^  Tlie  ivord. 

\wMc7i  I  shall  say  nnto  thee,  that  shalt 
thou  do.  It  would,  no  doubt,  appear  at 
first  blush  that  a  more  natural  expres- 
sion would  be,  "The  word  which  I 
shall  say  unto  thee,  that  shalt  thou 
speak."  But  the  original  for  "word" 
often  denotes  "thing,"  as  we  have 
shown  in  the  Note  on  Gen.  15  : 1.  The 
idea  therefore  is,  that  Balaam's  whole 
course  of  procedure  was  to  be  so  over- 
ruled that  the  Lord's  counsel  should 
stand,  and  every  purpose  of  his  will 
should  be  accomplished.  We  regard 
the  words  rather  as  a  prediction  than  a 
command.  It  is  as  if  the  Most  High 
had  said,  "  Inasmuch  as  the  messengers 
are  so  importunate  with  thee,  and  thou 
so  earnest  with  me;  since  thou  wilt 
take  no  denial,  nor  yield  to  my  behest, 
then  go ;  go  forward ;  follow  thine  own 
course;  do  as  I  perceive  thou  art  de- 


21  And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the 
morning,  and  saddled  his  ass,  and 
went  with  the  princes  of  Moab. 

termined  to  do;  yet  know  that  I  will 
bridle  thy  tongue,  and  constrain  thee  to 
utter  the  promptings  not  of  thine  own 
pleasure,  but  of  mine."  This,  though  a 
mere  concession  to  the  prophet's  way- 
wardness, and  not  implying  the  least 
particle  of  approbation,  Balaam  yet 
took  as  a  quasi  allowance  of  the  Divine 
providence,  and  proceeded  accordingly 
to  act  upon  it.  The  event  showed  how 
dangerous  is  the  licence  men  may  some- 
times obtain  when  they  heg  leave  to  sin. 
V.  21.  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morn- 
ing and  saddled  his  ass.  The  idea  at- 
tached to  this  phrase  by  a  European  or 
an  American  will  be  very  apt  to  be  er- 
roneous. There  were  not,  in  those  days, 
in  the  East  any  proper  saddles.  This  is 
a  later  invention  for  riding  on  horse- 
\back,  and  it  is  not  even  now,  among 
ihe  Orientals,  generally  applied  to  asses. 
The  saddling  of  asses,  mentioned  in 
Scripture,  probably  consisted  merely  in 
placing  upon  their  backs  thick  cloths, 
or  mats.  "Something  of  the  same 
kind,"  says  Mr.  Kitto,  "or  pieces  of 
rug,  felt,  carpet,  or  cloth,  are  still  in 
general  use — although  a  kind  of  pad  is 
now  frequently  to  be  seen  upon  asses 
in  the  large  towns  of  Egypt,  Syria,  and 
Arabia — especially  among  those  let  out 
for  hire.  Such  town  asses  have  also 
bridles,  and  sometimes  stirrups,  none 
of  which,  any  more  than  the  pad,  do  we 
remember  to  have  noticed  on  asses 
upon  actual  journeys,  and  we  have 
known  asses  travel  continuously  on 
journeys  quite  as  long  as  that  now  un- 
dertaken by  Balaam,  and  that  by  per- 
sons whose  position  in  life  quite  enabled 
them  to  ride  a  horse  or  mule  had  they 
so  chosen.  It  would  not  be  at  all  ex- 
traordinary, even  now,  that  a  person, 
expecting  to  be  laden  with  riches  and 


352 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


22  And  Grod's  anger  was  kin- 
dled because  he  went :  and  ^  the 
angel  of  the  Lokd  stood  in  the 


p  Ex.  4.  -M. 


honors,  should  ride  upon  an  ass — still 
less  in  an  age  and  country  where  no 
other  mode  of  conveyance,  except  that 
of  riding  upon  camels,  appears  to  have 
been  known."  In  ancient  times  the 
ass  was  a  far  more  valuable  animal 
than  the  horse  is  now,  and  probably  far 
more  beautiful  than  the  specimens  with 
which  we  are  familiar.  Hence  we  read, 
"  The  kings  that  ride  on  white  asses." 
Balaam  evidently  caught  greedily  at 
the  verbal  permission  to  go,  hoping,  no 
doubt,  that  as  God  had  gone  thus  far, 
he  would  bend  still  farther  to  his  wish- 
es, and  allow  him  to  gratify  Balak,  and 
thus  secure  his  rewards.  Accordingly 
he  waited  for  no  summons  in  the  morn- 
ing, but  was  in  all  haste  to  set  forth, 
being  as  eager  to  go  as  they  were  to 
take  him  with  them. 

V.  22.  And  God's  anger  xvas  Mndled 
lecause  lie  went.  But  how,  we  are 
prompted  to  ask,  could  God's  anger  be 
kindled  at  his  going,  when  he  had 
given  him  permission  to  go  ?  It  may 
be  replied,  that  God  was  angry  at  his 
desire  to  go  when  he  had  forbidden 
him ;  angry  at  the  motive  from  which 
he  went;  and  angry  at  the  s'pirit  of 
malediction  which,  against  his  better 
knowledge,  he  bore  in  his  bosom  in  ac- 
ceding to  the  message.  Arab.  "  The 
Lord's  anger  was  kindled  against  him 
because  he  had  gone  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  cupidity  of  gain."  It  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  the  Lord's  permis- 
sion of  sin  is  inconsistent  with  his  an- 
ger against  it,  when  the  divine  anger  is 

rightly  understood. T[  The  angel  of 

tJie  Lord  stood  in  the  way  for  an  adver- 
sary against  him.  Heb.  lesatdn  lo,for 
a  satan  to  him.  This  name,  when  ap- 
plied to  an  adversary  to  the  Lord's  peo- 


way  for  an  adversary  against 
hiin.  Now  he  was  riding  upon 
his  ass,  and  his  two  servants 
ivere  with  him. 


pie,  is  usually  equivalent  to  the  appel- 
lation Devil,  Job  1 :  6.  Mat.  4  :  10.  Rev. 
12  :  9  ;  but  being  here  synonymous  with 
an  adversary  to  the  wicked  and  a  de- 
fender of  the  church,  it  is  applied  to  a 
holy  angel,  or  rather  to  the  Lord  of 
angels,  as  the  original  Malak-  Yehovah 
imports.  In  v.  35  this  angel  speaks  as 
the  Most  High  himself,  "  Go  with  the 
men ;  but  only  the  word  that  I  shall 
speak  unto  thee,  that  shalt  thou  speak." 
We  may,  therefore,  properly  infer  that 
the  term  indicates  no  other  than  the 
personage  elsewhere  called  the  "  angel 
who  redeemed  Jacob  from  all  evil," 
Gen.  48  :  16,  and  who  now  came  to  re- 
deem Jacob's  children  from  the  curse 
meditated  against  them.  It  was  the 
same  angel  who  was  sent  before  Israel 
to  keep  them  in  the  way,  Ex.  23  :  20,  21, 
the  angel  of  the  covenant,  in  whom  was 
the  name  or  quality  of  Jehovah.  In  all 
these  manifestations  we  suppose  there 
was  a  created  mediatory  angel  present, 
but  that  he  was  so  fully  seized  and  pos- 
sessed by  the  Divine  Spirit  speaking 
through  him,  that  his  own  selfhood  was 
put  temporarily  in  abeyance,  and  he 
knew  not  for  the  time  but  that  he  was 
Jehovah  himself,  and  therefore  speaks 
in  his  name.  His  own  self-conscious- 
ness was  merged  in  that  of  the  Supreme 
himself.  On  any  other  ground  it  is 
difficult  to  conceive  why  the  term 
"  Angel "  should  be  applied  to  the 
Deity.  "  This  angel  was  an  adversary 
to  Balaam,  because  Balaam  counted 
him  an  adversary ;  otherwise  those  are 
really  our  best  friends,  and  we  are  so  to 
reckon  them,  that  stop  our  progress  in 

a  sinful  way." — Henry. Tf  His  two 

se?'vants  were  with  him.  Heb.  "  Two 
of  his  young  men."    It  would  appear 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


353 


23  And  the  ass  saw  ^  the  an- 

./  2  K.  6.  17.  Dau.  10.  7.  Acts  2-i.  9.     1  Cor.  1.  27-29. 


that  at  the  time  of  this  rencontre  with 
the  heavenly  messenger,  both  the  ser- 
vants of  Balaam  and  probably  the  emis- 
saries of  Balak  were  either  behind  or 
before  the  prophet,  and  that  he  was 
holding  on  his  way  alone.  At  any  rate, 
there  is  no  intimation  in  the  text  that 
even  his  servants  were  privy  to  the 
transaction  recorded. 

The  Miracle  of  the  Ass  Speaking. 

V.  23.  And  the  ass  saw  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  standing  in  the  way,  etc.  That 
portion  of  the  sacred  narrative  upon 
which  we  now  enter  has  ever  been  re- 
garded as  fraught  with  difficulties  to 
the  commentator.  The  grand  point  of 
the  problem  is  to  determine  the  pre- 
cise nature  of  the  event  here  recorded, 
whether  it  took  place  in  reality  accord- 
ing to  the  letter  of  the  history,  or 
whether  it  occurred  in  vision;  or,  in 
other  words,  whether  it  were  objective 
or  suhjective— y:\iQi\iQY  the  words  as- 
cribed to  the  ass  really  proceeded  from 
her  and  were  audible  to  the  external 
ear  of  Balaam,  or  whether  the  whole 
scene  was  transacted  in  his  own  mind  in 
that  state  of  ecstasy  or  trance  into  which 
the  prophets  were  usually  brought  when 
Divine  communications  were  made  to 
them.  "We  shall  aim  to  present,  in  as 
brief  a  compass  as  possible,  a  compen- 
dious view  of  the  arguments  urged  on 
either  side,  leaving  it  to  the  reader  to 
assign  to  each  its  proper  degree  of 
weight. 

(1.)  It  is  held  by  the  advocates  of  the 
literal  sense  that  in  an  historical  book, 
and  in  a  narrative  bearing  an  historical 
character,  the  incidents  recorded  are 
to  be  assumed  as  having  literally  oc- 
curred, so  long  as  no  intimation  is 
given  to  the  contrary.  | 


gel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  the 
way,  and  his  sword  drawn  in  his 

To  this  it  is  replied,  that  there  are 
unquestionably  numerous  instances  in 
the  Scriptures  where  such  transitions 
from  one  style  of  narrative  to  another 
are  made,  when,  at  the  same  time,  the 
reader  is  not  expressly  advertised  of  the 
fact.    But  all  writing  supposes  some 
exercise  of  discernment  on  the  part  of 
the  reader,  and  some  capacity  of  infer- 
ring,  from    significant   circumstances, 
what  is  not  distinctly  announced.    Un- 
less when  attention  is  specially  called 
to  the  circumstance,  the  common  reader 
wiU  be  somewhat  surprised  to  find  how 
often  the  sacred  writers  slide,  from  a 
narrative  of  real  incidents  in  the  natural 
world,  into  the  relation  of  a  vision  or 
dream,  and  that,  too,  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  require  the  reader  to  infer  a  tran- 
sition from  the  altered  character  of  the 
occurrences  described.     Thus  it  is  said 
of  Abraham,  Gen.  15  : 1,  that  the  word 
of  the  Lord  came  to  him  in  a  vision, 
and  yet  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the 
following  circumstances  belong  to  the 
vision,  though  the  language  is  that  of 
plain  historical  narrative.      For  v.   5, 
Abraham  is  led  into  the  open  air,  and 
pointed  to  the  stars  of  heaven ;  while, 
on  the  contrary,  according  to  v.  12,  the 
sun  is  only  near  setting.     Then  in  the 
daytime  Abraham  sees  the  stars,  which 
is  only  possible  in  vision.    In  like  man- 
ner, we  think  there  can  be  no  reason- 
able doubt,  that  Abraham's  entertain- 
ing the  three  angels.  Gen.  IS  :  1-8,  was 
done  in  vision ;  as  otherwise  we  seem 
to  be  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  they, 
for  the  time  being,  assumed  material 
bodies,  bodies  capable  of  eating  and 
drinking   material   food — a  theory  en- 
compassed with  difficulties  all  but  in- 
superable.   So  also  we  read,  Jer.  13: 
1-7,  that  Jeremiah  was  commanded  to 
go  to  the  river  Euphrates  and  hide  his 


354 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


hand  :  and  the  ass  turned  aside 
out  of  the  way,  and  went  into 

girdle  there  in  a  hole  of  the  rock.  Yet 
the  prophet  was  then  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  hundreds  of  miles  from  the 
Euphrates.  Thus  again,  Ezekiel,  when 
in  the  land  of  Babylon,  eh.  8  : 1-12,  was 
ordered  to  dig  a  hole  in  the  wall  at 
Jerusalem,  and  then  shown  the  abom- 
inations committed  by  the  house  of  Ju- 
dah,  which,  of  course,  must  have  trans- 
pired in  a  vision.  In  a  vision,  more- 
over, we  suppose  that  Hosea  took  "  a 
wife  of  whoredoms "  according  to  the 
divine  command,  Hos.  1 :  2,  although 
this  is  not  intimated  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter.  Into  the  same  category  comes 
also  the  sight  (Heb.  mareJi)  of  the  burn- 
ing bush  by  Moses,  Ex.  3  :  2,  and  the 
voice  addressed  to  Samuel  in  the  tem- 
ple, 1  Sam.  3:1.  ''  The  word  of  the 
Lord,"  it  is  said,  "was  precious  in 
those  days ;  there  was  no  open  vision ;" 
according  to  which  the  occurrence  had 
no  doubt  the  character  of  a  vision.  It 
is  said  also,  v.  15,  that  "  Samuel  feared 
to  show  Eli  iho,  vision''^  (Heb.  mareJi). 
But  the  word  raareh  is  always  used  of 
internal  visions  and  sights.  In  the  New 
Testament  we  meet  with  some  striking 
parallel  cases,  where  a  manifestation, 
apparently  external  and  objective,  is 
yet  really  internal  and  subjective.  Thus 
in  John  12  :  28,  29,  the  Evangelist  speaks 
of  a  voice  which  came  from  heaven  in  a 
manner  that  would  indicate  a  perfectly 
audible  external  and  articulate  voice, 
and  yet  it  is  plain,  from  what  follows, 
that  it  was  addressed  to  the  inner  sense 
of  certain  individuals  present,  while  to 
the  outward  ear  of  others  it  seemed  only 
as  a  vague  hollow  noise.  To  those 
alone  who  were  capable  of  the  opening 
of  an  internal  sense  were  the  precise 
words  intelligible ;  while  the  multitude 
hear  only  a  sound  without  meaning. 
Such,  also,  was  the  case  in  Paul's  con- 


the  field  :  and  Balaam  smote  the 
ass,  to  turn  her  into  the  way. 


version,  Acts  9  : 3-8.  There  is  not  a 
word  in  the  narrative  itself  to  indicate 
that  the  incident  was  to  him  internal  or 
subjective,  yet  upon  comparing  ch.  y  :  7, 
with  ch.  22  :  9,  we  are  forced  inevitably 
to  that  conclusion.  Finally,  we  should 
not  judge  from  the  mere  sense  of  the  let- 
ter, that  the  women,  who  visited  our 
Lord's  sepulchre  early  in  the  morning, 
Luke  24  :  14,  saw  the  two  angels  clothed 
in  white  with  any  other  than  their  nat- 
ural eyes,  and  yet  it  is  indubitable  that 
it  was  by  the  sudden  opening  of  their 
spiritual  eyes  that  they  were  favored 
with  the  vision.  These  instances,  it  is 
thought,  are  suflBcient  to  warrant  the 
conclusion,  that  the  prevailing  histori- 
cal character  of  a  narrative  like  the 
present  does  not  militate  with  the  fact 
of  its  being  at  the  same  time  the  record 
of  a  transaction  occurring  within  the 
domain  of  the  spiritual  world.  Yet 
neither  on  the  other  hand  do  they  neces- 
sitate a  spiritual  construction.  There  is 
a  presumptive  and  prima  facie  evidence 
in  favor  of  the  historical  sense,  unless 
some  paramount  reason  can  be  adduced 
for  rejecting  it.  Even  though  the  sub- 
jective view  might  be  intrinsically  ad- 
missible, still  the  opposite  view  may  be 
the  most  probable. 

(2.)  It  is  maintained  that  Peter,  2  Pet. 
2  :  15,  16,  speaks  of  the  incident  as  an 
external  one  : — "  Which  have  forsaken 
the  right  way,  and  are  gone  astray,  fol- 
lowing the  way  of  Balaam  the  son  of 
Bosor,  who  loved  the  wages  of  unright- 
eousness ;  but  was  rebuked  for  his  ini- 
quity :  the  dumb  ass,  speaking  with 
man's  voice,  forbade  the  madness  of 
the  prophet." 

To  this  it  is  answered,  that  the  mere 
quotation  of  a  passage  like  this  from 
the  Old  Testament  does  not  necessarily 
establish  the  sense  of  the  latter  as  the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


355 


true  sense.  The  wnter  takes  it  as  he 
finds  it,  and  as  the  latter  alone  conveys 
the  lesson  which  he  wishes  to  teach,  he 
neither  afiirms  nor  denies  as  to  any 
other  sense.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand, 
as  the  literal  sense  is  the  most  obvious 
sense,  and  such  as  would  strike  the 
mass  of  readers  as  the  true  one,  so  Pe- 
ter may  have  been  prompted  to  cite  it 
as  having  that  sense,  and  which  it  is 
impossible  to  show  to  be  erroneous. 

"Various  other  considerations  might 
be  adduced  bearing  upon  the  points 
above  stated,  but  we  pass  them  by  to 
exhibit  a  little  more  distinctly  the  posi- 
tive grounds  on  which  Hengstenberg 
and  others  rely  to  establish  the  sub- 
jectivity of  the  incident. 

(1.)  Visions  and  dreams  are  desig- 
nated in  Num.  12  :  6,  as  the  ordinary 
mode  of  divine  communication  to  the 
prophets,  and  as  Balaam  belonged  to 
this  class  of  men,  and  the  speaking  of 
the  ass  to  communications  from  God, 
who  is  expressly  said  to  have  "  opened 
the  mouth  of  the  ass,"  we  are  author- 
ized, it  is  said,  to  assume  that  the  pres- 
ent was  a  case  of  subjective  or  visionary 
revelation. 

(2.)  Balaam,  in  the  introduction  to 
his  third  and  fourth  prophecies,  ch.  24 : 
3,  4,  15,  16,  speaks  of  himself  as  "  the 
man  which  heard  the  words  of  God, 
which  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 
falling  into  a  trance,  but  having  his 
eyes  open."  It  is  maintained,  that  the 
reference  in  this  passage  is  especially 
to  the  incident  here  recorded.  It  was 
on  this  occasion  that  he  fell  into  a  trance, 
and  in  that  state  had  his  spiritual  eyes 
opened  to  perceive  and  read  the  lessons 
which  the  Lord  designed  in  this  way  to 
impart  to  him.  The  visions  of  the  Al- 
mighty were  usually  accorded  in  a  state 
of  prophetic  ecstasy.  The  presumption 
therefore  is,  that  if  such  a  man  as  Ba- 
laam, a  seer  by  profession,  sees  and 
hears  in  his  own  proper  sphere,  what 


he  thus  hears  and  sees  is  spiritual  in- 
stead of  natural.  If  the  contrary  is 
maintained,  it  sb(^uld  be  clearly  estab- 
lished. The  advocates  of  the  strictly 
historical  theory  reply  to  this,  that  there 
is  none  but  mere  conjectural  ground  for 
affirming  that  the  passage  cited  refers 
to  the  miraculous  event  imder  consid- 
eration. Viewed  in  its  relations  to  the 
context  it  appears  to  have  a  much  more 
natural  reference  to  the  state  into  which 
he  was  brought  when  uttering  the  in- 
spired prophecies  recorded  in  the  sub- 
sequent chapters. 

(3.)  It  cannot  well  be  doubted  that 
the  appearance  of  the  angel  immediate- 
ly preceding  the  speaking  of  the  ass 
was  an  appearance  addressed  not  to  the 
outward,  but  to  the  inward  senses.  But 
if  the  appearance  of  the  angel  was  de- 
signed for  the  spiritual  eye  of  Balaam, 
then  we  may  reasonably  suppose  also 
that  the  voice  of  the  ass  was  intended 
for  his  spiritual  ear.  That  such  was 
the  fact,  it  is  supposed,  may  be  con- 
cluded from  the  circumstance  of  his  not 
seeing  the  angel  as  soon  as  the  ass  saw 
him.  But  why  should  not  he  and  the 
animal  have  seen  him  simultaneously 
if  he  actually  appeared  on  the  natural 
plane  like  any  other  external  object? 
To  this,  however,  it  is  an  obvious  re- 
ply, that  admitting  there  was  a  spirit- 
ual or  internal  perception  of  the  angel, 
it  does  not  follow  that  the  vocal  utter- 
ances of  the  ass  were  heard  by  any 
other  than  the  natural  ear.  A  miracle, 
on  any  ground,  must  be  admitted  in  the 
case,  and  taking  this  for  granted,  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  conceiving  that  di- 
vine power  may  have  caused  articulate 
sounds  to  proceed  from  the  thorax  of 
the  animal  that  could  be  heard  by  the 
outward  ear  as  readily  as  his  natural 
bray. 

(4.)  The  declaration  that  "  God  open- 
ed the  eyes  of  Balaam"  goes  far  to 
establish   the   internal   or    subjective 


856 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


character  of  the  miracle.  The  eyes 
here  opened  were  the  eyes  of  the  mind, 
not  of  the  body.  There  is  no  intima- 
tion of  physical  blindness,  and  there- 
fore the  words  can  only  properly  be 
compared  with  such  as  the  following  : 
— 2  Kings  6  :  17,  "  And  Elisha  prayed, 
and  said,  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  open  his 
eyes,  that  he  may  see.  And  the  Lord 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man ;  and 
he  saw  :  and  behold,  the  mountain  was 
full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round 
about  Elisha."  Ps.  119:18,  "Open 
thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  won- 
drous things  out  of  thy  law."  On  this 
head  it  is  readily  granted  that  there 
was  a  supernatural  couching  of  Ba- 
laam's vision  to  enable  him  to  see  the 
angel  standing  in  menacing  attitude 
before  him,  but  it  is  denied  that  we 
can  justly  argue  from  this  that  there 
was  any  tJdng  more  of  a  miraculous  in- 
fluence exerted  upon  Balaam.  So  far 
as  a  "  vision  "  is  predicated  of  the  pro- 
phet, it  seems  to  have  been  confined  to 
this  single  feature  of  the  transaction. 
Nor  is  it  to  be  doubted  that  the  same 
power  which  opened  Balaam's  eyes  to 
the  perception  of  the  angel  may  also 
have  opened  the  eyes  of  the  ass  to  the 
view  of  the  same  object. 

(5.)  The  fact  that  Balaam  expresses 
no  astonishment  at  the  occurrence  ar- 
gues strongly  in  favor  of  its  internal 
character.  What  could  take  place  more 
astounding,  as  an  external  event,  than 
for  a  man  to  find  himself  addressed  by 
a  dumb  beast  in  a  moving  remonstrance 
against  his  cruelty, — "What  have  I 
done  unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  smitten 
me  these  three  times?"  Should  we 
not  suppose  he  would  have  been  struck 
speechless  himself  at  thus  hearing  arti- 
culate speech  proceeding  apparently 
from  the  organs  of  the  beast  on  which 
he  rode  ?  Yet  he  expresses  not  the 
least  particle  of  surprise,  but  in  a  fit 
of  petulancy,  as  if  chiding  an  old  cross- 


grained  servant,  exclaims,  "  Because 
thou  hast  mocked  me ;  I  would  there 
were  a  sword  in  mine  hand,  for  now 
would  I  kill  thee."  This  would  seem 
to  be  far  enough  from  the  language  of 
a  man  whose  attention  has  just  been 
arrested  by  a  prodigy  so  overwhelm- 
ingly marvellous.  He  answers  as  coolly 
as  if  such  an  altercation,  carried  on  by 
blows  on  one  side  and  complaints  on 
the  other,  had  been  a  matter  of  frequent 
occurrence.  It  cannot  be  denied  that 
there  is  considerable  force  in  this  sug- 
gestion, though  it  cannot  be  regarded 
as  absolutely  decisive.  It  is  not  the 
wont  of  Holy  Writ  to  describe  the  emo- 
tions experienced  by  parties  witnessing 
marvellous  or  miraculous  events.  We 
cannot  recall  any  one  instance  where 
this  is  done,  and  therefore  feel  that  the 
force  of  the  present  objection,  if  not  en- 
tirely annulled,  is  at  least  greatly  weak- 
ened. 

(6.)  The  current  of  Jewish  interpre- 
tation, it  is  said,  is  in  favor  of  the  vis- 
ionary character  of  the  transaction. 
To  this  purpose  the  following  remark  is 
quoted  from  Maimonides : — "  In  what- 
ever connection  we  find  it  written  in 
Scripture  that  an  angel  spoke  with  any 
one,  or  that  any  thing  was  revealed  to 
any  one  by  God,  you  are  to  know  that 
this  is  to  be  no  otherwise  understood 
than  as  having  been  done  in  a  dream 
or  a  prophetic  vision."  To  this  it  is 
replied,  that  the  solution  is  admitted 
where  a  simple  theophany,  or  a  vision 
of  angels  is  concerned.  An  ecstatic 
state  is  granted  to  have  occurred  to  Ba- 
laam so  far  as  relates  to  the  rencontre 
with  the  angel.  He  was  undoubtedly 
seen  with  the  eyes  of  the  mind,  and  not 
of  the  body ;  but  when  we  go  beyond 
this,  and  claim  that  the  other  incidents 
of  the  journey  were  visionary  or  sub- 
jective, it  is  contended  that  the  evidence 
is  insufiicient  to  establish  the  position. 
It  is  scarcely  possible    to  resist   the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


357 


conviction  that  the  prophet  actually 
saddled  and  mounted  the  ass,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  his  journey  like  any  other 
traveller — that  he  passed  through  just 
such  localities  as  are  described — that 
the  animal  thrust  herself  against  the 
wall  in  affright,  thereby  crushing  Ba- 
laam's foot — and  that  then,  and  not  till 
then,  did  any  of  the  incidents  become 
visionary.  But  at  that  particular  crisis 
the  angel  was  revealed  to  the  spiritual 
eyes  of  Balaam,  and  the  visionary  or 
ecstatic  state  continued  as  long  as  the 
interview  lasted  with  the  angelic  per- 
sonage. Otherwise,  it  appears  impos- 
sible to  define  the  limits  between  the 
external  or  historical  and  the  subjec- 
tive. Where  is  the  line  of  demarca- 
tion? "What  part  of  the  narrative  is 
natural,  and  what  supernatural  ?  It 
would  seem,  therefore,  the  safest  and 
soundest  position,  to  hold  that  all  the 
incidents  actually  occurred  on  the  nat- 
ural plane  with  the  single  exception  of 
the  prophet's  seeing  and  conversing 
with  the  angel. 

Y.  23.  Avd  7iu  sword  draicn  in  Ms 
hand.  The  import  of  "sword"  as  a 
symbol  is  that  of  opposition  or  antag- 
onism, amounting  in  many  cases  to 
what  is  usually  understood  by  wrath  or 
vengeance.  Thus  David,  1  Chron.  21  : 
16,  beheld  the  angel  that  plagued  Is- 
rael "  with  a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand." 
Joshua,  in  like  manner,  saw  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  similarly  armed,  Josh.  5 : 
13,  14,  when  he  appeared  to  him  as 
"  captain  of  the  Lord's  host,"  and  about 
to  execute  judgment  against  the  Ca- 
naanites.  The  appearance  of  the  angel 
thus  accoutred  in  the  present  instance 
carried  with  it  the  implication,  that  if 
the  prophet  presumed  to  pronounce  a 
curse  upon  the  people  whom  the  Lord 
had  blessed,  it  would  be  regarded  as 
virtually  declaring  war  against  God  and 
his  holy  angels,  who  would  assuredly 


fight  against  him.  "  Balaam  went  with 
a  purpose  to  curse  Israel,  and  after- 
wards to  have  them  killed  with  the 
sword.  His  curses  would  have  been 
like  "  the  piercings  of  a  sword ; "  he 
had  "  whetted  his  tongue  as  a  sword," 
and  bent  his  arrow  "even  a  bitter 
word ; "  and  the  Lord  to  reward  him 
according  to  his  works  sendeth  out  a 
sword  against  him." — Ainsworth.  But 
for  the  present  Balaam  was  so  blinded 
by  his  cupidity,  that  he  saw  not  the 
formidable  opponent  who  confronted 
him  in  his  way.  Little  cause  had  he 
now  to  boast  of  his  visions,  when  his 
ass  saw  more  than  he  did.  How  many 
have  God  and  the  angels  of  God  against 
them,  who  do  not  see  it !  So,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  righteous  are  surround- 
ed like  Elijah  and  Elisha  with  chariots 
of  fire  and  horses  of  fire  for  their  pro- 
tection, though  like  the  servant  of  the 
latter  they  may  require  the  couching 
of  their  spiritual  eyes  in  order  to  see  it. 
"  What  a  comfort  is  this  to  all  that  wish 
well  to  the  Israel  of  God,  that  he  never 
suffers  wicked  men  to  form  any  attempt 
against  them,  without  sending  his  holy 
angels  forth  to  break  this  attempt,  and 

secure   his    little    ones." — Henry. 

\  The  ass  turned  aside  oxit  of  the  way, 
etc.  It  might  without  impropriety  here 
have  been  said  to  Balaam  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Job,  "  Ask  now  the  beasts  and 
they  shall  teach  thee,"  for  his  folly  was 
here  reproved  by  the  action  of  the  ass, 
as  it  was  afterwards  by  her  words.  In- 
asmuch as  Balaam's  own  way  was  per- 
verse before  the  Lord,  as  he  had  for- 
saken the  right  way  and  gone  astray, 
2  Pet.  2 :  15,  so  we  may  properly  recog- 
nize a  representation  of  this  in  the 
turning  aside  of  the  ass,  which  should 
have  given  her  rider  a  useful  hint,  not- 
withstanding the  animal  was  prompted 
to  the  movement  by  a  sufficient  cause. 
"  The  ass  knows  his  owner,"  sees  his 
danger,  and    avoids    it,    but  Balaam 


358 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


24  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
stood  in  a  path  of  the  vineyards, 
a  wall  being  on  this  side,  and  a 
wall  on  that  side. 

25  And  when  the  ass  saw  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  she  thrust 

"does  not  know,  does  not  consider," 
and  therefore  virtually  rushes  on  to  de- 
struction, V.  33. TT  And  went  into 

fhe  field.  "In  the  East  the  roads  are 
like  bridle-paths  across  comnaons,  and 
even  through  cultivated  grounds  are 
wholly  unenclosed,  except  when  they 
pass  through  gardens  and  plantations 
in  the  neighborhood  of  towns." — Pict. 
Bible.  Mr.  Kitto  suggests  in  the  same 
connection,  that  the  ass,  after  the  first 
view  of  the  angel,  turned  aside  from 
one  of  these  bridle-paths  into  the  wide 
fiields  through  which  it  passed.  Balaam 
then  forced  her  back  by  blows  into  the 
road.  But  presently  they  came  to  a 
place  where  a  deviation  from  the  road 
was  not  possible,  seeing  it  was  confined 
by  vineyard  walls  on  the  right  hand 
and  on  the  left.  This  fact  he  regards 
as  an  intimation,  that  they  were  ap- 
proaching a  town  or  village,  and  that 
the  Moabite  lords  had  gone  on  ahead 
to  prepare  a  place  for  the  diviner's  re- 
ception. As  the  ass  was  gradually  com- 
pelled into  narrower  and  narrower 
straits,  so  it  was  with  Balaam  himself, 
and  so  it  is  with  all  men  who  imitate 
his  perverse  example  in  turning  aside 
from  the  straightforward  path,  and 
roam  abroad  in  the  open  fields  or  by- 
ways of  disobedience. T[  And  Ba- 
laam smote  the  ass,  to  turn  her  into  the 
way.  Gr.  "  Smote  the  ass  with  his  rod, 
or  staff","  taken  doubtless  from  v.  27. 
The  perverseness  of  Balaam  was  equal 
to  that  of  the  beast,  and  equally  deserv- 
ing of  chastisement. 

V.  24.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  in 
a  path  of  the  vineyards.    Heb.  be-mish- 


herself  unto  the  wall,  and  crush- 
ed Balaam's  foot  against  the 
wall :  and  he  smote  her  again. 
26  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
went  further,  and  stood  in  a  nar- 
row place,  where  was  no  way  to 


ol,  in  a  very  narrow  pass.  The  walls 
of  two  adjoining  vineyards  here  stood 
so  near  to  each  other  that  an  extremely 
narrow  passage  was  all  that  remained 
between  them,  and  the  ass  therefore 
could  not  diverge  into  the  fields,  as  she 
had  done  before.  If  she  attempted  to 
move  either  way,  in  consequence  of  her 
advance  being  opposed,  she  must  neces- 
sarily be  brought  in  collision  with  the 
wall  on  one  side  or  the  other. 

V.  25.  She  thrust  herself  against 
the  wall,  and  crushed  Balaam's  foot 
against  the  wall.  The  original  word  for 
"thrust"  and  "crushed"  is  here  the 
same  ilahatz),  only  one  is  in  the  passive 
or  reflexive  form,  and  the  other  in  the 
active — lit.  "  She  was  violently  pressed 
against  the  wall,  and  violently  pressed 
Balaam's  foot  against  the  wall."  The 
word  occurs,  2  Kings  6 :  32,  where  the 
king's  messenger,  who  was  sent  to  take 
away  Elisha's  head,  was  "pressed  (or 
crushed)  in  the  door,"  though  rendered 
in  our  version  "  held  fast."  "  The  chil- 
dren of  God  have  the  angels  to  keep 
them  in  all  their  ways,  and  to  bear 
them  up,  '  lest  they  dash  their  foot 
against  a  stone,'  but  Balaam,  tempting 
the  Lord,  hath  his  angel  to  withstand 
him,  whereby  his  foot  is  crushed  against 
the  wall ;  yet  maketh  he  no  good  use 
thereof." — Ainsworth.  Physical  disas- 
ters may  befall  the  best  of  men,  but  the 
occurrence  of  such  incidents  is  always 
calculated  to  prompt  the  inquiry  within 
us,  whether  our  way  is  right  in  his 
sight  or  not. 

v.  26.  Where  was  no  way  to  turn  either 
to  tlie  right  hand  or  to  the  left.    The 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


859 


turn  either  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left. 

27  And  when  the  ass  saw  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  she  fell  down 
under   Balaam  :    and   Balaam's 


road-way,  it  seems,  continued  to  grow 
more  and  more  compressed  and  nar- 
row, till  at  length  it  passed  between 
walls  so  near  together  that  any  degree 
of  turning  was  impossible.  Here  again 
thp  opposing  angel  took  his  station, 
and  for  the  third  time  arrested  the  pro- 
gress of  the  ass  and  his  rider — emble- 
matical, as  we  have  before  remarked, 
of  the  gradual  course  of  the  Divine 
providence  in  hedging  up  the  way  of 
wicked  men,  and  causing  them  to  fall 
before  him.  "Fear,  and  the  pit,  and 
the  snare  shall  be  upon  thee.  He  that 
fleeth  from  the  fear,  shall  fall  into  the 
pit ;  and  he  that  getteth  up  out  of  the 
pit,  shall  be  taken  in  the  snare."  Jer. 
48  :  43,  44. 

V.  27.  And  when  the  ass  saw  the  angel 
of  the  Lord,  she  fell  down  under  Balaam. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  an  old  Pythago- 
rean maxim,  "  Go  not  in  the  way  where 
an  ass  has  fallen  down,"  something  of 
evil  omen  being  thereby  implied.  But 
for  the  deplorable  hardness  of  Balaam's 
heart,  he  must  have  been  struck  and 
confounded  by  so  extraordinary  an  in- 
cident as  the  ass'  falling  to  the  ground, 
as  she  was  not  usually  restive,  nor  had 
she  ever  before  served  him  thus.  But 
he  was  too  intent  upon  the  attainment 
of  his  ends  to  consider  the  circumstance 
in  its  true  light,  and  also  to  be  aware 
that  the  falling  of  the  ass  had  been  the 
means  of  saving  his  life  from  the  sword 

of  the  angel. 1[  And  Balaam's  anger 

was  kindled,  and  he  smote  the  ass  with  a 
staff.  "Thus  they  who  by  wilful  sin 
are  running  headlong  into  perdition, 
are  angry  at  those  who  would  prevent 
their  ruin." — Henry. 


anger  was  kindled,  and  he  smote 
the  ass  with  a  staff. 

28  And  the  Lord  opened *■  the 
mouth  of  the  ass;  and  she  said 


V.  28.  The  Lord  opened  the  mouth  of 
the  ass.  The  precise  nature  of  the 
miracle  here  recorded  it  is  not  easy  to 
define.  From  the  simple  letter  we 
should  infer  that  the  vocal  sounds  were 
formed  by  the  pulmonary  organs  of  the 
animal,  nor  can  we  afiirm  that  such  was 
not  the  fact.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  may  have  been  caused  by  a  direct 
act  of  divine  power,  and  made  to  pro- 
duce upon  the  auditory  nerve  of  Ba- 
laam the  same  effect  as  if  they  had  is- 
sued from  the  organs  of  the  ass.  But 
certain  it  is,  that  the  ass  understood 
nothing  that  was  uttered.  Articulate 
sounds  with  men  are  caused  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  mind  operating  upon  the 
lungs,  and  are,  in  fact,  thought  speak- 
ing. Not  so  with  the  brute  animal. 
He  is  not  capable  of  that  kind  of 
thought  which  shapes  itself  into  words, 
and,  therefore,  if  he  speaks,  his  lungs 
must  be  mechanically  moved  by  a 
foreign  power,  or  the  speaking  must 
proceed  apparently  from  the  animal, 
but  really  from  Omnipotence.  The 
difference,  however,  between  the  twcw 
modes  of  construing  the  record  is  rather 
formal  than  real.  A  miracle  is  to  be 
affirmed  in  either  case,  and  on  either 
view  the  credit  of  the  Holy  Volume,  as 
an  inspired  book,  is  abundantly  sus- 
tained,  T[  What  have  I  done  unto 

thee,  that  thou  hast  smitten  me  these 
three  times  f  The  simple  pathos  of  this 
appeal  would  seem  capable  of  softening 
the  obduracy  and  disarming  the  rage 
of  Balaam,  whose  madness  was  thus 
powerfully  and  afiectingly  rebuked. 
But  one  whose  folly  would  not  be 
amended  by  braying  in  a  mortar,  Prov, 


360 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


unto  Balaam,  What  have  I  done 
unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  smit- 
ten me  these  three  times  ? 

29  And  Balaam  said  unto  the 
ass,  Because  thou  hast  mocked 
me :  I  would  there  were  a  sword 
in  mine  hand, '  for  now  would  I 
kill  thee. 

«  Ps.  12. 10. 

27  :  22,  would  be  little  likely  to  be 
wrought  upon  by  the  intelligent  and 
articulate  Iraying  of  the  ass. 

Y.  29.  Because  tliou  hast  mocked  me. 
He  could  see  the  alleged  mockery  of 
the  ass  toward  him,  but  could  not  real- 
ize his  own  mockery  of  God,  who  had 
so  solemnly  charged  him  as  to  the  con- 
duct he  was  to  observe  in  this  emer- 
gency.  T[  For  now  I  would  hill  thee. 

This  might  properly  have  reminded 
him  of  his  impotency  in  regard  to  any 
injury  he  would  have  inflicted  upon 
Israel.  His  will  would  not  be  seconded 
by  his  ability.  Another  practical  lesson 
to  bo  drawn  from  this  item  of  the  nar- 
rative is  suggested  by  the  old  commen- 
tator Ness :  "  The  ass  had  turned  out 
of  the  literal  highway  for  saving  her 
own  life,  and  the  life  of  her  master,  yet 
did  he  smite  her,  and  would  have  killed 
her  for  so  doing :  Whereas  himself  had 
turned  out  of  the  metaphorical  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  followed  his  own  crooked 
ways  with  a  purpose  to  destroy  the 
lives  of  God's  people ;  therefore  he  de- 
served more  to  be  smitten,  yea,  and 
killed,  than  his  ass." 

V.  30.  XJxion  which  thou  hast  ridden 
ever  since  (I  was)  thine  tmto  this  day. 
The  phrase  in  the  original  is  somewhat 
indefinite,  being  made  up  of  the  particle 
for  "since"  and  the  suffix  ''thou"  or 
"thine" — lit.  "since  thou,"  i.  e.,  since 
thou  wast  a  rider,  Gr.  "From  thy 
youth."  Chald.  "  Since  thou  hast  been." 
Sam.  "From  thy  beginning."  Vulg. 
"Am  not  I  thy  beast  on  which  thou 


30  And  the  ass  said  unto 
Balaam,  Am  not  I  thine  ass, 
upon  which  thou  hast  ridden 
ever  since  /  was  thine  unto 
this  day?  was  I  ever  wont  to 
do  so  unto  thee  ?  And  he  said, 
Nay. 

31  Then  the  Lord  opened'  the 

t  Gen.  -21.  19.     -l  K.  6.  17.  Luke  24.  16,  31. 


hast  been  always  accustomed  to  ride 
until  this  present  day?"  The  import 
probably  is,  that  he  was  the  only  ani- 
mal on  which  Balaam  had  ridden  since 
the  time  that  he  began  to  ride  at  all,  or, 
in  other  words,  from  his  youth.  He 
was  his  familiar  hack ;  and  as  he  had 
now  done  three  times  what  he  had  never 
done  before,  h»  had  at  least  the  right 
to  claim  of  Balaam  that  he  should  at- 
tribute it  to  some  extraordinary  cause. 
See  a  parallel  usage.  Gen.  48 :  15,  where 
the  same  Heb.  term  is  rendered  "all 
my  life  long."    Gr.  "  From  my  youth." 

T[  Was  I  ever  wont  to  do  so  unto 

thee  f  Heb.  "  Have  I  accustoming  been 
accustomed  ?"  As  the  ass  was  of  course 
incapable  of  understanding  Balaam,  or 
of  making  any  such  remonstrance  as 
this,  the  words  are  to  be  considered  as 
the  Lord's  own  rebuke,  apparently  ut- 
tered by  the  dumb  beast,  of  the  harsh- 
ness and  cruelty  of  Balaam.  It  clearly 
involved  the  implication,  that  when  the 
creatures  over  whom  the  Lord  has 
given  us  dominion,  depart  from  their 
wonted  obedience,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  there  is  some  good  reason  for  it, 
and  that  reason  is  to  be  sought  in  oui*- 
selves.  To  forbear  to  make  the  inquiry 
is  to  give  evidence  of  astonishing  hard- 
ness of  heart  and  blindness  of  mind. 
\  And  he  said,  JVay.  Thus  confess- 
ing to  the  justice  of  the  ass's  plea. 
Even  with  all  his  perverseness  he  could 
not  withstand  the  reasonableness  of  the 
expostulation. 
V.  81.  Then  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes 


B.C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


361 


eyes  of  Balaam,  and  he  saw  the  j  his  hand  :  and  he  bowed  "  down 
angel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  his  head,  and  fell  flat  on  his  face. 
the  way,  and  his  SAVord  drawn  in 


of  Balaam,  and  Tie  savi  the  angel,  etc. 
Or,  Heb.  "  Uncovered  the  eyes,"  as  if 
bj  the  removal  of  a  veil.  That  is,  the 
eyes  of  his  spirit,  for  angels  and  divine 
theophanies  are  never  seen  by  the  nat- 
ural eye.  He  had,  no  doubt,  the  use 
of  outward  vision  before,  but  here  was 
a  supernatural  couching  of  the  internal 
eye  which  revealed  to  him  a  divine  an- 
tagonist confronting  him  in  his  way. 
The  reproving  aspect  of  the  august  per- 
sonage before  him  was  rendered  still 
more  terrible  by  the  drawn  sword  in 
his  hand,  the  symbol  of  opposition  and 
warfare.  The  prophet  was  apparently 
going  forward  in  accordance  with  a  di- 
vine dictation,  yet  in  truth  in  contra- 
riety to  the  will  of  God.  A  conditional 
permission  he  had  construed  uncon- 
ditionally, and  notwithstanding  he  had 
been  so  solemnly  assured  that  Israel 
was  blessed,  and  was  to  he  Messed,  still 
he  was  going  with  a  desire  and  a  pur- 
pose to  curse  them.  In  order  to  awaken 
him  to  a  sense  of  his  wickedness,  the 
Lord  sent  an  angel,  or  rather  appeared 
as  an  angel,  to  stop  him  in  his  pre- 
sumptuous course.  It  is  thus  that  the 
Most  High  often  interposes  to  arrest 
the  progress  of  sinners,  and  prevent 
the  commission  of  iniquity.  Not  that 
he  manifests  himself  precisely  in  tliis 
uay,  but  as  his  resources  are  infinite, 
he  has  innumerable  methods  of  putting 
forth  providential  hindrances  in  the 
way  of  the  perpetration  of  evil  on  the 
part  of  rash  or  heedless  transgressors. 
How  many,  by  the  approach  of  some 
unexpected  person,  or  by  some  sugges- 
tion of  their  own  minds,  ai'e  deterred 
from  theft,  robbery,  burglary,  adultery, 
or  murder.  It  only  requires  that  the 
eyes  of  our  understandings  should  be 
opened  to  see  under  what  obligations 
16 


of  gratitude  we  are  laid  by  these  sea- 
sonable and  saving  interpositions,  how- 
ever unwelcome  they  may  be  at  the 
time.  "Lo  all  these  things  worketh 
God  often  times  with  man,  to  bring 
back  his  soul  from  the  pit,  that  he  may 
be  enlightened  with  the  light  of  the  liv- 
ing." "When  our  eyes  are  opened, 
we  shall  see  what  danger  we  are  in  in  a 
sinful  way;  and  how  much  it  was  for 
our  advantage  to  be  crossed  in  it,  and 
what  fools  we  were  to  quarrel  with  our 
crosses,  which  helped  to  save  our  lives." 

— Henry. ^  And  he  bowed  down  his 

head,  and  fell  flat  on  his  face.  The 
original  is  here  marked  by  a  certain 
degree  of  ambiguity,  so  that  we  are  left 
in  doubt  whether  it  is  intended  to  be 
said  that  Balaam  fell  down  upon  his 
own  face,  or  that  he  prostrated  himself 
before  the  face  or  person  of  the  angel, 
as  is  clearly  understood  by  the  Greek. 
The  usage  of  the  Hebrew  will  admit  of 
either' rendering,  but  it  would  require 
an  extended  display  of  that  usage  to  de- 
termine the  question  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  reader.  This  we  shall  waive  for 
the  present,  simply  remarking  that,  as 
far  as  we  have  investigated  the  diction 
of  the  sacred  writers,  the  evidence  pre- 
ponderates to  our  mind  in  favor  of  the 
Greek  version,  viz.,  that  he  humbled 
himself  before  the  face  of  the  angel. 
So  also  the  Yulg.  "  Adoravit  eum  pro- 
I  nus  in  terram,"  adored  him  {falling) 
'  prone  to  the  ground.  It  would  seem  that 
Balaam  recognized  in  the  heavenly  vis- 
itant a  proper  object  of  the  profoundest 
worship,  which  we  know  that  angels 
are  not.  From  the  tenor  of  the  narra- 
tive it  is  to  be  inferred,  also,  that  Balaam 
had  at  this  time  dismounted  from  the 
ass,  which  he  had  probably  done  when 
she  laid  down  under  him,  v.  27. 


862 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


32  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
said  unto  him,  Wherefore  hast 
thou   smitten   thine   ass  "  these 


V.  32.  Wherefore  hast  thou  smitten 
thine  ass,  etc.  The  Angel-Jehovah  here 
opens  his  rebuke  of  the  prophet  by 
charging  upon  him  his  abusive  treat- 
ment of  the  beast  on  which  he  rode. 
He  is  determined  to  show  himself  the 
avenger  of  the  wrongs  of  the  brute 
creation,  over  which  man  was  appoint- 
ed to  rule,  but  not  to  tyrannize.  But 
this  was  not  the  only  lesson  which  Ba- 
laam was  bound  to  learn  from  this  in- 
cident. If  the  laws  of  mercy  forbade 
him  to  treat  thus  cruelly  the  simple 
ass,  and  that  without  adequate  cause, 
how  much  more  was  he  forbidden  to 
smite  innocent  men  with  the  scourge  or 
curse  of  his  tongue,  when  the  Lord  had 
declared  himself  their  patron-protector. 
The  proper  inference,  moreover,  to  be 
drawn  by  Balaam  was,  that  he  had 
much  more  reason  to  smite  upon  his 
own  breast,  and  to  condemn  himself, 
than  to  have  bestowed  his  blows  upon 

the  ass. T[  /  went  out  to  withstand 

thee.  Heb.  "  To  be  a  satan  to  thee,"  as 
in  V.  22,  on  which  see  Note.  The  lan- 
guage conveys  the  idea,  that  if  men,  by 
their  perverseness  and  disobedience, 
will  act  a  satanic  part  towards  God,  he 
also  will  repay  them  in  kind,  and  act  a 
satanic  part,  or  what  shall  seem  such, 
towards  them.  "  If  ye  walk  contrary  to 
me,  I  also  will  walk  contrary  to  you." 
"In  what  case  are  the  wicked,  that 
have  God's  angels  for  their  opposites ! 
How  deplorable  and  desperate  is  their 
estate!  God  they  have  made  their 
enemy,  angels  they  cannot  call  their 
friends,  devils  labor  to  destroy  them, 
the  world  cannot  save  them;  whither 
Should  they  run  for  refuge?  'They 
shall  keep  us  in  our  ways ;'  out  of  the 


three  times  ?  behold,  I  went 
out  to  withstand  thee,  because 
thy '"  way  is  perverse  ■"  before  mo : 


X  Prov.  14.  2.     28.  18. 


way  it  is  their  charge  to  oppose  us,  as 
it  is  to  preserve  us  in  the  way.  Nor  is 
this  more  a  terror  to  the  ungodly,  than 
to  the  righteous  a  comfort.  For  if  an 
angel  would  keep  even  a  Balaam  from 
sinning,  how  much  more  careful  are  all 
those  glorious  powers  to  prevent  the 
miscarriages  of  God's  children  !  From 
how  many  falls  and  bruises  have  they 
saved  us !  In  how  many  inclinations 
to  evil  have  they  turned  us,  either  by 
removing  occasions,  or  by  secretly  cast- 
ing in  good  motions !  We  sin  too  often, 
and  should  catch  many  more  falls,  if 
those  holy  guardians  did  not  uphold 

us." — Adams. T[  Because  (thy)  way 

is  perverse  before  me.  Heb.  ydrat  had- 
derek  lenegdi,  the  way  is  rash,  preci])i- 
tate,  perilous  before  me.  We  have  given 
a  diversity  of  renderings  to  the  original 
in  order  to  make  sure,  if  possible,  of 
embracing  the  true  one  among  them, 
as  the  term  ydrat  is  one  of  the  most  du- 
bious in  the  whole  compass  of  the  He- 
brew vocabulary.  The  lexicographal 
authorities  of  the  highest  class  assign 
severally  the  different  meanings  we 
have  specified,  and  we  know  of  no 
critic  who  has  ventured  to  pronounce 
with  confidence  that  any  one  of  them  is 
correct  to  the  exclusion  of  the  others. 
Our  English  translation  probably  con- 
veys the  true  idea  as  well  as  any  single 
word  that  could  be  adopted.  The  an- 
cient versions  attbrd  us  but  little  help  in 
the  emergency,  as  in  some  of  them  the 
text  is  probably  corrupt,  and  in  others 
the  equivalent  term  is  quite  as  obscure 
as  the  original.  Gr.  "  Thy  way  is  not 
seemly  before  me."  Chald.  "It  is  man- 
ifest before  me  that  thou  wouldst  go  in 
a  way  contrary  to  me.     Syr.  "  Behold, 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


363 


33  And  the  ass  saw  me,  and 
turned  from  me  these  three 
times :  unless  she  had  turned 
from  me,  surely  now  also  I  had 
slain  thee,  and  saved  her  alive. 

I  have  come  out  that  I  might  be  an  ad- 
versary to  thee,  since  thou  hast  direct- 
ed thy  way  against  me."  Sam.  "  Be- 
cause evil  is  thy  way  before  me."  The 
import  is,  Thy  purpose  and  intent  in 
going  this  journey  is  contrary  to  my 
will  as  before  made  known  to  thee,  v. 
12.  The  apostle  Jude  calls  it  "  the  er- 
ror of  Balaam,"  and  Peter  speaks  of  it 
as  "forsaking  the  right  way  and  going 
astray."  It  is  observable  that  the  an- 
gel speaks  in  the  language  of  suprema- 
cy, as  having  the  most  absolute  right 
to  command.  "  Thy  way  is  perverse 
before  me,"  as  if  it  were  the  Lord  him- 
self who  utters  the  words,  which  we 
doubt  not  is  the  fact. 

V.  33.  Tlie  ass  saio  me  and  turned 
from  me,  etc.  Heb.  "Turned  at  my 
face  or  presence."  So  also  in  the  en- 
suing   clause. H    Unless   she    had 

turned  from  me,  surely  now  also  I  had 
slain  thee,  etc.  How  penetrating  and 
cutting  the  purport  in  itself  of  this  lan- 
guage to  Balaam  we  can  easily  con- 
ceive, though  the  sequel  evinces  that 
its  impression  was  very  slight  and  tran- 
sient upon  his  mind.  So  in  thousands 
of  cases,  if  the  eyes  of  thoughtless 
transgressors  were  not,  as  it  were,  her- 
metically sealed — if  Satan  had  not  so 
completely  blinded  them  by  his  delu- 
sive arts — they  would  perceive  and  ac- 
knowledge the  fearful  perils  to  which 
they  have  been  exposed,  and  the  infi- 
nite mercy  by  which  they  have  been 
spared.  Wlio  shall  tell  how  often  it 
might  have  been  said  concerning  each 
of  us,  "  Truly,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  and 
as  thy  soul  liveth,  there  is  but  a  step 
between  thee  and  death."    Who  shall 


34  And  Balaam  said  unto 
the  angel  of  the  Lord,  I  -^  have 
sinned;  for  I  knew  not  that 
thou  stoodest  in  the  way  against 

y  1  Sam.  15.  24,30.     26.  21. 

recite  to  us  those  manifold  gracious  but 
unseen  providences  which  have  saved 
us  from  sin  and  punishment,  because 
the  Lord  was  not  willing  that  we  should 
perish,  but  would  that  we  should  come 
to  repentance  and  live. 

V.  34.  /  have  sinned.  A  confession 
is  at  length  extorted  from  Balaam,  but 
it  covers  not  the  whole  ground  of  his 
ofience.  He  confesses  that  he  had  done 
wrong  in  abusing  his  beast,  and  per- 
haps would  go  so  far  as  to  acknowledge 
a  fault  in  setting  out  upon  the  journey 
at  all,  but  the  covetous  prompting  and 
the  malicious  design  against  the  chosen 
people  he  does  not  confess.  While  the 
Lord's  hand  was  stretched  out  against 
him,  and  his  wrath  impending,  he  could 
say  he  had  sinned,  and  profess  a  wil- 
lingness to  return  home,  but  in  all  this 
there  was  merely  the  working  of  a  ser- 
vile and  compulsory  fear,  that  trembled 
at  the  thought  of  punishment,  and  of 
that  only.  He  intimates  that  his  treat- 
ment of  the  ass  was  owing  solely  to  his 
ignorance  that  the  angel  stood  in  the 
way  against  him,  but  it  was  the  under- 
lying reason  why  the  angel  was  thereto 
withstand  him  at  all  that  ought  to  have 
been  the  subject-matter  of  his  confes- 
sion. Indeed,  we  may  recognize,  per- 
haps, a  slight  acknowledgment  on  this 
score,  as  otherwise  it  is  not  perfectly 
obvious  why  he  should  confess  to  hav- 
ing sinned,  inasmuch  as  he  would  not 
be  apt  to  plead  guilty  to  not  having 
seen  the  angel  standing  in  the  way, 
were  it  not  that  he  was  aware  that  he 
ovght  to  have  seen  him,  and  that  he 
would  have  seen  him  but  for  the  sin- 
blinded  state  of  his  mind.    There  seems 


364 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


me :  now  therefore,  if  it  dis- 
please thee,  I '  will  get  me  back 
again. 

z  Job  34.  31,32. 


to  have  been  an  under-current  of  con- 
sciousness that  the  non-perception  of 
his  divine  antagonist  reflected  direct- 
ly upon  the  obtuseness  of  his  moral 
vision. Tf  Now,  therefore,  if  it  dis- 
please thee,  I  will  get  me  bach  again. 
Heb.  "  If  (it  be)  evil  in  thine  eyes." 
Gr.  "■  If  it  please  thee  not."  This  has 
somewhat  the  air  of  a  proper  retrac- 
tion, but  it  does  not  meet  the  demands 
of  the  case ;  rather  it  betrays  a  lurking 
hypocrisy  in  the  spirit  of  the  speaker. 
He  is  ready  to  return  if  his  proceeding 
onward  &\\on\d  displease  do^.  But  what 
room  was  there  for  an  "  if"  in  the  case, 
when  the  divine  will  had  been  so  clear- 
ly made  known  to  him  ?  The  cherish- 
ing of  the  least  doubt  on  the  subject,  or 
putting  the  case  at  all  hypothetically, 
showed  that  his  heart  still  went  after 
its  covetousness,  and  that  he  was  ex- 
tremely loth  to  abandon  the  expedition. 
It  was  a  merefeigned  willingness  which 
he  professed.  He  was  inwardly  de- 
sirous of  going,  but  if  necessity  con- 
strained him  he  would  tu-rn  back,  mak- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  a  virtue  of  this 
necessity. 

V.  35.  Go  with  the  men.  Here  again 
the  Lord  "  chooses  the  delusions "  of 
the  infatuated  prophet.  He  has  no 
more  complacency  in  his  course  than 
he  had  in  the  former  instance,  v.  20. 
But  the  same  principle  dictates  his 
acquiescence  now  that  did  then.  See- 
ing him  bent  upon  pursuing  his  chosen 
way,  he  is  represented  as  saying  to  him 
in  words  what  he  says  to  him  in  his 
providential  permission,  "  Go  ;  and 
take  the  consequences."  Such  is  Jar- 
chi's  interpretation  ; — "  Go  with  the 
men,  for  thy  portion  is  with  them,  and 
thine  end  is  to  perish  out  of  the  world." 


35  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
said  unto  Balaam,  Go  "  with  the 
men  :  but  *  only  the  word  that  I 

a  Is.  47.  12.  h  ver.  20. 

Thus  it  is  that  the  Most  High  some- 
times grants  the  wicked  desires  of 
men's  hearts,  while  the  concession  is  a 
token  of  anger  and  not  of  mercy.  He 
answers  them  "  according  to  the  idols 
set  up  in  their  own  hearts,"  Ezek.  14 : 
3,  4.  One  may  be  allowed,  in  a  way  of 
evil,  to  prevail,  as  it  were,  against  God, 
and  against  his  own  soul,  little  dream- 
ing what  a  price  he  pays  at  length  for 
his  triumph.  The  case  thus  recorded 
fitly  represents  the  spiritual  condition 
of  the  man  whom  the  Lord's  gracious 
providence  has  checked  by  some  whole- 
some restraint,  by  the  rebuke  of  sick- 
ness, or  affliction,  or  the  voice  of  con- 
science, that  he  might  turn  from  the 
way  of  death  ;  but  who  after  the  first 
terror  has  passed  away,  and  the  heavy 
hand  of  his  God  is  removed,  lapses 
again  into  evil,  gives  way  to  his  beset- 
ting sin,  and  rushes  onward  in  the  ca- 
reer of  transgression.  In  respect  to 
Balaam,  we  are  ready  perhaps  to  won- 
der that  he  was  not  stricken  down  as 
well  as  withstood  on  this  occasion  j  but 
as  Adams  (on  2  Pet.  2 :  15)  remarks, 
"  He  spares  Balaam,  because  he  had 
more  to  do  with  him  :  that  tongue  shall 
get  him  honor  in  Moab,  which  meant 
there  to  dishonor  him.  God  sees  it 
more  for  his  glory  to  fetch  good  out  of 
evil,  than  to  sufler  no  evil  at  all.  He 
could  soon  rid  the  world  of  bad  mem- 
bers, but  then  he  should  lose  the  praise 
of  working  good  by  evil  instruments." 

Tf  But  only  the  loord  that  I  shall 

speak  unto  thee,  that  thou  shalt  speah. 
This  may  as  properly  be  understood  as 
a  prediction,  as  a  precept ;  implying 
that  whatever  the  bias  of  his  spirit 
might  prompt  him  to  utter,  he  would 
still  find  himself  under  a  superior  con- 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


365 


shall  speak  unto  thee,  th  at  thou 
shalt  speak.  So  Balaam  went 
with  the  princes  of  Balak. 

36  And  when  Balak  heard 
that  Balaam  was  come,  he  went 
out  to  meet  him  unto  a  city  of 

trol  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
resist.  His  going  to  Balak  is  permit- 
ted, but  by  the  circumstance  of  the  ass's 
speaking  as  with  man's  mouth,  he  is 
taught  that  he  is  himself  to  be  merely 
the  month  of  God;  not  speaking  his 
own  words,  but  such  as  should  be  put 
into  his  mouth ;  even  as  the  words  of 
the  animal  had  been  put  into  her  mouth. 
Indeed,  the  whole  miraculous  incident 
seems  to  have  been  ordered  with  the 
design  of  showing  that  Balaam  was  as 
truly  an  involuntary  instrument  in  ut- 
tering his  blessings  upon  Israel  as  was 
the  ass  in  uttering  articulate  words 
against  its  own  nature. 

V.  36.  He  went  out  to  meet  Mm,  etc. 
That  is,  he  went  out  with  a  cavalcade 
to  meet  and  welcome  him  in  a  style  of 
princely  magnificence.  In  like  man- 
ner, though  with  less  pomp,  Moses 
went  out  to  meet  his  father-in-law,  Ex. 
18 :  7,  Joseph  to  meet  Israel  his  father. 
Gen.  26  :  29,  and  the  kings  of  Sodom 
and  of  Salem  to  meet  Abraham,  Gen. 
14  :  17,  18.  Heb.  7  : 1.  Although  we 
cannot  now  determine  the  point  from 
which  Balak  started,  yet  it  is  to  be  in- 
ferred from  the  localities  mentioned, 
that  he  travelled  to  a  very  considerable 
distance,  even  to  Ar,  on  the  border  of 
Amon,  which  was  the  boundary  be- 
tween Moab  and  the  Amorites,  ch.  21 : 
13,  26.  The  respect  shown  to  the  hire- 
ling prophet  on  this  occasion  evinces 
the  spirit  of  those  who  are  devoted  to 
superstition  without  a  sincere  fear  of 
God.  They  are  cringing  to  their  false 
prophets ;  they  load  them  with  flatteries 
and  favors,  and  come  but  little  short  of 


Moab,  which  is  in  the  border 
of  Arnon,  which  is  in  the  ut- 
most coast. 

37  And  Balak  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, Did  I  not  earnestly  send 
unto  thee  to  call  thee  ?  where- 
worshipping  them.  But  they  will  have 
it  understood  that  these  prophets  must 
be  obsequious  to  their  wishes  ;  they 
must  favor  their  schemes  of  pride,  am- 
bition, avarice,  lust,  or  oppression,  or 
they  are  soon  made  to  feel  that  their 
services  are  not  required.  We  may  see 
from  this  instance,  also,  how  much 
stronger  with  some  are  the  bonds  of 
self-interest  than  those  of  neighborly  or 
brotherly  afiection.  These  Moabites, 
instead  of  meeting  their  brother  Israel 
with  bread  and  water  in  the  way,  when 
they  came  out  of  Egypt,  would  fain 
meet  them  in  hostile  array  and  repel 
them  from  their  borders ;  and  yet  the 
king  himself  does  not  hesitate  to  go 
forth  to  the  extreme  limit  of  his  king- 
dom to  meet  this  mercenary  soothsayer, 
whom  he  had  hired  to  curse  the  chosen 
people.  We  have  no  ground  to  wonder 
at  the  malediction  pronounced  against 
that  nation,  Deut.  23  :  3-6. 

V.  37.  Did  I  not  earnestly  send  unto 
thee  ?  Heb.  "  Sending,  did  I  not  send 
unto  thee?"  He  is  at  a  loss,  like  all 
men  clothed  with  power  and  wealth, 
and  accustomed  to  have  their  will  re- 
garded as  law,  and  their  inducements 
considered  as  irresistible,  to  conceive 
why  his  solicitation   should  not  have 

taken  effect  at  once. T[  Am  I  not 

able,  indeed,  to  promxite  thee  to  honor  ? 
Heb.  JcabhedeM,  to  make  thee  heavy,  a 
term  employed  elsewhere  to  signify 
that  moral  weight  which  arises  from 
the  bestowment  upon  one  of  riches  and 
honor.  In  this  case,  however,  it  is 
clear  that  whatever  were  Balak's  boast 
of  his  ability,  it  amounted  to  nothing, 


366 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


fore  earnest  thou  not  unto  me  ? 
am  I  not  able  indeed  to  pro- 
mote '  thee  to  honour  ? 

38  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak,  Lo,  I  am  come  unto 
thee  :  have  I  now  any  power 
at  all  to   say  any  thing?    the 

c  ver.  n.    c.  24.  11.  Pa.  75.  6.  John  5.  44. 

as  he  finally"  sent  away  Balaam  in  dis- 
grace, because  he  was  withheld  by  a 
divine  power  from  cursing  the  people 
whom  the  Lord  had  blessed.  "  They 
both  looked  for  promotion,  either  from 
the  other ;  and  he  that  said,  '  Am  I  not 
able  to  promote  thee  ?'  insinuates  a  con- 
fession withal,  Thou  art  able  to  promote 
me.  Two  would  be  raised,  and  both  by 
the  downfall  of  a  third." — Admm. 

V.  38.  Have  I  any  power  at  all  to  say 
any  thing?  Heb.  "Having  ability  am 
I  able."  The  word  for  "ability"  or 
"power"  is  repeated  in  the  original  to 
make  the  intimation  more  emphatic. 
This  is  in  some  degree  expressed  by 
the  phrase  "at  all"  in  our  version. 
The  purport  of  Balaam's  reply  is  this : 
"  I  am  come,  indeed,  in  compliance 
with  your  request,  and  in  reality  should 
be  glad  to  act  in  accordance  with  your 
wishes ;  but  I  must  forewarn  you  that 
I  am  under  a  mysterious  constraint, 
and  can  speak  only  what  the  Lord  shall 
be  pleased  to  put  into  my  mouth. 
Therefore  be  not  surprised  if  the  whole 
affair  should  prove  a  failure."  The 
words  contain  a  virtual  excuse  or  apol- 
ogy, uttered  in  anticipation,  and  de- 
signed to  avert  the  king's  displeasure 
in  case  the  attempt  should  prove  abor- 
tive. How  clearly  did  the  Most  High 
in  this  vindicate  his  character  as  the 
Lord  that  "  frustrateth  the  tokens  of 
the  liars,  and  maketh  diviners  mad ; 
that  turneth  wise  men  backward,  and 
maketh  their  knowledge  foolish."  Is. 
44:25. 


word  '^  that  Grod  putteth  in  my 
mouth,  that  shall  I  speak. 

39  And  Balaam  went  with 
Balak,  and  they  came  unto 
Kirjath-huzoth. 

40  And  Balak  offered  oxen 
and  sheep,  and  sent  to  Balaam, 


V.  39.  TJiey  came  to  Kirjatli-Huzotli. 
Heb.  "  The  city  of  streets."  It  proba- 
bly denotes  the  city  to  which  the  party 
returned,  and  in  that  case  we  may  sup- 
pose it  with  probability  to  have  been 
the  city  of  the  royal  residence,  and  per- 
haps at  no  great  distance  from  where 
the  Israelites  were  now  encamped. 

V.  40.  And  Balak  offered  oxen  and 
sheep.  The  offering  of  these  beasts  on 
this  occasion  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  subsequent  oblations  and  invoca- 
tions of  Balak  and  Balaam  as  related  in 
the  following  chapters.  This  was  evi- 
dently merely  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiv- 
ing to  the  gods  of  Moab  for  the  safe  ar- 
rival of  the  welcome  guest,  who  is  treat- 
ed with  a  feast  upon  the  sacrifice.  It 
was  doubtless  something  similar  to  the 
feast  mentioned  ch.  25  :  2,  of  which  it 
is  said,  "  they  called  the  people  of  Is- 
rael unto  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods ; 
and  the  people  did  eat  and  bowed  down 
to  their  gods."  Of  such  a  feast  was 
Balaam,  a  professed  worshipper  of  the 
true  God,  invited  to  partake,  and  from 
aught  that  appears,  accepted  the  invi- 
tation. According  to  the  principles  laid 
down  by  Paul,  1  Cor.  10 :  18-21,  this 
was  but  another  step  in  the  career  of 
evil  in  which  he  had  embarked ; — "  Be- 
hold Israel  after  the  flesh  :  are  not  they 
which  eat  of  the  sacrifices,  partakers  of 
the  altar?  What  say  I  then?  that  the 
idol  is  any  thing,  or  that  which  is  otter- 
ed in  sacrifice  to  idols  is  any  thing? 
But  I  say,  that  the  things  which  the 
Gentiles    sacrifice,    they    sacrifice,   to 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


367 


and   to    the  princes   that  were 
with  him. 

41  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  morrow,  that  Balak  took 
Balaam,  and  brought  him  up' 
into   the  high '  places  of  Baal, 


devils,  and  not  to  God:  and  I  would 
not  that  ye  should  have  fellowship  with 
devils.  Ye  cannot  drink  the  cup  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils  :  ye  can- 
not be  partakers  of  the  Lord's  table, 

and  of  the  table  of  devils." 1  And 

sent  to  Balaam  and  to  the  princes.  That 
is,  sent  portions  of  the  meat  of  sacrifice 
to  Balaam  and  his  friends  where  they 
were  lodged.  It  does  not  mean  that  he 
sent  for  them  to  attend  at  the  feast  it- 
self. Vulg.  "And  when  Balak  had 
killed  oxen  and  sheep,  he  sent  presents 
to  Balaam,  and  to  the  princes  that  were 
with  him." 

V.  41.  BrougM  Mm  tip  to  the  high 
pl<ices  of  Baal.  B.eh.bdmoth  Baal,  i.e., 
the  consecrated  high  places  of  Baal. 
Gr.  "  The  pillars  (or  monuments)  of 
Baal."  Chald.  "  The  high  places  of  his 
Fear,"  i.  e.,  of  the  god  of  his  fear.  Targ. 
Jon.  "  The  fear  of  Peor,"  i.  e.,  the  object 
of  the  idolatrous  fear.  Baal,  having  the 
import  of  Lord,  Master,  or  Patron,  was 
the  name  given  by  many  nations  in 
that  part  of  Asia  to  the  idols  worship- 
ped on  high  places,  hills,  or  mountains. 
Wherever  employed  it  signified  the 
sun,  and  with  the  Moabites  was  but 
another  name  for  Cliemosh,  their  pre- 
siding deity.  Balak  made  choice  of  an 
elevated  position,  both  because  such 
places  were  chiefly  used  for  the  purpose 
of  sacrificing  to  the  gods,  and  from 
such  a  place  Balaam  could  have  a  more 
distinct  view  of  the  camp  of  the  Israel- 
ites, which  was  thought  to  be  a  matter 
of  peculiar  importance,  as  giving  ad- 
ditional efficacy  to  the  curse  uttered. 


that   thence  he   might  see  the 
utmost  ^ar^  of  the  people. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AND  Balaam  said  unto  Balak, 
"  Build  me  here  seven  al- 


CHAPTER  XXin. 

Balak' s  First  Sacrifice. 

V.  1.  Build  me  here  seven  altars.  A 
peculiar  sanctity  did  indeed  attach  to 
the  number  seven  among  the  Jews,  but 
we  nowhere  read  of  seven  altars  in  the 
appointed  worship  of  that  people.  As 
they  acknowledged  but  one  God,  so 
they  had  but  one  altar.  Hence  the 
erection  of  seven,  by  Balaam's  order, 
savored  seemingly  of  the  tricks  of 
magic  and  incantation.  The  more 
charitable  conjectures  of  some  exposi- 
tors would  refer  it,  however,  to  a  de- 
sire to  propitiate  the  God  of  the  Jews, 
who  had  created  the  world  within 
seven  days,  and  had  otherwise  signal- 
ized this  number.  This  we  are  inclined 
to  regard  as  the  correct  solution  of  the 
incident,  as  otherwise  we  cannot  so 
well  account  for  the  language  in  v.  3, 
"  peradventure  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  will 
come  to  me,"  which  implies,  we  think, 
that  he  designed  to  address  his  worship 
to  the  true  God.  Yet  his  conduct  was 
marred  as  usual  by  gross  inconsistency. 
His  impiety  is  here  evinced  by  the  fact 
that  instead  of  dissuading  Balak  from 
his  wicked  purpose  by  citing  the  author- 
ity of  God,  who  had  forbidden  him  to 
curse  Israel,  he  unites  with  him  in  en- 
deavoring to  effect  this  iniquitous  end, 
and  that,  too,  under  color  of  religious 
service,  building  altars  and  offering 
sacrifices,  as  if  the  unchangeable  Jeho- 
vah could  be  wrought  upon  by  such 
ceremonies.  Alas,  how  soon  had  he 
forgotten  the  oracle  of  God,  the  sword 


368 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


tars,  and  prepare  me  here  seven 
oxen  and  seven  rams. 

2  And  Balak  did  as  Balaam 
had  spoken ;  and  Balak  and 
Balaam  offered  *  on  every  altar 
a  bullock  and  a  ram. 

3  And  Balaam  said  unto  Ba- 

ft ver.  14,  30. 

of  the  Angel,  and  the  dangers  he  had 
so  narrowly  escaped  in  the  way,  and 
how  eagerly  was  he  now  "runnuig 
after  the  error"  of  his  evil  heart,  mak- 
ing good  the  saying  of  the  prophet, 
"  Let  favor  be  shown  to  the  wicked, 
yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness." 

V.  2.  And  Balak  did  as  Balaam  had 
spoken.  It  may  doubtless  be  presumed 
that  Balaam  had  used  his  best  efforts  to 
convince  Balak  of  the  necessity  of  di- 
recting his  worship  to  the  God  of  Is- 
rael, if  they  would  succeed  in  their 
scheme  of  malediction;  and  yet  how 
astounding  that  they  should  not  have 
seen  the  absurdity  of  endeavoring  to 
engage  the  Most  High  to  go  counter  to 
his  own  counsels  and  attributes ! 

V.  3.  Stand  by  thy  hurnt-qffering. 
Heb.  "  Cause  thyself  to  stand,"  i.  e., 
present  thyself  here  in  a  devout  atti- 
tude before  the  Lord,  and  retain  thy 
position  without  attempting  to  follow 
me  in  my  retirement.  Offerers  were 
wont  to  stand  by  their  sacrifices  while 
burning,  and  thus  present  themselves 
to  the  Lord,  who  had  first  respect  to 
the  offerer  and  then  to  his  gift.  Gen.  4 : 
4,  5.  Accordingly  Balak  and  his  princes 
were  to  stand  there,  if  so  be  God  would 

liave  respect  to  their  persons. Tf  Fer- 

adveniure  the  Lord  will  come  to  meet 
7ne.  Gr.  "  If  perhaps  the  Lord  will  ap- 
pear."  H  /  will  go.    That  is,  will 

go  by  myself  into  some  private  place, 
where  I  can  perform  those  additional 
secret  rites  whicjj  are  necessary  to  com- 
plete success.    This  may  be  inferred 


lak,  '  Stand  by  thy  burnt-offer- 
ing, and  I  will  go :  perad venture 
the  Lord  will  come  to  meet  me, 
and  whatsoever  he  showeth  me, 
I  will  tell  thee.  And  he  went 
to  an  high  place. 

4  And  "^  God   met   Balaam : 


c  ver.  15. 


d  ver.  16. 


from  ch.  24  :  1,  *'  And  when  Balaam 
saw  that  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bless 
Israel,  he  went  not,  as  at  other  times, 

to  seek  for  enchantments,  etc. T[  And 

he  went  to  an  high  place.  Heb.  va-yelek 
shephi,  of  which  the  true  sense  is  not 
easily  ascertained.  "Solitary,"  or  "to 
a  solitary  place ;"  "  a  valley ;"  "  a  cliff 
of  a  rock  ;"  "  a  bare  hill,"  are  the  vari- 
ous renderings  ascribed  to  it  by  critics 
and  lexicographers.  Chald.  "  He  went 
alone."  Gr.  "He  went  straight  for- 
ward." Vulg.  "When  he  was  gone 
with  speed."  A  satisfactory  choice 
from  among  these  conflicting  senses  is 
scarcely  possible,  but  as  the  current  of 
authority  inclines  to  the  signification 
of  "  hill "  or  "  summit,"  we,  on  the 
whole,  abide  in  that  as  the  most  proba- 
ble. Hengstenberg,  with  much  confi- 
dence, adopts  "bare  hill"  as  the  ren- 
dering, as  the  verb  shaphdh,  from 
which  shephi  is  derived,  has  for  its 
primary  signification  to  plane  or  smooth 
off.  The  altars  were  probably  erected  on 
a  summit  or  summits  shaded  with  trees, 
which  intercepted  the  prospect ;  the  hill 
to  which  Balaam  went  may  be  supposed 
to  have  been  a  bare  or  naked  eminence, 
giving  him  an  unobstructed  view  of  the 
neighboring  regions.  Prof.  Lee  trans- 
lates it,  "  An  elevated  and  conspicuous 
place,  having  an  extensive  view." 

V.  4.  And  God  met  Balaam.  Gr. 
"God  appeared  to  Balaam."  Chald. 
"  The  Word  from  before  the  Lord  met 
(or  came  unto)  Balaam."  Sam.  "  The 
Angel  of  God  found  Balaam."     The 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


369 


and  he  said  unto  him,  I  have 
prepared  seven  altars,  and  I 
have  offered  upon  every  altar  a 
bullock  and  a  ram. 

5  And  the  Lord  put '  a  word 
in  Balaam's  mouth,   and  said, 

e  c.  2-2.  35.  Deut.  18.  IS.  .Ter.  1.  9. 


"  meeting  "  was  probably  by  a  visible 
manifestation  in  the  form  of  an  angel, 
as  on  a  former  occasion.  Although 
Balaam  now  sought  the  Lord,  both 
from  wrong  motives  and  in  wrong 
methods,  so  far  as  enchantments  were 
employed,  yet  he  was  pleased  to  meet 
him  and  put  a  word  in  his  mouth,  in 
which  he  acted  with  a  view  to  the  good 
of  his  people,  rather  than  to  the  person- 
al gratification  of  the  prophet.  "  But 
will  God  meet  with  a  sorcerer?  Will 
he  make  a  prophet  of  a  magician  ?  0 
man,  who  shall  prescribe  God  what  in- 
struments he  shall  use !  He  knows 
how  to  employ,  not  only  saints  and 
angels,  but  wicked  men,  beasts,  devils, 
to  his  own  glory.  He  that  puts  words 
into  the  mouth  of  the  ass,  puts  words 
into  the  mouth  of  Balaam :  the  words 
do  but  pass  from  him ;  they  are  not  pol- 
luted, because  they  are  not  his." — Bp. 

Hall. T[  /  Jutve  prepared,  etc.    Heb. 

"I  have  set  in  order."  Balaam  here 
recites  his  doings  before  the  Lord,  as  if 
he  did  not  know  how  many  altars  he 
had  made,  and  how  many  sacrifices  he 
had  offered,  or  as  if  he  would  be  pleased 
with  such  a  magnificent  show  of  devo- 
tion. Well  might  the  reproof  have  now 
been  addressed  to  Balaam  which  was 
afterwards  given  to  Saul :  "  Hath  the 
Lord  as  much  delight  in  sacrifices  and 
ofierings,  as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the 
Lord:  behold,  to  obey  is  better  than 
sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat 
of  lambs."  So  again,  Prov.  21 :  3,  "  To 
do  justice  and  judgment  is  more  accept- 
able to  the  Lord  than  sacrifice." 


Return  unto   Balak,   and  thus 
thou  shalt  speak. 

6  And  he  returned  unto  him ; 
and,  lo,  he  stood  by  his  burnt- 
sacrifice,  he,  and  all  the  princes 
of  Moab. 

7  And  he  took  up  his  para- 

V.  5.  And  the  Lord  put  a  word  in 
Balaam's  mouth.  Paying  no  attention 
to  Balaam's  pompous  parade  of  his 
hypocritical  worship,  which  was  in  fact 
an  abomination  to  him,  Prov.  15 :  8,  he 
sends  him  back  with  a  burden  of  bless- 
ing instead  of  cursing,  though  contrary 
to  his  own  and  to  Balak's  desire.  "  The 
preparations  of  the  heart  in  man,  and 
the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the 
Lord."  "  This  speaks  comfort  to  God's 
witnesses,  whom  at  any  time  he  calls 
out  to  speak  for  him  ;  if  God  put  a  word 
into  the  mouth  of  Balaam,  who  would 
have  defied  God  and  Israel,  surely  he 
will  not  be  wanting  to  those  who  desire 
to  glorify  God  and  edify  his  people  by  i 
their  testimony ;  but  '  it  shall  be  given  J 
them  in  that  same  hour  what  they  ' 
should  speak.' " — Henry. 

Balaam* s  first  Prophecy. 
Y.  7.  And  he  took  up  his  parable. 
Heb.  mdshdl,  comparison,  similitude. 
The  term  is  applied  to  any  kind  of  alle- 
gorical or  figurative  speech  of  a  more 
solemn  and  weighty  import  than  usual. 
Under  this  head  come  such  sayings  as 
the  proverbs  and  apophthegms  of  wise 
men,  and  such  prophetical  utterances 
as  those  here  recorded,  of  which  the 
style  is  somewhat  elevated  and  majes- 
tic. We  do  not  find  it,  however,  a 
designation  of  prophecy  in  general,  but 
only  of  that  species  which  partakes  of 
the  sententious  and  oracular.  Targ. 
Jon.  "  He  took  up  the  parable  of  his 
prophecy."  By  "  taking  up "  is  de- 
noted uttering  or    pronouncing  in  a 


870 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1453. 


ble-'',  and  said,  Balak  the  king 
of  Moab  hath  brought  me  from 
Aram,  out  of  the  mountains  of 
the  east,  saying^  Come,  curse  ^ 
me  Jacob,  and  come,  defy  *  Is- 
rael. 

/  ver.  18.  c.  24.  3,  15,  23.  Job  27.  1.  29.  1  Pi. 
■JS.  2.  Ezek.  n.  2.  Mic.  2.  4.  Hab.  -2.  6.  Mat.  13.33,35. 
g  Prov.  26.  2.  h  1  Sam.  17.  lu. 

somewhat  elevated  tone  of  voice,  such 
as  would  be  calculated  to  command  par- 
ticular   attention. T[   Hath  hrought 

me  from  Aram.  That  is,  Aram-Nalia- 
rairn,  Aram  of  the  two  rivers  (Tigris 
and  Euphrates),  to  which  answers  the 
ancient  Mesopotamia,  or  region  letween 
the  rivers.  Gr.  "Balak  the  king  of 
Moab,  hath  sent  for  me  from  Mesopo- 
tamia." Targ.  Jon.  "  Balak  bath  sent 
for  me  from  Aram,  which  is  by  Euphra- 
tes." Comp.  Deut.  23  : 4,  "  They  hired 
against  thee  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor,  of 
Pethor  of  Mesopotamia,  to  curse  thee." 
This  region  is  for  the  most  part  flat,  but 
the  northern  part  of  it  is  mountainous, 
and  from  that  quarter  came  Balaam,  as 
he  here  declares  that  he  was  called  out  of 

"  the  mountains  of  the  east." TJ  Defy 

Israel.  Heb.  zoamdh,  implying  to  exe- 
crate with  violent  threats  and  indig- 
nant rage — a  word  of  peculiar  intensity 
of  meaning.  It  occurs  Dan.  11  :  30, 
*'  Therefore  shall  he  be  grieved,  and 
return,  and  have  indignation  against 
the  holy  covenant."  Hengstenberg  re- 
marks, "  The  sense  of  being  angry  will 
appear  quite  appropriate  to  this  pas- 
sage, if  it  be  considered  that  the  curse 
can  only  be  the  result  of  the  most  vio- 
lent inward  excitement  against  the  ob- 
ject of  it,  and  that  any  one  would 
strive,  before  pronouncing  it,  to  arouse 
himself  to  rage  in  every  way,  upon  the 
intensity  of  which  the  efficacy  of  the 
curse  depended." 

V.  8.   How  shall  I  curse  whom  God 
hath  not  cursed,  etc.     I  am  required, 


8  How '  shall  I  curse,  whom 
God  hath  not  cursed  ?  or  how 
shall  I  defy,  whom  the  Lord 
hath  not  defied  ? 

9  For  from  the  top  of  the 
rocks  I  see  him,  and  from  the 
hills  I  behold  him :  lo,  the  peo- 

t  Is.  47.  12,  13. 


says  Balaam,  to  curse  Israel,  but  how 
can  I,  when  God,  the  true  author  and 
sole  lord  of  blessing  and  cursing,  does 
not  curse,  but  blesses  him?  This  was 
honestly  acknowledging  that  his  tongue 
was  tied,  so  that  he  could  utter  nothing 
except  as  he  was  prompted  by  a  divine 
impulse.  The  fundamental  import  of 
the  declaration  is,  that  as  God  hath  not 
cursed,  so  Balaam  cannot.  Blessed  are 
they  whom  the  Lord  himself  will  not 
curse,  and  upon  whom  he  pronounces  a 
blessing,  even  in  the  presence  of  them 
that  would  curse.  This  is  the  privilege 
of  all  the  Israel  of  God,  and  of  every 
single  believer  in  Christ.  To  every 
secret  or  open  enemy  the  Lord  says, 
"Thou  shalt  not  curse  whom  I  have 
blessed."  This  was  a  clear  demonstra- 
tion of  the  vanity  of  the  compliment 
paid  him  by  Balak,  "I  wot  that  he 
whom  thou  blessest  is  blessed,  and  he 
whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed." 

y.  9.  From  the  top  of  the  rocks  I  see 
him,  etc.  His  elevated  position  on  the 
rocks  gave  him  a  commanding  view 
of  the  encampment  of  Israel,  but  the 
words  have  a  reach  of  meaning  beyond 
what  was  embraced  in  the  mere  exter- 
nal vision.  Though  as  seen  from  the 
great  distance  at  which  he  stood  they 
must  have  been  diminished  to  a  dwarf- 
like size,  yet  they  portended  something 
great  and  formidable.  In  the  spirit  of 
prophecy  he  sees  far  more  in  the  people 
of  God  than  struck  the  outward  eye. 
In  fact,  we  are  no  doubt  to  consider 
that  Balaam's  ecstatic  vision  through- 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


371 


pie  shall  dwell  alone*,  and  shall' 

k  Deut.  33.  28.        I  Er.  33.  16.  Ezra  9.  2.  Eph.  2. 14. 

out  was  not  merely  corporeal,  but  that 
with  the  seeing  of  the  bodily  eye  there 
was  combined  the  penetration  of  the 
spiritual  eye  which  pierces  into  the 
depths  and  essences  of  invisible  things. 
This  is  evident  from  the  subsequent 
prophecy,  ch.  24 :  5,  when,  with  open 
eyes  he  depicts  the  loveliness  of  the 
tents  of  Israel  in  a  manner  which  shows 
that  the  outward  beholding  is  intro- 
duced only  as  a  basis  for  the  inward. 

T[  The  people  shall  dwell  alone,  etc. 

Heb.  lehdddd  yishkon,  shall  dwells  or 
tabernacle,  alone,  the  root  from  which 
comes  Shekinah.  The  original  term 
for  "  alone  "  is  closely  related  in  signifi- 
cation to  the  Heb.  hateh,  implying  safe- 
ty, security,  and  both  ideas  are  to  be 
included  in  the  present  rendering.  The 
word  "for"  {ki)  in  the  commencement 
of  this  verse  is  no  doubt  to  be  regarded 
as  a  connective  between  what  precedes 
and  what  follows  : — "  How  shall  I  curse 
or  defy  the  people  whom  God  hath  not 
cursed  or  defied, /o;*,  beholding  as  I  do 
with  interior  vision  the  vast  congrega- 
tion, I  perceive  that  their  destiny  is  to 
dwell  as  an  isolated  race,  separate  from 
all  other  nations,  and  enjoying  the  pecu- 
liar auspices  of  heaven  both  temporal 
and  spiritual."  Here  was  a  declaration 
of  their  present  blessedness,  and  a  re- 
markable prophecy  of  their  future  con- 
dition, to  the  fulfilment  of  which  all 
history  bears  witness.  It  has  uniformly 
been  their  great  peculiarity,  and  now, 
after  the  lapse  of  three  thousand  years 
*'  the  people  still  dwell  alone,  and  are 
not  reckoned  among  the  nations."  Other 
nations  have  passed  away,  or  been 
melted  down  into  one  common  mass, 
while  the  race  of  Israel  has  remained 
distinguished  by  indubitable  marks  of 
national  character,  and  by  special  pecu- 
liarities of  feature,  manners,  and  laws. 


not  be  reckoned  among  the  na- 
tions. 


Their  knowledge  and  worship  of  the 
true  God  has  ever  formed  a  broad  line 
of  demarcation  between  them  and  the 
various  peoples  that  have  been  sunk  in 
ignorance  and  idolatry.  They  are  now 
indeed,  for  their  sins,  and  especially  for 
their  rejection  of  Christ,  scattered  over 
the  earth,  yet  they  dwell  alone ;  they 
do  not  amalgamate  with  other  nations ; 
they  are  not  reckoned  among  them. 
Their  own  strongly  marked  peculiari- 
ties, and  the  prejudices  and  antipathies 
of  Christians,  Mohammedans,  and  Pa- 
gans, still  keep  them  unmingled  with 
those  among  whom  they  sojourn,  and 
in  many  cases  deprive  them  of  partici- 
pation in  the  common  privileges  of  citi- 
zenship. Even  in  their  captivities  their 
peculiarities  as  a  people  have  remained 
unshaken.  While  other  nations,  when 
vanquished  and  dispersed,  have  become 
incorporated  with  their  victors,  and 
been  assimilated  to  the  people  among 
whom  they  have  dwelt ;  the  Jews  in 
every  country  are  a  distinct  people, 
and  are  living  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
this  prophecy.  But  "how,"  as  Bp. 
Newton  inquires,  "  could  Balaam,  upon 
a  distant  view  only  of  a  people,  whom 
he  had  never  seen  or  known  before, 
have  discovered  the  genius  and  man- 
ners, not  only  of  the  people  then  living, 
but  of  their  posterity  to  the  latest  gene- 
rations'?"  Surely  nothing  short  of  a 
divine  inspiration  could  have  opened 
their  character  and  destiny  to  his  view. 
But  his  words  are  not  to  be  understood 
of  tbe  literal  Israel  only.  They  are 
equally  true  of  that  spiritual  body  which 
Israel  after  the  flesh  represented.  The 
members  of  the  Lord's  true  Christian 
church  also  dwell  alone.  Owing  to  the 
influence  of  the  principles  by  which 
they  are  governed,  and  to  the  hatred 
and  opposition  of  the  world  of  the  un- 


372 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


10  Who  ""  can  count  the  dust 


m  Gen.  13.  16. 


godly,  they  are  inevitably  separated 
from  them.  Denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  renouncing  all  sinful 
pleasures,  gains,  and  glories,  they  are 
marked  by  a  holy  singularity,  and  are 
reckoned  as  a  distinct  and  separate  peo- 
ple. All  this  is  to  be  considered  as  en- 
tering into  the  purport  of  this  inspired 
prediction,  and  we  are  to  recognize  the 
spiritual  as  well  as  the  literal  fulfilment 

throughout, H  Shall  not  be  reckoned 

mnong  the  nations.  Or,  Heb.  "Shall 
not  reckon  itself,"  which  is  a  well-known 
and  very  frequent  usage  of  the  Hithpael 
conjugation  {yithhashshdh).  However 
it  might  be  in  the  estimate  of  others, 
yet  this  holy  singularity  should  be  fully 
asserted  to  the  consciousness  of  the 
chosen  people,  both  the  external  and 
the  internal.  This  conscious  isolation 
expresses  itself  appropriately  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle,  "  We  know  that 
we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world 
lieth  in  wickedness,"  1  John  5  :  19. 

V.  10.  Who  can  count  the  dust  of  Is- 
rael, etc.  Heb.  "  Who  counteth?"  Chald. 
"  Who  is  able  to  count  ?"  The  "  dust  of 
Jacob  "  is  evidently  the  seed  of  Jacob 
multiplied  according  to  the  promise, 
Gen.  28  :  14,  to  a  number  which  could 
only  be  compared  to  the  dust  of  the 
earth,  whence  Geddes  renders  it,  "  Who 
shall  count  the  dust-like  seed  of  Jacob  ?" 
Of  the  ancient  versions  the  Gr.  has, 
"  Who  hath  exactly  calculated  the  seed 
of  Jacob  ?"  Chald.  *'  Who  can  count 
the  little  ones  of  the  house  of  Jacob,  of 
whom  it  was  said  that  they  shall  be 
multiplied  as  the  dust  of  the  earth?" 
Y'et  as  there  seems  to  be  no  good  rea- 
son for  supposing  that  Balaam  was  ac- 
quainted with  this  promise,  we  cannot 
well  resist  the  conclusion  that  the  lan- 
guage was  put  into  his  mouth  by  a  di- 
vine suggestion  wholly  independent  of 


of  Jacob,  and  the  number  of  the 
fourth  part  of  Israel  ?     Let  me 


his  own  intelligence  and  his  own  will. 
The  words  embody  a  prophetic  intima- 
tion of  the  vast  physical  increase  of  the 
Israelitish  people,  but  we  apprehend 
that  the  spiritual  seed  is  the  principal 
theme  of  the  prediction,  those  numbers 
of  the  true  people  of  God  which  have 
been  gathered  together  into  his  Chuch 
through  all  ages,  and  of  which  the  sum 
is  continually  swelling.  We  think  it 
has  respect  to  that  "great  multitude, 
which  no  man  can  number,  of  all  na- 
tions, and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues,  which  stand  before  the  throne 
and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with 
white  robes  and  palms  in  their  hands." 

T[  And  the  number  of  the  fourth 

{part)  of  Israel.  Or,  "  Of  a  quarter," 
as  also  in  the  Chald.  "  Of  one  of  the  four 
camps  of  Israel,"  in  allusion  to  the  four- 
fold division  of  the  tribes  in  the  order 
of  encampment,  as  described  ch.  2,  hav- 
ing the  Tabernacle  in  the  midst.  It 
was  equivalent  to  saying.  How  vast  is 
already  the  number  of  this  favored  peo- 
ple, when  even  in  their  present  condi- 
tion one  department  of  their  camp  looks 
like  a  whole  nation !  But  how  much 
more  immense  shall  be  the  increase  of 

their  spiritual  seed  in  after  times ! • 

TI  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous^ 
and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his  !  Heb. 
"  Let  my  soul  die ;"  a  Hebrew  phrase 
in  which  the  soul  is  put  for  the  person, 
whether  I,  thou,  or  he,  as  the  case  may 
be.  We  find  it  said  of  Rachel,  Gen. 
35  :  18,  that  "  it  came  to  pass  as  her 
soul  was  in  departing,"  an  expression 
equivalent  to  death.  So  also  Samson 
says,  Judg.  16:30,  "Let  my  soul  die 
with  the  Philistines."  So  likewise, 
when  the  Lord  is  said  to  swear  by  his 
soul,  Jer.  51 :  14,  the  meaning  is,  that 
he  swears  by  himself.  The  original 
term  for  "righteous"  is  D'^nTD""  yesJiOr 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


873 


die  the  death  "  of  the  righteous, 
and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his ! 

»  Ps.  37.  37.  Prov.  14.  32.     2  Cor,  5.  1. 

rim,  from  a  root  implying  rectitude, 
probity,  integrity.  Its  first  three  let- 
ters correspond  with  the  first  three  in 
Israel  ( ^Niaj^ ),  to  which  Hengsten- 
berg  and/)thers  suppose  it  alludes.  It 
is  doubtless  equivalent  also  to  "  Jeshu- 
run,"  Deut.  32  :  15,  signifying  vpright 
or  rigJiteous.  He  would  intimate,  by 
applying  the  word  upright  to  Israel, 
that  he  regarded  their  lot  as  superior 
in  distinction  and  privilege  to  that  of 
all  other  people,  and  therefore  would 
wish  to  have  his  own  identical  with  it. 
Chald.  "  Let  my  soul  die  the  death  of 
the  just  men  thereof,"  i.  e.,  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel.  As  if  he  had  said,  They 
are  a  people  not  only  happy  in  this  life 
above  other  nations,  and  therefore  be- 
yond the  reach  of  my  curses,  but  they 
have  this  peculiar  privilege,  that  they 
are  happy  after  death.  Their  happi- 
ness begins  where  the  happiness  of 
others  ends ;  and  I  therefore  heartily 
wish  that  my  soul  may  have  its  portion 
with  theirs  when  I  die.  But,  alas,  the 
sequel  shows  how  vain  was  the  wish. 
Refusing  to  live  the  life  of  the  righteous, 
and  intent  upon  the  wages  of  iniquity, 
he  perished  at  last  by  the  sword  of  Is- 
rael, being  found  among  their  enemies, 
eh.  31 :  8.  Josh.  13  :  22.  The  spirit  of 
prophecy,  however,  undoubtedly  refers 
to  the  favored  lot  of  the  true  as  well  as 
of  the  typical  Israelites,  for  an  ungodly 
Jew  can  no  more  be  saved  than  an  un- 
godly heathen.  Looking  onward  to  the 
future  lot  of  the  spiritual  Israel,  he  saw 
them  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  the 
world,  and  however  they  might  be  in- 
volved in  the  calamities  of  the  wicked 
Tiere,  yet  he  beheld  them  translated  at 
death  to  a  state  of  endless  blessedness 
and  peace;  and  therefore  he  desired 
that  the  death  which  they  died  he  might 


11  And  Balak  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, What  hast  thou  done  unto 


die  also.     Gr.  "Let  my  soul  die  with 

the  souls  of  just  men," T[  And  let 

my  last  end  he  like  his.  Heb.  aharithi, 
my  hereafter,  lit.  my  afterhood.  Gr. 
"  Let  my  seed  be  like  their  seed,"  i.  e. 
my  posterity.  This  is  usually  under- 
stood as  the  expression  of  a  wish  on 
the  part  of  Balaam  that  his  last  end, 
or  closing  scene,  might  be  like  that 
of  the  righteous.  This  idea  we  may 
properly  include  in  the  import  of  the 
term,  but  from  dominant  usage  we  in- 
cline to  give  it  a  more  extended  sense, 
as  equivalent  to  his  general  or  entire  fu- 
ture, the  ivhole  sequel  of  his  lot,  both  in 
this  world  and  the  next.  This  idea  of 
simple  futurity  will  be  found  to  be  the 
prevailing  sense  of  the  term  in  the 
sacred  writers,  and  this  brings  it  suffi- 
ciently into  parallelism  with  the  pre- 
ceding clause.  Viewed  in  this  light, 
the  words  convey  the  virtual  desire  of 
every  man,  even  the  most  abandoned, 
who  is  capable  of  appreciating  the  con- 
trasted lot  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked.  "Who  is  there  that  lives  under 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  but  feels  an  in- 
ward persuasion  that  God  will  put  a 
radical  difference  between  these  two 
classes?  However  much  the  worldly 
or  vicious  man  may  hate  the  persons 
of  the  righteous,  he  envies  their  state, 
and  inwardly  cherishes  the  thought, 
"  If  I  were  now  to  die,  I  should  be  glad 
to  be  found  in  their  lot."  But  vain  is 
the  hope  of  any  man  to  die  the  death  of 
the  righteous  if  he  will  not  live  his  life  ; 
or  that  he  shall  attain  to  his  end  with- 
out walking  in  his  way  ; 

" '  O  let  me  die  his  death !'  the  prophet  cries, 
'  Then  live  his  life,'  the  sacred  word  re- 
plies," 
V.  11.  Itooh  thee  to  curse  mine  ene- 
mies.   Heb.  IdkahtiM,  I  received  thee. 


374 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


me  ?  I "  took  thee  to  curse  mine 
enemies,  and,  behold,  thou  hast 
blessed  them  altogether. 

12    And    he    answered   and 
said,  p  Must  I  not  takg.  heed  to 

0  c.  22.  11.  ;>  oilfe.  38. 

Gr.  and  Vulg.  "  I  have  called  thee." 
Chald.  "  I  have  led  thee."  This  allusion, 
we  think,  is  to  his  first  sending  for  Ba- 
laam and  his  subsequent  reception  of 
him  in  his  territories.  The  words  ex- 
press the  vexation  of  the  king  at  the 
abortive  attempts  of  Balaam  to  inflict 
his  curses  upon  Israel.  It  is  as  if  he 
had  said,  "  What  an  impotent  prophet, 
what  a  sad  hireling,  art  thou !  I  took 
thee  for  one  who  would  do  the  work  for 
which  my  wages  paid  thee;  and  now 
how  grievously  hast  thou  failed  me ! 
Instead  of  cursing,  thou  hast  altogether 
blessed  them."  Heb.  "Blessing  thou 
hast  blessed  them."  Notwithstanding 
all  his  pompous  parade  of  altars  and 
sacrifices,  as  if  he  would  devoutly  wait 
for  such  an  answer  as  God  should  send 
him,  yet  when  the  result  failed  to  an- 
swer his  expectations,  he  was  wrought 
into  a  passion  against  Balaam,  as  if  he 
were  the  sole  cause  of  the  disappoint- 
ment. "Sometimes  God  makes  the 
enemies  of  his  church  a  vexation  one 
to  another,  while  He  that  sits  in  the 
heavens  laughs  at  them,  and  the  efforts 
of  their  impotent  malice." — Henry. 

V.  12.  Must  I  not  take  heed  to  speak 
that,  etc.  Or,  Ileb.  "Shall  I  not  ob- 
serve to  speak  ?"  Although  the  proud 
king,  in  the  preceding  verse,  reproach- 
es Balaam  as  though  he  had  fairly  pur- 
chased the  authority  to  control  his  ut- 
terances as  he  pleased,  yet  the  prophet 
here  represses  his  arrogance  by  plead- 
ing the  divine  command,  and  assuring 
him  that  he  could  announce  only  what 
the  Lord  had  put  into  his  mouth.  It  is 
clear,  however,  from  the  whole  narra- 
tive, that  the  inclination  of  his  heart 


speak  that  which  the  Lord  hath 
put  in  my  mouth  ? 

13  And  Balak  said  unto  him, 
Come,  I  pray  thee,  with  me  un- 
to ^  another  place,  from  whence 

q  1  K.  20.  23. 


was  towards  Balak  and  his  rewards, 
and  that  if  he  had  been  left  to  himself, 
he  would  have  yielded  without  reserve 
to  the  wishes  of  his  royal  employer. 
But  being  inwardly  withheld  from 
cursing,  he  speaks  as  if  he  would  make 
a  virtue  of  his  obedience  to  the  necessi- 
ty laid  upon  him,  which  probably  went 
to  deepen  the  self-deception  that  he 
was  all  along  practising  upon  him- 
self. 

V.  13.  Come,  I  pray  thee,  with  me 
unto  another  place,  etc.  Balaam  having 
now  declared  to  Balak  the  reason  of  his 
failure,  the  infatuated  king  strangely 
imagines  that  the  locality  was  in  fault, 
and  that  the  Most  High  would  be  more 
propitious  to  him  in  another  situation, 
and  would  look  more  graciously  upon 
fresh  sacrifices.  He  therefore  proposes 
to  him  to  shift  his  position,  with  a  view 
to  gain  a  better  prospect  of  the  objects 
of  his  anathemas,  as  if  a  change  of  place 
with  man  could  produce  a  change  of 
purpose  in  God  !  The  proposal  implies 
a  confidence  in  some  magical  power 
exercised  by  the  eye,  as  if  this  organ 
contributed  somewhat  to  the  efficacy 
of  the  imprecation.  That  the  clear, 
fixed  gaze  of  the  enchanter  had  a  de- 
cided eff'ect  upon  his  art,  is  the  un- 
equivocal testimony  of  ancient  writers 
who  have  described  the  superstitions 
of  their  age.  Balak  accordingly  de- 
termines, if  possible,  to  bring  him  to 
such  a  stand-point  on  the  mountains 
that  he  shall  not  be  dismayed  by  a 
view  of  the  whole  body  of  the  people 
en  masse,  but  shall  see  only  such  a  por- 
tion of  them  as  shall  be  most  favorable 
to  the  effect  of  his  malediction. 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


375 


thou  mayest  see  them  :  thou 
shalt  see  but  the  uttermost  part 
of  them,  and  shalt  not  see  them 
all :  and  curse  me  them  from 
thence. 

14  And  he  brought  him  into 
the  field  of  Zophim,  to  the  top 
of  Pisgah,  and  built  •■  seven  al- 
tars, and  offered '  a  bullock  and 
a  ram  on  every  altar. 

15  And  he  said  unto  Balak, 
Stand  here  by  thy  burnt-offer- 
ing, while  I  meet  the  LORD 
yonder. 


Balaam! 8  Second  Farahle. 

V.  14.  Brought  Mm  into  the  field  of 
Zophim.  That  is,  to  the  field  of  the 
spies  or  watchers.  Gv.  "  He  took  him  to  a 
watch-tower  of  the  field."  It  was  prob- 
ably some  lofty  position  commanding  a 
wide  view  of  the  adjacent  country,  and 
such  as  was  usually  chosen  for  a  place 
of  espial  by  those  appointed  to  watch 

the  approach  of  enemies. *l  To  the 

top  of  Pisgah.  Gr.  "  To  the  top  of  the 
quarried  (rock)."  Chald.  "  To  the  top 
of  the  hill;"  both  versions  understand- 
ing the  original  as  a  common  instead 
of  a  proper  name.  As  the  Hebrew  term 
has  the  article,  there  is  perhaps  some 
ground  for  this  opinion,  and  for  the 
rendering  "  top  (head)  of  the  hill,"  but 
it  is  now  impossible  to  determine  the 
minutiae  of  the  topography  of  this  re- 
gion. Hengstenberg,  in  the  Geograph- 
ical Appendix  to  his  treatise  on  the 
History  of  Balaam,  has  treated  the  sub- 
ject more  fully  than  any  other  one. 

V.  15.  While  I  meet  {the  Lord)  yon- 
der. The  words  supplied  are  evidently 
to  be  understood,  as  may  be  inferred 
from  the  similar  passage,  v,  3.  Gr.  "  I 
will  go  to  inquire  of  God."  The  phrase 
**  going  to  meet "  was  probably  tech- 


16  And  the  Lord  met  Ba- 
laam, and  put '  a  word  in  his 
mouth,  and  said,  Go  again  unto 
Balak,  and  say  thus. 

17  And  when  he  came  to 
him,  behold,  he  stood  by  his 
burnt-offering,  and  the  princes 
of  Moab  with  him.  And  Balak 
said  unto  him.  What "  hath  the 
Lord  spoken  ? 

18  And  he  took  up  his  para- 
ble, and  said,  Rise  "up,  Balak, 
and  hear ;  hearken  unto  me, 
thou  son  of  Zippor : 

i  ver.  5.     u  1  Sam.  3.  17.  Jer.  37.  17.     v  Judg.  3.  '20. 


nical  with  prophets  and  diviners.    The 

next  verse  shows  that  "  the  Lord  "  is  to 
be  understood. 

V.  18.  Bise  up,  Balak,  and  hear. 
This  can  hardly  be  understood  of  the 
bodily  position,  for  it  seems,  v.  17,  that 
he  was  then  standing  by  his  burnt- 
ofiering.  It  is  to  be  conceived  rather 
as  having  reference  to  a  mental  erection 
or  attentiveness.  Hengstenberg  well 
remarks  :  "  He  calls  upon  the  king  to 
rise  mentally,  as  the  importance  of  the 
prophecy  he  was  about  to  utter  de- 
manded. This  'Rise  up'  is  applica- 
ble not  to  Balak  only,  but  to  all  who 
approach  the  holy  Scripture.  "Whoever 
would  understand  God's  Word,  must 
free  himself  from  his  natural  sloth  and 
mental  dissipation — must  gird  himself 
up  and  collect  his  mental  powers." 
Such  an  internal  state  would,  however, 
ordinarily  express  itself  by  suitable  out- 
ward gestures ;  the  words  are  therefore 
equivalent  to  an  intimation  that  he 
should  hearken  with  every  token  of  be- 
coming reverence  to  a  message  brought 
from  God,  even  as  Ehud,  Judg.  3 :  20, 
told  Eglon  that  he  had  brought  him 
such  a  message ;  it  is   said  that  "  he 

arose  out  of  his  seat." 1  Hearken, 

unto  me,  thou  son  of  Zippor.  The  words 


876 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


19  God  "■  is  not  a  man,  that 
he  should  lie ;  neither  the  son 
of  man,  that  he  should  repent : 

w  1  Sam.  15.  29.  Ps.  89.  35.  Rom.  11.  29.  Tit.  1.  2. 
Heb.  6.  18.  James  1. 17. 

of  Balaam  are  all  along  marked  by  the 
equivalent  parallelisms,  or  JiemisticTis, 
so  peculiar  to  Hebrew  poetry.  There 
is  usually  some  shade  of  difference  in 
the  meaning  of  the  two  clauses,  while 
the  substantial  purport  is  the  same. 
The  authoritative  tone  which  Balaam 
here  assumes,  in  commanding  Balak's 
attention,  is  to  be  referred  to  the  same 
general  afflatus  or  impulse  under  which 
he  speaks  throughout.  The  words  are 
a  fit  preface  to  the  solemn  enunciation 
that  follows,  which,  in  point  of  style, 
rises  to  the  highest  pitch  of  sublimity 
and  grandeur. 

V.  19.  God  is  not  a  man  that  Tie 
should  lie,  etc.  The  rendering  of  the 
Chald.  is  here  peculiar :  "  The  word  of 
God  is  not  like  the  speeches  of  the  sons 
of  man,  (for)  the  sons  of  man  do  say 
and  lie."  The  language  implies  a  vir- 
tual reproach,  as  much  as  to  say, 
"  "Wouldst  thou  make  God  a  liar  ? " 
No  more  fearful  mistake  is  made  than 
when  we  judge  the  Lord  from  our- 
selves. Men  change  their  minds,  and 
therefore  break  their  word;  they  lie, 
because  they  repent.  But  God  does 
neither.  He  never  changes  his  mind, 
and  therefore  never  recalls  his  prom- 
ises. His  very  name,  "Jehovah,"  im- 
plies the  unchangeable  as  well  as  the 
eternal.  "  He  is  of  one  mind ;  and  who 
can  turn  him?"  This  immutability 
makes  it  "  impossible  for  him  to  lie," 
and  consequently  he  can  never  swerve 
from  his  purpose  of  preservation  and 

benediction    towards    his    people. 

^  Neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should 
repent.  A  parallel  testimony  we  find 
borne  by  Samuel  before  Saul,  1  Sam. 
15 :  29,  "  The  strength  of  Israel  will 


hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not 
do  it  ?  or  hath  "^  he  spoken,  and 
shall  he  not  make  it  good  ? 


X  1  Chr.  17.  17.  Mic.7.  20. 


not  lie  nor  repent ;  for  he  is  not  a  man 
that  he  should  repent."  The  Scripture, 
indeed,  occasionally  predicates  repent- 
ance of  the  Most  High,  but  the  scope  of 
the  context  will  make  it  plain  in  such 
cases,  that  it  is  the  language  of  ap- 
parent rather  than  of  real  truth,  and 
that  nothing  more  is  meant  by  it  than 
that  a  change  takes  place  in  the  mode 
of  his  dealings  with  his  creatures  in 
view  of  a  corresponding  change  in 
their  deportment  towards  him.  The 
principle  is  clearly  developed  in  the 
following  passage  from  Jer.  18 : 7-10, 
"At  what  instant  I  shall  speak  con- 
cerning a  nation,  and  concerning  a 
kingdom,  to  pluck  up,  and  to  pull 
down,  and  to  destroy  it :  if  that  nation 
against  whom  I  have  pronounced,  turn 
from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil 
that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them.  And 
at  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concern- 
ing a  nation,  and  concerning  a  king- 
dom, to  build  and  to  plant  it :  if  it  do 
evil  in  my  sight,  that  it  obey  not  my 
voice,  then  I  will  repent  of  the  good, 
wherewith  I  said  I  would  benefit 
them."  But  all  this  is  to  be  understood 
in  perfect  consistency  with  the  essen- 
tial truth,  that  in  him  "there  is  no 
variableness,  nor  shadow  of  turning." 
All  such  language  is  a  mere  adaptation 
to  our  feeble  modes  of  conceiving  di- 
vine things. 1[  Hath  he  spohen,  and 

shall  he  not  make  it  good  ?  Heb.  "  Shall 
he  not  cause  it  to  stand  ?  "  that  is,  con- 
firm it.  Chald.  "And  all  his  words 
shall  be  confirmed."  Gr.  "Shall  he 
speak,  and  shall  he  not  continue?" 
that  is,  constantly  perform  what  he 
hath  spoken.  A  comparison  of  the  fol- 
lowing passages  will  show  the  relation 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


377 


20  Behold,  I  have  received 
commandment  to  bless,  and  he 
•'hath  blessed ;  and  I  cannot '  re- 
verse it. 

y  c.  22.  12.  z  John  10.  28,  29.  Rom.  8.38,  39. 

between  confirming  and  continving. 
Deut.  27  :  26,  "  Cursed  be  he  that  con- 
firmeth  not  all  the  words  of  this  law  to 
do  them."  Gal.  3  :  10,  "  For  it  is  writ- 
ten, Cursed  is  every  one  that  conUnu- 
eth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
The  words  convey  a  universal  truth,  al- 
though it  is  not  improbable  that  they 
were  spoken  with  a  more  specific  refer- 
ence to  what  the  Lord  had  declared 
through  Balaam  in  his  first  promise, 
and  the  substance  of  which  is  recited  in 
the  ensuing  verse.  The  causes  which 
operate  to  make  men  fail  in  accomplish- 
ing their  intentions  or  promises  can 
have  no  place  with  Jehovah,  He  is  in- 
deed said  in  Scripture  to  repent  when 
he  withholds  his  punishments  on  the  re- 
pentance of  men,  or  when  he  revokes 
the  mer-cies  which  they  have  abused. 
But  his  purposes  are  irrevocable  by 
himself,  and  unalterable  by  others. 
Whatever  of  mercy  or  of  judgment  he 
hath  declared  to  any  man  or  people, 
neither  men  nor  devils  can  hinder,  for 
being  unchangeable  on  earth  himself, 
he  cannot  but  be  immutably  true  to  his 
word. 

V.  20.  Ihave  received  {commandment) 
to  hless.  The  word  supplied  is  evidently 
required  by  the  sense,  and  the  Hebrew 
usage  furnishes  frequent  instances  of 
similar  omissions,  which  are  easily  sup- 
plied from  the  scope  of  the  passage. 
Thus,  1  Chron.  18  :  6,  "  Then  David  put 
in  Syria-Damascus,"  which  is  expressed 
in  full  in  the  parallel  passage,  2  Sam. 
8:6,  "  Then  David  put  garrisons  in 
Syria  of  Damascus." H  And  lean- 
not  reverse  it.  Or,  Heb.  "I  shall  not 
turn  it  away,  or  turn  it  back."    Chald. 


21  He  "hath  not  beheld  ini- 
quity in  Jacob,  neither  hath  he 


a  Ps.  103.  H.  Is.  1.  18. 
7,  8.    8.  1. 


17.  Mic.  7,  19.  Rom.  4. 


"  And  I  shall  not  turn  my  blessing  from 
them."  Our  version,  however,  conveys 
the  correct  sense.  Balaam  would  not 
reverse  the  divine  decree  because  he 
could  not ;  and  what  he  says  of  him- 
self holds  true  of  all  others  and  in  all 
ages.  The  divine  purposes  insure  to 
the  members  of  the  true  church  the 
performance  of  the  divine  promises. 
Isot  an  iota  of  all  that  the  Lord  hath 
said  shall  fail.  No  power  in  heaven, 
earth,  or  hell,  can  avail  to  turn  aside 
the  Most  High  from  his  fixed  purpose 
of  bestowing  the  blessings  of  eternal 
life  upon  his  genuine  people.  Is.  14 : 
27,  "For  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  pur- 
posed, and  who  shall  disannul  it  V  and 
his  hand  is  stretched  out,  and  who  shall 
turn  it  back?"  How  cheering  the 
thought  amidst  the  mutabilities  of  life 
—"Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day,  and  forever !  "  How  great  the 
consolation  to  the  Lord's  followers,  that 
none  can  reverse  what  he  has  said ; 
none  turn  the  blessing  into  a  curse! 
V.  21.  Ne  hath  not  heheld  iniquity  in 
Jacob,  neither  hath  he  seen  perverseness 
in  Israel.  Heb.  dien,  iniqtiity,  a  term 
of  large  import,  denoting  all  the  vari- 
ous kinds  of  sin  or  iniquity  which  cause 
pain,  sorrow,  and  misery,  and  applied 
in  particular  to  idolatry,  as  it  is  render- 
ed 1  Sam.  15  :  23,  while  in  Is.  66  :  3,  it 
is  rendered  an  idol.  So  also  Chald. 
"  I  see  that  there  are  none  who  worship 
idols  in  the  house  of  Jacob,  nor  any  ser- 
vants of  trouble  and  vanity  in  Israel." 
Yulg.  "  There  is  no  idol  in  Jacob,  nei- 
i  ther  is  there  any  image-God  to  be  seen 
in  Israel."  "When  applied  thus  to  idol- 
atry it  involves  the  accessory  idea  of 
nothingness  and  vanity  as  predicable 


378 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


seen  perverseness  in  Israel :  the 
Lord  *  his  God  is  with  him,  and 


16.   rs.  46.  11. 


thereof;  and  when  Paul  says,  1  Cor. 
8:4,"  an  idol  is  nothing  in  the  world," 
the  allusion  is  undoubtedly  to  the  term 
aven,  'vanity,  occurring  in  this  and  other 
connections.  The  Gr.  has,  "  There  shall 
be  no  calamity  in  Jacob,  nor  shall  mis- 
ery be  seen  in  Israel."  Some  degree 
of  ambiguity  will  still  adhere  to  the 
words,  preventing  us  from  defining  the 
exact  shade  of  meaning,  but  from  domi- 
nant usage  in  respect  to  both  the  orig- 
inal terms  for  "  iniquity  "  and  "  per- 
verseness "  {men  and  dmal)  it  is  evident 
that  the  idea  of  idolatrous  worsldp  does 
enter  into  their  import,  although  the 
authority  for  the  present  rendering  can- 
not be  ftvirly  questioned.  The  purport, 
then,  of  the  passage,  we  take  to  be,  that 
God  had  not  seen  in  Israel  that  degree 
of  iniquity  and  perverseness  which 
should  be  a  sufficient  ground  for  inflict- 
ing upon  them  a  curse,  which  was  Ba- 
laam's desire  and  Balak's  design.  But 
as  we  know  the  Lord  did  see,  in  the 
literal  Israel,  the  grossest  outbreaks  of 
wickedness  and  rebellion — as  he  says 
expressly  Ex.  32  :  9,  "I  have  seen  this 
people,  and,  behold,  it  is  a  stiff-necked 
people ; "  and  again,  Am.  3:2,  "  You 
only  have  I  known  of  all  the  families 
of  the  earth;  therefore  I  will  punish 
you  for  all  your  iniquities  "—we  are 
naturally  prompted  to  look  beyond  the 
representing  to  the  represented  body, 
and  recognize  the  truth  of  the  declara- 
tion in  its  reference  to  the  spiritual  in- 
stead of  the  natural  Israel.  As  predi- 
cated of  his  true  church  in  subsequent 
times,  indeed  in  all  times,  the  Lord  may 
be  said  not  to  see  iniquity  or  perverse- 
ness in  it,  because  he  does  not  see  it  to 
punish  it,  or  to  permit  it  to  prevent 
their  salvation.  It  means  that  he  does 
not  so  see  their  sins  as  to  be  provoked 


the  shout "  of  a  king  is  among 
them. 


thereby  utterly  to  forsake,  curse,  and 
destroy  them.  In  this  sense  God  is 
said  not  to  see  sins,  as  elsewhere  he  is 
said  io  forget  them,  Is.  43  :  25.  Jer.  31 : 
24 ;  and  to  cover  them,  Ps.  32  : 1,  which 
keeps  them  out  of  sight,  and  so  out  of 
mind;  to  hlot  tJiem  out,  Ps.  51:1,  9; 
and  to  cast  them  behind  his  bach,  Is.  38  : 
17,  or  into  the  depth  of  the  sea,  Mic.  7  : 
19.  And  so  parents  are  sometimes  said 
not  to  know  or  not  to  see  those  sins  in 
their  children  which  they  do  not  so  take 
notice  of  as  to  chastise  them.  Other 
interpretations  more  or  less  plausible 
have  been  proposed  by  commentators, 
but  we  forbear  to  state  them,  as  the 
above  answers  sufficiently  the  demands 
of  the  text,  and  strikes  us  as  far  the 

most  probable. 1[  Tlie  Lord  his  God 

is  with  him.  Chald.  "  The  Word  of  the 
Lord  their  God  is  for  their  help."  These 
words  point  directly  to  the  source  of 
their  peculiar  blessedness.  It  was  from 
the  divine  presence  dwelling  in  the 
midst  of  them,  sustaining  and  protect- 
ing them.  This  prerogative  was  a  sign 
of  the  gracious  state  of  those  to  whom 
it  pertained,  as  otherwise  the  privilege 
of  communion  with  Him  could  not  have 
been  enjoyed,  according  to  the  intima- 
tion 1  John  1 :  6,  7.  So  also  Ex.  33  :  3, 
"  For  I  will  not  go  up  in  the  midst  of 
thee  ;  for  thou  art  a  stiff-necked  people, 
lest  I  consume  thee  in  the  way."  The 
Lord  was  indeed  symbolically  and  typi- 
cally with  the  Israelites  in  the  wilder- 
ness and  in  Canaan,  but  the  fulness  of 
the  declaration  is  to  be  realized  only  in 
that  Israel  which  is  after  the  spirit  and 

not  after  the  flesh. ^  And  the  shout 

of  a  king  (is)  among  them.  Heb.  "  In 
him,"  i.  e.  in  Jacob  or  Israel,  spoken 
of  collectively.  The  original  term  for 
"  shout "  (teruath)  is  used  to  denote  the 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


379 


22  God  "^  brought   them   out 
of    Egypt  :     he     hath  *  as    it 

d  c.  24.  S.  e  Deut.  33.  17.   Ps.  92.  10. 


alarm-sound  made  by  the  silver  trum- 
pets described  ch.  10 :  5,  6,  on  which 
see  Note.  It  is  employed  also  to  de- 
note a  shouting  of  joy  and  exultation, 
as  when  a  king  or  conqueror  returns  in 
triumph  from  war,  and  his  coming  is 
hailed  with  jubilant  acclamations  on 
the  part  of  the  people.  "  When  people 
pass  along  the  road,  if  they  hear  a  great 
noise  of  joy  or  triumph,  they  say, '  This 
is  like  the  shout  of  a  king.'  *  What  a 
noise  there  was  in  your  village  last 
evening !  Why,  it  was  like  the  shout 
of  a  king.'" — Roherts.  It  implies,  in 
its  ulterior  reference,  that  the  Lord's 
true  people  should  be  victorious  in  their 
divine  Head  over  all  enemies,  and  that 
at  the  last  day,  "  at  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  the  trump  of  God,"  they 
should  be  triumphantly  put  in  posses- 
sion of  their  glorious  and  eternal  inher- 
itance. 

V.  22.  God  brought  them  out  of 
Egypt.  Heb.  "  Is  bringing  them,"  im- 
plying a  continuous  act.  We  learn 
from  ch.  22  :  5,  that  Balak  sent  word  to 
Balaam,  "  Behold,  there  is  a  people 
come  out  from  Egypt."  This  would 
seem  to  imply  that  in  his  view  they  had 
come  forth  from  Egypt  of  their  own 
motion.  But  Balaam  now  informs  him 
that  such  is  not  the  fact ;  that  they 
were  brought  out  by  the  hand  of  God 
himself,  and  that  he  was  still  bringing 
them ;  that  he  had  not  rehnquished  his 
guiding  and  guardian  care  towards 
them ;  and  consequently  that,  to  en- 
deavor to  oppose  them,  to  contend  with 
them,  or  to  visit  them  with  impreca- 
tions, would  be  no  less  than  a  foolish 
fighting  with  God — a  vain  conflict  of 
weakness  against  Omnipotence.  View- 
ed in  this  light  the  use  of  the  Participle 
in  the  present  connection  is  peculiarly 


were  the   strength   of  an   uni- 
corn. 


significant.  "  The  fruitlessness  of  his 
undertakings  against  Israel  is  here 
proved  to  Balak,  not  from  the  fact  that 
God  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt, 
but  that  he  is  bringing  them  out.  The 
idea  is,  whoever  has  God  for  a  leader 
or  companion  on  his  way,  the  world 
with  all  its  power  can  do  nothing  against 

him." — Sengstenherg. T[  He  hath  as 

it  icere  the  strength  of  an  v.nicorn..  Gr. 
"  The  glory  of  an  unicorn."  The  "he" 
in  this  passage  we  take  to  refer  to  Is- 
rael, and  not  to  God,  although  Ains 
worth  recognizes  an  allusion  to  both, 
the  Most  High  as  the  head  of  his  peo- 
ple possessing  this  strength  in  himself, 
and  then  imparting  it  to  them,  accord- 
ing to  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps. 
68  :  35,  "  The  God  of  Israel  is  he  that 
giveth  strength  and  power  unto  his 
people."  For  the  natural  history  of  the 
Unicorn,  or  the  animal  so  denominated, 
see  Bochart,  Paxton,  Robinson's  Cal- 
met,  Kitto's  Bib.  Cyclopaedia,  Bush's 
Script,  niustrations,  etc.,  where  the 
subject  is  fully  discussed.  This  ani- 
mal, whatever  it  were,  is  noted  in 
Scripture  mainly  for  the  potency  of  its 
hx)rn,  wherefore  the  Psalmist  says, 
"Mine  horn  shalt  thou  exalt  like  the 
horn  of  an  unicorn."  It  thence  became 
an  ordinary  symbol  of  strength,  and 
especially  of  the  prowess  of  a  people 
against  their  enemies,  as  in  what  Moses 
says  of  Joseph,  Deut.  33  :  17,  "  His 
glory  is  like  the  firstling  of  his  bullock, 
and  his  horns  are  like  the  horns  of  uni- 
corns :  with  them  he  shall  push  the  peo- 
ple together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
In  this  sense  Balaam  here  speaks  of 
Israel,  as  also  in  the  parallel  passage, 
ch.  24 :  8,  "  God  brought  him  forth  out 
of  Egypt ;  he  hath  as  it  were  the  strength 
of  an  unicorn :  he  shall  eat  up  the  na- 


880 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


23  Surely  there  is  no  enchani- 
ment  against  Jacob,  neither  is 

tions  his  enemies,  and  shall  break  their 
bones,  and  pierce  them  through  with 
his  arrows."  The  pertinence  of  the 
comparison  will  be  more  obvious  upon 
reference  to  the  character  which  Job, 
ch,  39  :  9-12,  gives  of  this  animal, 
**  Will  the  unicorn  be  willing  to  serve 
thee,  or  abide  by  thy  crib  ?  Canst  thou 
bind  the  unicorn  with  his  band  in  the 
furrow  ?  or  will  he  harrow  the  valleys 
after  thee?  Wilt  thou  trust  him,  be- 
cause his  strength  is  great?  or  wilt 
thou  leave  thy  labor  to  him  ?  Wilt  thou 
believe  him,  that  he  will  bring  home 
thy  seed,  and  gather  it  into  thy  barn  ?  " 
In  like  manner  it  is  latently  implied 
that  as  the  unicorn  spurns  the  dominion 
of  man,  and  refuses  to  be  tamed  or  to 
be  serviceable  to  him  in  any  way,  so 
Israel  should  be  endowed  with  strength 
to  vanquish  their  enemies,  while  they 
are  vanquished  of  none,  and  are  subject 
to  none.  In  this,  as  in  the  other  parts 
of  the  prophecy,  that  which  is  spoken 
of  the  literal  Israel  is  subordinate  to  that 
which  is  predicated  of  the  spiritual. 

V.  23.  Surely  {there  is)  no  enchant- 
ment against  Jacob,  neither  {is  there) 
any  divination  against  Israel,  Or,  Heb. 
"  For  there  is  no  augury  in  Jacob,  nor 
divination  in  Israel ;"  i.  e-,  none  prac- 
tised. According  to  this  rendering, 
the  present  verse  assigns  a  reason  for 
the  use  of  the  similitude  in  the  preced- 
ing. It  is  there  asserted  that  God  led 
Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  that  in  conse- 
quence they  were  armed  with  a  power 
inexhaustible  and  invincible.  How  does 
this  appear?  The  verse  before  us  an- 
swers— because,  or  for,  Israel  is  not  to 
resort  to  the  arts  of  soothsaying  and 
augury  in  order  to  acquire  a  knowledge 
of  the  divine  will,  but  God  clearly  re- 
veals to  them,  at  all  times,  what  he 
does,  and  what,  accordingly,  his  people 


there  any  divination  against  Is- 
rael :   according  to  this  time  it 


are  to  do.  This  is  the  construction 
which  Hengstenberg  puts  upon  the  pas- 
sage, and  in  which,  on  the  whole,  we 
are  constrained  to  concur,  although 
always  disposed,  when  possible,  to 
abide  by  our  present  version.  That 
version  makes  the  purport  of  the  lan- 
guage to  be,  that  no  such  magical  arts 
as  Balaam  had  resorted  to  would  be  of 
any  avail  against  Israel,  inasmuch  as 
they  were  constantly  under  the  power- 
ful protection  of  heaven,  which  would 
be  certain  to  render  the  machinations 
of  their  enemies  utterly  abortive.  This 
is  indeed  in  itself  true,  and  would 
make  a  very  appropriate  sense  if  ade- 
quately sanctioned  by  philology.  But 
it  is  a  serious  objection  to  it,  (1.)  That 
the  original  words  nahash  and  gesem  do 
not  properly  signify  witchcraft  and  en- 
chantment, but  augury  and  divination. 
(2.)  That  the  Heb.  for  "  against  Jacob  " 
and  "  against  Israel "  is  precisely  the 
same  with  that  rendered  "  in  Jacob  " 
and  "  in  Israel,"  v.  21.  The  preposi- 
tion '2  =  b,  in,  occurs  in  both  cases,  and 
although  instances  may  be  adduced 
when  it  is  properly  rendered  against, 
yet  we  can  hardly  suppose  that  precise- 
ly the  same  expression  in  the  same  con- 
text would  require  to  be  rendered  in 
any  other  than  the  same  manner.  The 
ancient  versions  exhibit,  as  usual  in 
difficult  cases,  a  diversity  of  rendering. 
Gr.  "For  there  is  no  augury  used  in 
Jacob,  nor  divination  in  Israel."  Chald. 
"  For  auguries  are  not  acceptable  in  the 
house  of  Jacob,  nor  does  the  multitude 
of  the  house  of  Israel  will  that  there 
should  be  divinations."  Vulg.  "  There 
is  no  soothsaying  in  Jacob,  nor  divina- 
tion in  Israel."  Syr.  "  For  there  is  no 
omen  against  Jacob,  neither  divina- 
tion against  Israel."  Arab.  "Neither is 
there  any  augury  which  shall  harm  the 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTEPw  XXm. 


381 


shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and  of  Is- 
rael, What^hath  Grod  -wrought ! 


/  r&.  31. 19. 


progeny  of  Jacob,  nor  Pjthonic  art 
which  shall  avail  against  the  stock  of 
Israel."  From  this  it  appears  that 
these  versions  are  about  equally  di- 
vided in  their  support  of  the  two  modes 
of  rendering ;  but  we  rest  in  our  reasons 
for  giving  a  preference  to  the  former. 

TT  According  to  this  time  it  shall  he 

said,  etc.  Heb.  "  According  to  the  time." 
It  is  extremely  difficult  to  affix  a  precise 
idea  to  these  words.  Ainsworth  gives 
as  an  alternative  rendering,  "  Even  at 
this  time  it  shall  be  said;"  i.  e.,  not 
hereafter  only,  but  even  now,  it  shall 
be  said  by  me,  who  am  to  prophesy  con- 
cerning this  people,  What  great  things 
God  hath  wrought,  and  will  work  for 
them.  Rosenmuller's  construction  is 
not  very  different :  "  As  at  this  time, 
i.  e.,  about  this  time,  as  likewise  here- 
after it  shall  be  said.  How  great  things 
hath  God  wrought !  equivalent  to  say- 
ing, Xot  only  these,  but  many  more 
wonderful  things  will  God  perform  in 
behalf  of  Israel."  Others,  again,  take 
the  Heb.  term  to  signify  about  this  time 
next  year ;  as  it  does  Gen.  18  :  10,  where 
see  Note.  So  Chazkuni,  a  Jewish  writer, 
'*  The  next  year  after  they  had  gone 
over  Jordan,  about  the  time  (or,  this 
time)  it  shall  be  said  concerning  Jacob 
and  Israel ;  how  many  (great)  works 
hath  the  holy  blessed  God  wrought  for 
them."  Dathius  renders  it,  "  The  time 
is  at  hand  when  it  shall  be  said,  etc." 
Calvin  paraphrases  it  thus  :  "  God  shall 
henceforth  perform  mighty  works  for 
the  defence  of  his  people,  which  should 
be  related  with  admiration.  Balaam 
would  say,  that  great  should  be  the  [ 
progress  of  God's  grace,  the  beginnings  | 
only  of  which  then  appeared ;  in  short,  i 
he  declares  that  henceforth  memorable  j 
should  be  the  performances  of  God  iu  J 


24  Behold,  the  people  shall 
rise  up  ^  as  a  great  lion,  and  lift 


g  Gen.  49.  9.     Mic. 


behalf  of  his  people  which  should  sup- 
ply abundant  subjects  for  history."  We 
may,  perhaps,  safely  suppose  the  im- 
port to  be  that  on  all  occasions  there 
should  be  ample  ground  for  saying  of 
Jacob  and  Israel,  what  hath  God 
wrought  in  their  behalf  The  ancient 
versions  afford  no  material  assistance  in 
this  case,  but  such  as  they  are  we  give 
them.  Gr.  "  In  due  season  it  shall  be 
told  to  Jacob  and  to  Israel  what  God 
will  execute."  Vulg.  "  In  their  times 
it  shall  be  told  to  Jacob  and  to  Israel 
what  God  hath  wrought."  Chald.  "  In 
time  it  shall  be  told  to  Jacob  and  Israel, 
what  God  hath  wrought."  Sam.  "  As  at 
this  time  it  shall  be  said  to  Jacob  and  Is- 
rael, what  hath  God  done."  Syr.  "■  In  a 
like  time  it  shall  be  said  to  Jacob  and  Is- 
rael, what  shall  God  work  ?"  Arab.  "  And 
it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  what  so  great 
things  hath  the  (All)  Powerful  done  ?" 
V.  24.  Behold  the  people  shall  rise  vp 
as  a  great  lion.  Heb.  "  As  a  courageous 
lion."  Here  the  blessing  which  was 
bestowed  specifically  upon  the  tribe  of 
Judah,  Gen.  49  :  9,  is  applied  to  the 
whole  nation  of  Israel  collectively: 
"  Judah  is  a  lion's  whelp ;  from  the 
prey,  my  son,  thou  art  gone  up  :  he 
stooped  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion, 
and  as  an  old  lion ;  who  shall  rouse 
him  up  ?  "  But  this  blessing  reaches 
on  and  expends  itself  on  the  Christian 
church,  with  whom  is  the  victorious 
presence  of  Christ,  "the  Lion  of  the 

tribe  of  Judah." T[  And  lift  himself 

vp  as  a  yoking  lion.  Emblematic  of 
strength,  courage,  and  majesty.  In  the 
primary  sense  this  phrase  and  the 
"  rising  up  "  in  the  former  clause,  may 
be  conceived  as  pointing  to  the  bold 
and  valorous  onset  which  Israel  should 
make  upon  their  enemies  the  Canaan- 


382 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


up  himself  as  a  young  lion  :  he 
shall  not  lie  down  ^  until  he  eat 
of  the  prey,  and  drink  the  blood 
of  the  slain. 

25  And  Balak  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, Neither  curse  them  at  all, 
nor  bless  them  at  all. 

26  But  Balaam  answered ' 
and  said  unto  Balak,  Told  not 
I  thee,  saying.  All  that  the 
Lord  speaketh  that  I  must  do  ? 


ites,  the  record  of  which  is  contained  in 
the  book  of  Joshua.  But  beyond  this 
we  recognize  also  the  easy  triumphs  of 
the  spiritual  Israel  over  their  various 
enemies,  Satan,  sin,  and  the  world, 
which  are  all  leagued  against  them,  but 
which  are  destined  inevitably  to  be  over- 
come. The  language  of  the  final  clause 
is  to  be  interpreted  to  the  same  effect. 

V.  25.  Neither  curse  them  at  all,  nor 
bless  them  at  all.  Heb.  ''Neither  curs- 
ing curse  him,  nor  blessing  bless  him." 
The  impatience  and  vexation  of  Ba- 
lak breaks  out  uncontrollably  in  these 
words.  Since  Balaam  will  not  say  what 
he  would  have  him,  he  wishes  him  to 
say  nothing.  If  he  could  procure  no  evil 
to  be  done  to  Israel,  he  would  at  least  de- 
bar them  from  the  reception  of  any  good. 

V.  26.  Told  I  not  thee,  saying,  etc. 
The  groundwork  of  Balak's  reproach 
was  the  consideration,  that  Balaam,  by 
his  very  coming,  had  laid  himself  under 
an  obligation,  at  least,  to  do  nothing 
against  the  interest  of  the  king.  To 
this  Balaam  replies  by  appealing  to  the 
declaration  made  on  his  first  arrival, 
that  he  could  only  utter  what  was  put 
into  his  lips.  He  is  willing  to  own  him- 
self overruled,  although  he  does  not 
confess  that  he  would  have  been  very 
willing  to  comply  with  Balak's  order  if 
he  had  been  able. 

V.  27.    Peradventure  it  will  please 


27  And  Balak  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, Come,  I  pray  thee,  I  will 
bring  thee  unto  another  place : 
peradventure  it  will  please  Grod 
that  thou  mayest  curse  me  them 
from  thence. 

28  And  Balak  brought  Ba- 
laam unto  the  top  of  Peor,  that 
looketh  toward  Jeshimon. 

29  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak,  Build  me  here  seven  al- 


God,  etc.  Heb.  "  Peradventure  it  will 
be  right  in  the  eyes  of  God."  If  Ba- 
lak, in  vittering  these  words,  had  any 
thought  of  the  true  God  in  his  mind, 
the  absurdity  as  well  as  the  impiety  of 
the  suggestion  is  astounding.  To  think 
that  the  Most  High  could  be  prevailed 
upon  to  turn  from  his  purpose  of  bless- 
ing, and  he  pleased  to  curse  his  people, 
was  the  height  of  delusion,  and  making 
the  Lord  to  be  "  a  God  who  hath  pleas- 
ure in  wickedness."  But  it  is  possible 
that  Balak,  by  the  term  "God,"  had 
mental  reference  to  some  other  deity,  in 
which  case  we  cannot  so  much  wonder 
at  the  crudeness  of  his  apprehensions. 

V.  28.  And  Balak  brought  Balaam 
unto  the  top  of  Peor.  Gr.  "  Phogor." 
Chald.  "  To  the  top  of  the  high  place 
of  Peor."  It  was  the  name  of  a  moun- 
tain in  Moab  where  the  people  of  tliat 
country  used  to  sacrifice  to  their  idol 
Baal.  It  was  hence  called  Baal-Peor, 
ch.  25  :  2,  3,  18,  and  they  seem  there  to 
have  had  a  temple  called  Beth-pcor,  or 
the  house  of  Peor,  near  which  was  a  city 
of  the  same  name,  that  the  Israelites 
took  from  king  Sihon,  and  afterwards 
gave  for  a  possession  to  the  tribe  of 
Reuben,  Dcut.  3:29.  Josh.  13:15,  20. 

T[   That  looketh  toward  Jeshimon. 

That  is,  towards  the  desert  so  named. 
See  Note  on  ch.  21 :  20.  This  wilder- 
ness, according  to  ch.  24 : 1,  compared 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


383 


tars,  and  prepare  me  here  seven 
bullocks  and  seven  rams. 

30  And  Balak  did  as  Balaam 
had  said,  and  offered  a  bullock 
and  a  ram  on  every  altar. 

with  V.  2,  is  situated  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  is  the 
same  tract  which  is  elsewhere  called 
Arboth  Moab,  or  fields  or  plains  o/Moab, 
respecting  which  see  Note  on  ch.  22 : 1. 
We  are  led  to  the  same  conclusion  by 
the  words  "that  looketh  toward  the 
wilderness,"  since  they  are  not  proba- 
bly to  be  understood  so  much  as  a  gen- 
eral geographical  remark,  as  indicative 
of  the  suitableness  of  the  place  for  Ba- 
lak's  object.  A  high  peak  or  pinnacle 
like  that  of  Peor  could  not  properly  be 
said  to  command  one  single  view,  but 
rather  an  extended  prospect  in  every 
direction  ;  but  as  it  was  important  for 
Balaam  to  have  a  distinct  view  of  the 
Israelites  in  order  to  give  efficacy  to 
his  curses,  it  is  therefore  intimated  that 
such  a  view  was  especially  to  be  obtain- 
ed from  the  station  now  chosen.  That 
this  wilderness  is  denoted  Jeshimon  is 
moreover  inferrible  from  the  fact  that 
we  find  a  place  situated  in  it,  to  which 
the  Israelitish  camp  reached  from  Gil- 
gal,  bearing  the  name  of  Beth-jeshi- 
moth,  ch.  33  :  48,  49.  If,  then,  the 
Jeshimon  here  mentioned  denotes  the 
Arabah  of  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
Dead  Sea,  then  by  the  clause,  "that 
looketh  toward  the  wilderness,"  the 
position  of  Peor  is  determined  with  tol- 
erable exactness.  It  must  have  stood 
somewhat  to  the  eastward  overlooking 
the  "plains  of  Moab."  This  appears 
also  from  Deut.  3  :  29,  "  So  we  abode  in 
the  valley  over  against  Baal-peor."  So 
likewise  Deut.  4  :  45,  46,  "  These  are 
the  testimonies,  etc.  .  .  .  which  Moses 
spake  unto  the  children  of  Israel  .  .  . 
on  this  side  Jordan,  in  the  valley  over 
against  Beth-peor ; "  from  which  it  ap- 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

AND  when  Balaam  saw  that 
it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bless 
Israel,  he  went  not,  as  at  other 
times,  to  seek  for  enchantments, 

pears,  that  when  the  Israelites  were 
encamped  in  the  plains,  Beth-peor 
was  situated  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
above  them  and  looking  down  on  the 
encampment  below. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Continuation  of  Balaam! s  Prophecy  as 
relating  to  Israel. 
V.  1.  When  Balaam  saw  that  it 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bless  Israel.  Heb. 
"  That  it  was  good  in  the  eyes  of  Jeho- 
vah." The  Most  High  always  esteems 
it  good  to  abide  by  his  purposes  and 
promises.  This  fact  respecting  the 
Lord  it  is  said  that  Balaam  "  saw,"  by 
which  we  are  to  understand  that  he  be- 
came assured  of  it  from  the  internal 
consciousness  of  being  overruled  in  his 
utterance  by  a  superior  power  which 

he  could  not  resist. T[  He  went  not, 

as  at  other  times,  to  seeJc  for  enchant- 
ments. Heb.  "  Not  at  (this)  time  as  the 
time  (before)."  Gr.  "  According  to  his 
custom."  Seeing  there  was  no  likeli- 
hood of  obtaining  leave  from  God  to 
curse  his  people,  he  resolves  no  more 
to  seek  for  enchantments,  but  sets  his 
face  towards  the  wilderness,  that  is, 
towards  the  place  where  Israel  lay  en- 
camped, apparently  giving  himself  up 
to  the  influence  which  had  proved  too 
strong  for  his  wicked  will,  and  perhaps 
disposed  in  his  own  mind  to  make  a 
virtue  of  the  necessity  that  he  felt  laid 
upon  him.  His  object  in  retiring  on 
the  former  occasions,  while  Balak  was 
left  standing  by  his  altars,  was  not  ex- 
pressly stated,  but  here  we  are  inform- 
ed in  effect  that  it  was  to  practise  in 


384 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


but  lie  set  his  face  toward  the 
wilderness. 

private  those  cabalistic  and  magical 
arts  which  were  common  to  sorcerers, 
and  which  he  was  in  hopes  might  have 
made  him  master  of  his  impious  pur- 
pose, wherein,  however,  he  was  disap- 
pointed. These  devices  he  now  aban- 
doned, because  he  saw  they  were  fruit- 
less, although  his  heart  was  in  reality 
no  better  than  before,  as  we  infer  from 
the  sequel  of  the  narrative.  The  orig- 
inal word  for  "  enchantments "  {nehd- 
sJiim)  is  closely  related  to  the  Heb. 
term  for  serpent  (nahash)  and  the  rela- 
tion between  the  ideas  conveyed  by 
serpent  and  divination  or  augury  is 
undoubtedly  recognized  in  more  places 
than  one  in  the  original  Scriptures. 
The  literal  rendering  in  the  present  in- 
stance is  "to  meet  enchantment  or 
magic-omens."  The  phrase  undoubt- 
edly implies  the  meeting,  or  seeking 
an  interview  with  the  Lord,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  him  propitious  to 
his  design  by  certain  ceremonies  of  a 
cryptic  or  mysterious  nature  known  as 

diDinations  or  auguries. T[  He  set  Ms 

face  toward  the  wilderness.  Heb.  el 
Jiammidhar,  the  usual  term  to  denote 
the  dreary  desert  through  which  Israel 
had  wandered  after  leaving  Egypt,  but 
implying  in  this  connection  a  region 
which  could  only  be  comparatively  de- 
nominated a  desert  or  wilderness,  as 
they  were  encamped  in  the  valley  of  the 
Jordan,  while  Balaam  was  beholding 
them  from  the  heights  above.  It  ap- 
pears from  the  occasional  usage  of  the 
term,  that  any  large  and  extensive  tract 
of  champaign  country,  even  though  it 
may  happen  to  have  villages  in  it,  is 
called  in  the  Scripture  xoilderness.  It 
would  seem,  however,  that  both  the 
Chaldee  and  Jerusalem  paraphrases 
were  somewhat  misled  by  the  use  of 
the  term  midbar,   and  supposed  that 


2  And   Balaam   lift  up   his 
eyes,  and  he  saw  Israel  abiding 


Balaam  turned  his  face  in  the  direction 
of  the  wilderness  from  which  they  had 
recently  emerged,  as  is  to  be  inferred 
from  their  interpretation.  Chald.  "  He 
set  his  face  towards  the  calf  that  Israel 
had  made  in  the  wilderness,"  implying, 
perhaps,  that  a  people  guilty  of  such  a 
flagrant  iniquity  might  properly  be  the 
subjects  of  a  curse.  But  this  supposes 
that  Balaam  knew  of  their  transgres- 
sion, which  might  have  been  the  fact, 
or  might  not,  Targ.  Jerus.  "  He  set 
his  face  toward  the  wilderness,  and  re- 
membered concerning  them  the  work 
of  the  calf,  and  would  have  cursed  Is- 
rael." Finding  all  his  previous  incan- 
tations of  no  eflfect  whatever,  he  re- 
solves to  abandon  them,  and  utter  what 
was  put  into  his  mouth.  It  was  more- 
over wisely  ordered  in  providence  that 
the  august  and  glorious  predictions 
that  follow  respecting  the  Messiah  and 
the  Lord's  church  should  not  be  pre- 
ceded by  magical  rites,  which  would 
in  some  degree  have  weakened  their 
credit  or  tarnished  their  lustre. 

V.  2.  Saw  Israel  abiding  (in  Jiis  tents). 
Heb.  shoken,  the  root  of  ShekinaJi.  See 
Note  on  Ex.  29  :  45.  The  addition  in 
italics,  "  in  his  tents,"  is  very  proper, 
as  the  allusion  is  to  that  mode  of  habi- 
tation. Indeed,  the  Tabernacle,  the 
special  residence  of  the  Shekinah,  was 
a  movable  tent,  though  of  peculiar  and 
unique  structure.  Gr.  ''Saw  Israel  en- 
camped by  tribes."  The  order  pre- 
scribed for  the  disposition  of  the  several 
tribes  was  always  observed  during  their 
encampment,  and  this  exact  and  beau- 
tiful order  seems  to  have  made  a  pro- 
found impression  upon  the  spirit  of 
Balaam,  as  may  be  inferred  from  his  lan- 
guage in  vs.  5-7. 1[  And  the  Spirit 

of  God  came  upon  Mm.  Chald.  "  The 
spirit  of  prophecy  from  before  the  Lord 


B.  C.  1452.1 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 


385 


in  his  tents  according  to  their 
tribes ;  and  "  the  Spirit  of  God 
came  upon  him. 


a  1  Sim.  10.  10. 


rested  upon  him."  This  Sol.  Jarchi  in- 
timates was  with  a  view  to  keep  him 
from  cursing  Israel.  It  evidently  im- 
plies a  strong  compulsory  influence 
emanating  from  the  Lord  himself,  and 
overruling  and  restraining  him  from 
uttering  the  anathemas  which  he  had 
conceived  in  his  heart,  and  inspiring 
him  to  see  and  to  foretell  future  events. 
The  phrase  imports  a  divine  impulse  or 
afflatus  which  was  often  imparted  to 
men  independent  of  their  moral  charac- 
ter. It  was  a  species  of  possession  or 
inspiration  for  the  time  being,  and  those 
who  were  subjects  of  it  "spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  Thus, 
it  is  said  ch.  11 :  26,  "  The  Spirit  rested 
upon  them,  and  they  prophesied."  So 
also  V.  29  of  the  same  chapter,  "  Would 
God  that  all  the  Lord's  people  were 
prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put 
his  Spirit  upon  them."  In  like  manner 
the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  Saul,  con- 
verting him  temporarily  into  a  new 
man,  but  not  making  any  permanent 
change  in  his  character,  l»Sara.  19  :  19- 
23.  "'Tis  sometimes  said,  'The  Lord 
came  to  Balaam '  as  he  did  to  Abime- 
iech.  Gen.  20 :  3,  and  to  Laban,  Gen.  31 : 
24 ;  but  'tis  never  said  '  The  word  of 
the  Lord '  came  to  him,  as  to  Jeremiah, 
Jer.  1 : 4,  and  to  the  rest  of  God's  proph- 
ets. God  never  vouchsafed  his  '  word ' 
to  any  but  to  his  prophets,  of  whom  'tis 
said  always,  that  '  the  word  of  the  Lord 
came  to  them.'  "—JS^ess.  The  remarks 
of  Calvin  on  this  incident  are  very  ap- 
propriate. "  It  is  said  '  the  Spirit  of 
God  was  upon  him,'  not  as  if  it  had  be- 
gun to  inspire  him  at  that  particular 
moment  when  he  cast  his  eyes  upon  the 
camp  of  Israel ;  but  because  it  prompt- 
ed him  to  look  in  that  direction,  in  or- 


3  And  he  took  up  his  para- 
ble, and  said,  Balaam  the  son 
of    Beor   hath    said,    and    the 


der  that  the  impulse  of  prophecy  might 
be  stronger  in  him,  as  respecting  a  thing 
actually  before  his  eyes.  But  after  the 
Spirit  had  thus  affected  his  senses,  or 
at  any  rate  had  prepared  them  to  be  fit 
instruments  for  the  execution  of  his 
office,  it  then  also  directed  his  tongue 
to  prophesy;  but  in  an  extraordinary 
manner,  so  that  a  divine  majesty  shone 
forth  in  the  sudden  change,  as  if  he 
were  transformed  into  a  new  man.  In 
a  word,  '  the  Spirit  of  God  was  upon 
him,'  showing  by  manifest  token  that 
He  was  the  author  of  his  address,  and 
that  Balaam  did  not  speak  of  his  own 
natural  intelligence.  To  the  same  in- 
tent it  is  said  that  '  he  took  up  his  par- 
able,' because  the  character  of  his  ad- 
dress was  marked  with  unusual  grand- 
eur and  magnificent  brilliancy."  Dr. 
Chalmers  also  speaks  in  a  similar  vein 
of  this  prophecy.  "  He  is  made  the  in- 
voluntary instrument  of  further  revela- 
tions ;  and  what  he  now  utters  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,  is  in 
the  very  highest  style  and  strain  of 
lofty  inspiration.  We  cannot  fix  on 
any  portion  of  Scripture  that  bears  a 
nobler  or  more  sustained  elevation  than 
these  efi"usions  poured  forth  by  Balaam 
from  the  mountains,  as  he  looked  down 
on  the  tents  of  Israel  stretched  out  in 
full  and  far  perspective  before  him." — 
Jjib.  Headings  in  loc.  Still  the  rhetor- 
ical or  poetical  merit  of  the  utterance 
is  comparatively  of  very  little  conse- 
quence when  viewed  in  relation  to  its 
spiritual  import. 

V.  3.  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  hath 
said.  Heb.  neum  bilam,  the  saijing, 
a^rmation,  averment  of  Balaam.  The 
term  is  applied  for  the  most  part  to  di- 
vine oracles  or  declarations,  which  are 


386 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


man  whose  eyes  are  open  hath 
said  ; 

"  faithful  sayings,"  worthy  of  all  confi- 
dence and  acceptation.  It  is  of  very 
emphatic  import,  and  its  use  in  this 
exordium  is  no  doubt  to  be  referred  to 
the  Spirit  who  spake  through  Balaam, 
and  thus  put  a  seal  upon  the  prophecy 
as  a  truly  divine  revelation.  The  Most 
High  was  greatly  magnified  in  thus 
ratifying  his  blessing  upon  his  people 
through  Balaam,  a  sorcerer  and  corrupt 
prophet  who  fain  would  have  cursed 
them.  And  this  circumstance,  tending 
so  much  to  the  divine  glory,  Balaam 
himself  is  made  an  instrument  of  pro- 
claiming. He  is  virtually  made  to  say, 
Even  the  man  whose  power  to  curse  was 
so  much  relied  on,  and  who  leaned  so 
strongly  to  compliance  with  Balak's  suit 
— even  he  must  and  will  afiirm  it,  and 
vigorously  stand  to  it,  that  Israel  shall 
be  blessed.  The  language  of  David, 
2  Sam.  23  : 1,  2,  is  strikingly  analogous, 
as  the  same  word  which  occurs  there 
also  conveys  clearly  the  intimation  that 
what  he  said  is  not  said  from  himself, 
but  from  the  inspiration  of  the  Lord's 
Spirit,  though  uttered  by  his  organs. 
"  Now  these  be  the  last  words  of  David. 
David  the  son  of  Jesse  said,  and  the  man 
who  was  raised  up  on  high,  the  anointed 
of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  the  sweet 
psalmist  of  Israel,  said.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word 

was    in  my  tongue." T[    The  man 

whose  eyes  are  open  hath  said.  Ileb. 
shethum  haayin,  opened  of  eye.  The 
margin  of  our  version  gives,  "Who 
had  his  eyes  shut  (but  now  opened);" 
from  which  it  would  nfl,turally  be  infer- 
red that  there  was  a  degree  of  ambigui- 
ty in  the  original.  This  is  the  fact,  as 
commentators  are  very  much  divided 
between  "  open  "  and  "  shut  "  as  the 
true  rendering.  A  satisfactory  decision 
between  the  claims  of  tlie  two  is  not 


4  He  hath  said,  which  heard 
the  words  of  God,  which   saw 

easy.  The  Chald.  has  "The  man  who 
sees  fairly  (pulchre)."  Gr.  "  The  truly 
seeing  man."  Syr.  "  The  man  whose 
eye  is  disclosed,  or  laid  open  (retec- 
tus)."  Vulg.  "  The  man  whose  eye  is 
stopped  up  (obturatus)."  The  original 
{shethum)  occurs  only  here  and  v.  15, 
and  Hengstenberg  and  others  take  it  as 
the  original  form  of  the  word,  which 
was  afterwards  softened  into  sdthain,  a 
word  of  not  unfrequent  occurrence,  and 
signifying  to  close,  to  shut.  But  Dru- 
sius,  on  the  other  hand,  and  from  him 
Rosenmuller,  refer  shethum  to  the 
Chald.  shatham,  to  perforate,  and  hence 
to  open,  which  is  favored  by  some  of 
the  ancient  versions,  as  the  Syr.  Sam. 
and  Arab.  We  incline,  on  the  whole, 
to  embrace  both  senses,  on  the  ground 
that  an  ecstatic  or  trance  state  is  de- 
scribed, in  which,  as  is  well  known,  the 
external  sight  is  closed  while  the  inter- 
nal is  opened.  Glassius,  in  his  "  Sacred 
Philology,"  gives  a  multitude  of  exam- 
ples from  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  in 
which  the  same  word  conveys  directly 
contrary  meanings.  In  the  Gr.  of  the 
New  Testament  the  same  peculiarity 
occasionally  obtains.  Thus,  Mat.  6  :  2, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you  they  have  their 
reward ; "  where  the  original  (apecho- 
mat)  has  both  a  negative  and  affirm- 
ative sense,  implying  that  in  having 
their  reward  they  have  it  not,  since  in 
seeking  applause  of  men  they  lose  that 
higher  and  better  blessing  which  comes 
from  God  only. 

V.  4.  He  hath  said  lohich  heard  the 
words  of  God.  Heb.  neum,  the  assured 
saying, — the  same  form  of  expression 
with  that  occurring  v.  3,  and  implying 
a  degree  of  emphasis  and  asseveration 
such  as  pertains  to  a  divine  oracle 
rather  than  to  a  human  utterance.  "  The 
words  of  God  "  is  in  the  original  "  the 


B.  C.  1452.J 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


387 


the  vision  of  the  Almighty,  fall- 


sayings  of  God,"  which  the  Chald.  ren- 
ders '*  The  word  from  before  the  Lord," 
and  the  Gr.  "  The  oracles  of  the  Strong," 
i,  e.,  of  the  Almighty,  with  reference  to 
the  Hebrew  name  of  God,  which  is  here 

JEl,   signifying  strong  or  miglity. 

H  Which  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty. 
Heb.  SMddai,  the  All-snjicient.  The 
"  vision  of  the  Almighty  "  is  probably 
to  be  understood  of  the  vision,  that  is, 
the  prophetic  perception,  vouchsafed 
by  the  Almighty,  as  this  is  the  general 
import  of  the  term.  Otherwise  it  might 
be  understood  of  the  vision  of  the  divine 
appearance  in  person,  which  is  sup- 
posed, indeed,  by  some  to  have  been 
the  case  in  the  manifestation  of  the 
Angel-Jehovah  to  the  prophet  during 
his  journey.  But  the  usage  of  the 
original  is  so  uniform  in  respect  to  that 
kind  of  vision  which  was  granted  to 
the  prophets  in  their  ecstatic  states, 
that  we  feel  shut  up  to  that  interpreta- 
tion.  Tf  Falling  {into  a  trance).   The 

words  "into  a  trance,"  it  will  be  ob- 
served, are  supplied  in  our  version, 
their  equivalents  not  occurring  in  the 
original.  This  gives  occasion  to  a  two- 
fold diversity  of  rendering.  One  class 
of  expositors,  agreeing  with  our  trans- 
lators, understand  it  of  his  falling  into 
a  trance-state  on  the  occasion  men- 
tioned ch.  22,  while  on  his  way  to 
Moab.  Another  takes  the  term  "  fall- 
ing" as  having  reference  to  the  fre- 
quent effect  of  the  prophetic  influx, 
which  was  to  cause  the  subjects  of  it  to 
fall  down  prostrate  to  the  earth,  as  was 
the  case  with  Saul,  1  Sam.  19  :  24. 
Compare  also  Gen.  15  :  12.  Dan.  8  : 
17,  18.  Rev.  1  :  17.  Ezek.  1 :  28.  3  :  23. 
43  :  3.  44  :  4.  "  The  word,"  says  Heng- 
stenberg,  "indicates  the  force  of  the 
afflatus  which,  like  an  armed  man, 
comes  upon  the  seer  and  strikes  him 


ing  inio  a  irance^  but  having 
his  eyes  open : 

down."  But  he  judiciously  observes 
of  this  afflatus,  that  "  it  assumed  such 
a  violent  character,  prostrating  both 
soul  and  body,  only  where  it  found  an 
unripe  (or  unadapted)  state.  The  fall- 
ing down  is  mentioned  only  of  such  a 
class  of  persons  as  Balaam,  Saul,  and 
the  prophetic  scholars.  In  a  Samuel 
we  can  hardly  imagine  such  violent 
appearances.  The  more  the  mind,  in 
its  ordinary  consciousness,  is  pene- 
trated by  the  Spirit,  the  less  necessary 
is  it  for  the  Spirit  to  set  itself  against  it 
in  a  hostile  attitude,  by  its  extraordi- 
nary manifestations ;  it  then  only  comes 
to  its  own,  to  what  is  homogeneous." 
He  does  not  accordingly  consider  the 
instances  of  Abraham,  Ezekiel,  Daniel, 
and  John,  as  altogether  parallel  with 
the  present,  inasmuch  as  in  them  "  the 
falling  down  did  not  proceed  from  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  forcibly  press- 
ing down  the  natural  life,  but  from  an 
overpowering  impression  of  the  glory 
of  the  person  beheld,  an  impression  of 
terror  and  reverence."  We  conclude, 
therefore,  on  the  whole,  that  what  Ba- 
laam intended  was  to  affirm  of  himself 
that  his  case  was  marked  by  this  char- 
acteristic of  a  true  prophet,  that  the  il- 
lapse  of  the  Divine  Spirit  upon  him, 
when  it  came,  was  so  powerful  as  to 
cause  him  habitually  to  fall  to  the 
ground  ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  we  see 
nothing  to  forbid  the  idea  that  he  had  a 
collateral  reference  to  the  incidents  of 
his  journey,  one  of  which  was  the  falling 
into  a  trance,  although  it  is  not  this 
kind  of  "  falling"  which  is  here  imme- 
diately indicated  by  the  use  of  the 
term.  But  he  was  doubtless  during 
some  part  of  this  journey  under  the  in- 
fluence of  a  trance  ;  and  we  have,  in  a 
former  Note,  referred  to  this  passage 
as  affording  to  some  commentators  a 


388 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


6  How  goodly  are  thy  tents, 
O  Jacob,  and  thy  tabernacles, 
0  Israel ! 


strong  incidental  proof  that  the  miracle 
recorded  ch.  22,  was  subjective  rather 
than  objective — a  conclusion,  however, 
which  we  do  not  indorse  except  in  a 
qualified  sense.  Gr.  "Who  in  sleep 
hath  seen  a  vision  of  God."  Chald. 
"Who  seeth  a  vision  from  before  the 
face  of  the  Almighty,  falling  down  and 
it  is  revealed  unto  him."  Vulg.  "  He 
that  hath  beheld  the  vision  of  the  Al- 
mighty, he  that  falleth,  and  so  his  eyes 
are  opened."  Syr.  "Who  sees  the 
visions  of  God,  and  when  he  is  pros- 
trate (or  cast  down)  then  his  eyes  are 
opened."  As  a  general  fact,  the  an- 
cient versions  render  by  a  term  signi- 
iymg  falling,  but  the  term  itself  having 

no  allusion  io  falling  into  a  trance. 

1[  But  having  Ms  eyes  open.  Heb.  "  Un- 
covered, or  unveiled."  Chald.  "  And 
it  was  revealed  unto  him."  A  close  re- 
lation between  the  "  falling  "  and  the 
"  opening  of  the  eyes  "  is  no  doubt  in- 
tended to  be  conveyed,  and  which  is 
clearly  indicated  by  the  Vulg.  and  Syr. 
versions  as  given  above  ;  and  we  know 
that,  psychologically,  the  ecstatic  state 
is  accompanied  with  a  special  opening 
of  the  interior  vision  which  reveals 
marvellous  things  of  the  spiritual  world 
to  the  soul. 

V.  5.  How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0  Ja- 
cob, etc.  Heb.  "How  good!"  but  the 
original  term  has  frequently  the  im- 
port of  that  good  which  is  recognized  in 
beauty,  joy,  delight,  etc.  The  expres- 
sion is  here  prompted  by  a  spiritual 
perception  of  the  moral  order  and  beau- 
ty of  the  church  as  represented  by  the 
regular  and  imposing  ari'angement  of 
the  tents  of  Israel  as  they  lay  encamped 
on  the  plains  of  Moab.  He  had  just  be- 
fore, with  open  outward  eye,  beheld  the 


6  As  the  valleys  are  they 
spread  forth,  as  gardens  by  *  the 
river's  side,  as  the  trees  of  lign- 


h  Ps.  1.3.  Jer.  17.  8. 


chosen  people  abiding  in  their  tents  ac- 
cording to  their  tribes,  and  this  ex- 
ternal view  is  a  kind  of  substratum 
on  which  the  spiritual  beholding  de- 
velops itself.  In  other  words,  he  is 
carried  onwards  in  spirit  from  the 
shadow  to  the  substance,  and  sees  the 
spiritual  Israel  arrayed  in  a  glory  and 
symmetry  corresponding  with  that  of 
the  literal.  "  Tents  "  and  "  tabernacles  " 
are  not  unfrequently  spoken  of  in  the 
Divine  word  as  the  habitations  of  the 
Israelites  in  Canaan,  although  even  in 
these  cases  we  may  perceive  an  adum- 
bration of  the  Christian  Church  in  its 
external  order.  Ainsworth  remarks 
that  the  original  word  for  tabernacles 
implies  vicinity  or  nearness,  and  there- 
fore points  to  the  communion  of  the 
Church  with  its  Divine  Lord  and  with 
one  another ;  and  the  passage  is  ex- 
pounded by  Targ.  Jon.  as  follows : 
"  The  tabernacle  of  the  congregation 
which  is  set  among  you,  and  your 
tabernacles  which  are  round  about  it, 
0  house  of  Israel."  As  to  the  distinc- 
tion implied  in  the  two  names  of  the 
father  of  the  twelve  tribes,  it  may  be 
sufficient  to  suggest,  that  Jacob  is  the 
name  of  the  Church  in  respect  to  its 
own  intrinsic  infirmity,  in  allusion  to 
which  it  is  said,  Is.  41 :  14,  "Fear  not, 
thou  worm  Jacob,"  and  Am.  7  :  25, 
"  By  whom  shall  Jacob  arise,  for  he  is 
small,"  while  Israel  is  its  name  de- 
rived from  its  power  and  prevailing 
with  God  and  man.  See  Note  on  Gen. 
32 :  28. 

V.  6.  As  tlie  valleys  are  they  spread 
forth.  The  sentiment  contained  in  the 
preceding  verse  is  here  farther  am- 
plified ;  the  loveliness  of  the  tents  of 
Israel  being  exhibited  in  a  succession 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 


389 


aloes  which  the  Lord  hath  plant- 
ed, and  as  '  cedar  trees  beside 


the  waters. 


Ps.  92.  1-2-U. 


of  comparisons.  First,  they  are  spread 
out  like  valleys,  implying  both  length 
and  breadth,  and  conveying  an  idea  of 
the  large  extent  of  Israel's  habitations. 
The  original  naJial  denotes  primarily  a 
hrook  ;  then  a  xalley,  through  which  a 
brook  runs.  That  here  the  latter  mean- 
ing is  intended,  as  our  translators  have 
taken  it,  is  to  be  obviously  inferred 
from  the  following  comparisons,  in 
which  the  tents  of  Israel  are  not  com- 
pared to  waters,  but  to  objects  by  the 
side  of  waters,  such  as  gardens,  trees, 
etc.  The  scenery  wrought  into  the 
picture  is  such  as  would  be  most  charm- 
ing to  an  Oriental  eye,  and  such  as 
would  stand  in  most  marked  contrast 
with  the  wild,  barren,  rocky,  and 
dreary  desert  through  which  Israel 
had  passed,  and  in  which  they  had  so 
long  abode.  Here  the  images  are  those 
of  fertility  and  beauty,  and  thus  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  frequent  strains  of 
prophecy,  setting  forth  under  similar 
figures,  the  future  prosperity,  abun- 
dance, and  universal  welfare  of  the  spir- 
itual church.  The  best  commentary 
on  the  passage  is  doubtless  to  bring  it 
into  juxtaposition  with  parallel  pas- 
sages, as  to  which  there  can  be  no 
question  that  they  involve  an  ulterior 
reference  to  the  Christian  Church.  "  A 
garden  inclosed  is  my  sister,  my  spouse ; 
a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed. 
Thy  plants  are  an  orchard  of  pome- 
granates, with  pleasant  fruits;  cam- 
phire,  with  spikenard,  spikenard  and 
saffron ;  calamus  and  cinnamon,  with 
all  trees  of  frankincense ;  myrrh  and 
aloes,  with  all  the  chief  spices  :  a  foun- 
tain of  gardens,  a  well  of  living  waters, 
and  streams  from  Lebanon.  Awake,  0 
north  wind ;  and  come,   thou  south ; 


7  He  shall  pour  the  water 
out  of  his  buckets,  and  his  seed 
shall  he  in  many  waters,  and  his 

blow  upon  my  garden,  that  the  spices 
thereof  may  flow  out.  Let  my  beloved 
come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleas- 
ant fruits."  Is.  58  :  11,  "  And  the  Lord 
shall  guide  thee  continually,  and  satis- 
fy thy  soul  in  drought,  and  make  fat 
thy  bones;  and  thou  shalt  be  like  a 
watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of 
water,  whose  waters  fail  not."  Ps.  65  : 
9,  "  Thou  visitest  the  earth  and  water- 
est  it :  thou  greatly  enrichest  it  with 
the  river  of  God,  which  is  full  of 
water."  Ps.  46  :  4,  "  There  is  a  river, 
the  streams  whereof  shall  make  glad 
the  city  of  God,  the  holy  place  of  the 
tabernacles  of  the  Most  High."  This 
river  is  the  Lord's  divine  truth  embod- 
ied in  bis  Word  which  ministers  susten- 
tation,  comfort,  and  refreshment  to  his 
people,  of  whom  it  is  written,  Jer.  31 : 
12,  "  Their  soul  shall  be  as  a  watered 
garden,  and  they  shall  not  sorrow  any 
more  at  all."  It  was  therefore  the  state 
of  the  church  in  its  prosperous  periods 
represented  by  these  significant  images, 
to  which  the  words  of  Balaam  are  to  be 

applied. "H  Trees  of  lign-aloes.   Heb. 

ahalim,  a  term  denoting  some  kind  of 
odoriferous  tree,  but  the  precise  species 
of  which  is  not  at  present  known  with 
certainty,  but  supposed  to  be  the  Agol- 
locham,  which  ancient  writers  say  was 
burnt  for  the  sake  of  the  odorous  fumes 
it  produced.  It  belonged  probably  to 
the  cone-bearing  family,  inasmuch  as 
the  word  in  Heb.  is  composed  of  the 
same  letters  as  ohalim,  tents,  and  these 
trees,  it  is  said,  from  their  shape,  re- 
semble, when  growing  together,  an  en- 
campment of  tents. 

V.  7.  He  shall  pour  the  water  out  of 
his  luckets.  Or,  Heb.  "Water  shall 
flow  out  of  his  buckets."    That  is,  he 


390  NUMBERS, 

king  shall  be  higher  than  Agag, 


[B.  0.  1452. 


shall  be  an  instrument  and  a  medium 
of  imparting  an  abundance  of  spiritual 
blessings  to  others.  As  thirsty  plants 
or  fields  are  refreshed  and  fertilized  by 
copious  irrigation,  so  shall  the  barren 
moral  wastes  be  beautified  by  the  agency 
of  the  sons  of  the  church.  The  idea  is 
substantially  the  same  with  that  ex- 
pressed by  the  prophet,  Is.  12 :  3,  where 
the  pouring  out,  or  the  abundant  supply, 
of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  is  hinted  at,  and  It 
is  said,  "  With  joy  shall  ye  draw  water 
out  of  the  wells  of  salvation."  It  is  an 
intimation  directly  the  opposite  to  that 
of  the  woman  of  Samaria,  who  said  to 
our  Lord,  the  true  "fountain  of  Israel," 
"Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with 
(no  bucket),  and  the  well  is  deep ;  from 
whence  then  hast  thou  that  living  wa- 
ter ?  "  It  is  the  prerogative  of  the  spir- 
itual Israel  to  supply  the  waters  of  sal- 
vation to  those  who  are  destitute.  "  Out 
of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem."  But 
as  the  church  is  embodied  in  the  Lord 
who  is  its  life,  its  all  in  all,  so  it  is  no 
contradiction  to  what  we  have  now 
said  to  recognize  him  as  the  grand  dis- 
penser of  the  waters  of  life  to  a  thirsty 

world. T[  His  seed  (shall  be)  in  many 

waters.  The  primary  idea  conveyed  to 
the  mind  of  an  oriental  by  this  language 
would  probably  be  very  nearly  the  same 
with  that  received  from  the  kindred 
words  of  the  prophet.  Is.  32 :  20,  *'  Bless- 
ed are  they  that  sow  beside  all  waters, 
that  send  forth  thither  the  feet  of  the 
ox  and  the  ass."  "This,"  says  Sir 
John  Chardin,  "exactly  answers  the 
manner  of  sowing  rice  ;  for  they  sow  it 
upon  the  water;  and  before  sowing, 
while  the  earth  is  covered  with  water, 
they  cause  the  ground  to  be  trodden  by 
oxen,  horses,  and  asses,  who  go  mid- 
leg  deep;  and  this  is  the  way  of  pre- 


and  his  kingdom  shall  be  ex- 
alted. 


paring  the  ground  tor  sowing."  This 
then  is  doubtless  the  image  couched 
under  the  letter  of  the  text,  but  the 
spirit  gives  us  a  richer  meaning  grafted 
on  the  literal  sense.  The  eliusion  of 
water,  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
clause,  denotes  the  impartation  of  that 
scriptural  or  doctrinal  truth  which  goes 
to  prepare  the  mind  for  a  fructifying 
process,  as  water  which  irrigates  and 
saturates  the  earth  prepares  it  for 
bringing  forth  an  abundant  crop  of 
the  grain  sown.  The  "  seed  in  many 
waters,"  or  the  seed-corn  sown  in  moist, 
watery,  and  fruitful  fields,  points  to 
that  higher  spiritual  element  which  is 
implanted  iu  the  instructed  mind,  and 
results  in  the  production  of  the  fruits 
of  a  holy  life ;  for  fruits  are  from  seeds, 
and  seeds  are  fruitful  in  proportion  as 
the  ground  in  which  they  are  sown  is 
well  watered.  The  water  and  the  seeds, 
therefore,   denote  different  degrees  of 

divine    influence. T[   And  his  hing 

shall  he  higher  than  Agag.  Our  divine 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  un- 
doubtedly here  intended  to  be  desig- 
nated, by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  under 
the  title  of  "  his  king."  Of  him  it  is 
said,  Ps.  89 :  28,  that  "  he  is  higher  than 
the  kings  of  the  earth ; "  and  one  of 
these  kings,  or  perhaps  rather  a  line 
of  kings,  is  here  specified  under  the 
name  of  "  Agag."  This  was  the  name 
of  the  king  of  the  Amalekites,  who 
were  subdued  by  Saul,  king  of  Israel, 
1  Sam.  15  :  8.  But  it  is  supposed  that 
the  name  was  common  to  the  Amalekite 
kings,  like  Pharaoh  in  Egypt,  Abim- 
elech  in  Philistia,  and  Cesar  in  Rome. 
The  nation  of  the  Amalekites  was  at 
this  time  powerful  and  formidable,  as 
may  be  inferred  from  their  bold  assault 
upon  a  people  so  numerous  as  the  Isra- 
elites, and  from  the  declaration,  v.  20, 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


891 


8  God  brought  him  forth  out 
of  Egypt ;  he  hath  as  it  were 
the  strength  of  an  unicorn  :  he 
shall  eat  up  the  nations  his  ene- 


that  thej  were  "the  first  of  the  na- 
tions." This  was  probably  the  reason 
why  they  were  specified  in  preference 
to  any  other.  He  announces  that  the 
King  of  Israel  should  be  the  greatest 
of  kings,  inasmuch  as  no  greater  than 
Agag  was  then  known.  Some  think 
the  words  refer  to  Saul,  the  first  king 
of  Israel,  who  subdued  the  Amalekites 
and  took  Agag  captive,  to  wit,  that  Is- 
rael, in  Saul  its  king,  should  be  thus 
paramount  to  Agag.  But  we  are  forced 
from  the  general  analogy  of  the  predic- 
tions to  recognize  an  ulterior  reach  of 
import  in  the  passage,  embracing  an 
intimation  of  the  triumphs  of  the  Mes- 
siah and  his  kingdom  over  every  op- 
posing power,  even  down  to  the  final 
consummation.  Among  the  ancient 
versions  the  Gr.  has  "  And  a  kingdom 
greater  than  Gog's  shall  be  raised  up." 
Sam.  "And  his  king  shall  be  exalted 
above  Gog."  Symmachus,  according 
to  Grotius,  renders  in  a  similar  way. 
The  other  versions  have  "Agog."  Si- 
monis  ( Onommtico?i,  §  II.  c.  6.)  by  com- 
paring the  Arab,  and  Pers.  oog,  to  he 
high,  lofty,  suhlime,  deduces  a  like 
meaning  for  Agag,  so  that  to  be  higher 
than  Agag  is  to  be  higher  than  the 
highest.  Simonis  refers  also  to  the 
same  root  the  Germ,  hoch,  high,  the 
proper  name  Hugo,  Ogyges,  and  gigas, 
giant.  As  Gog  seems  to  have  relation 
to  the  same  root,  we  incline  to  the  opin- 
ion that  Agag  may  here  be  taken  as  of 
equivalent  import  with  Gog,  and  thus 
stand  as  a  mystical  denomination  for 
that  formidable  hostile  power  predicted 
by  Ezekiel,  38  :  2.  39  : 1,  and  John,  Rev. 
20  :  8,  as  among  the  last  grand  enemies 
of  the  church.     "  As  Gog  in  Scripture 


mies,  and  shall  break  "^  their 
bones,  and  pierce 'Mem  through 
with  his  arrows. 


seems  to  mean  the  enemies  of  God's 
people,  the  promises  here  may  imply 
that  the  true  worshippers  of  the  Most 
High  shall   ultimately  have  dominion 

over  their   enemies." — A.   Clarke. 

Tl  His  kingdom  sliall  he  exalted.  That  is, 
in  Saul,  in  David,  in  Solomon,  and  pre- 
eminently in  Christ,  in  whom  the  king- 
dom culminated  to  its  highest  glory, 
Is.  2  :  2.  Dan.  2  :  44.  Rev.  11  :  15. 

V.  8.  God  hroxight  him  forth  out  of 
Egypt.  These  words  are  here  repeated 
from  ch.  23  :  22,  and  the  purport  in  both 
places  is,  that  as  it  was  the  Most  High 
himself,  their  divine  vindicator,  guide, 
and  king,  who  with  a  strong  arm ' 
brought  them  forth  out  of  Egypt,  so 
that  same  God  would  make  them  victo- 
rious over  all  their  enemies,  so  that 
consequently  every  form  of  opposition 
would  be  vain.  This  would  constitute 
an  appeal  to  Balak  to  halt  in  the  dan- 
gerous path  in  which  he  was  treading. 

T[  He  hath  as  it  were  the  strength  of 

an  'unicorn.  The  comparison  is  here 
also  repeated  and  amplified  from  ch. 
23  :  22,  as  giving  a  reason  for  the  pre- 
vious  intimation  respecting  the   final 

victory  of  Israel. Tl  Shall  break  their 

hones.  Gr.  "Shall  unmarrow  (or  eat 
out  the  marrow)  of  their  fat  (bones) ; " 
rendered  by  Thomson,  "shall  exhaust 
their  fatness."  It  implies  such  an  ef- 
fectual weakening  of  their  forces  and 
resources  that  they  should  never  be  able 

to  recover. T[  Pierce  them  through 

with  his  arrows.  Gr.  "  Shoot  through 
the  enemy  with  his  arrows."  Arrows 
are  often  mentioned  among  the  weap- 
ons of  war,  and  that  there  are  spiritual 
as  well  as  physical  arrows  is  clear  from 
the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  45 :  6, 


892 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


9  He  couched,  lie  lay  down 
as  -^  a  lion,  and  as  a  great  lion  : 
who  shall  stir  him  up  ?  Bless- 
ed ^  is  he  that  blesseth  thee,  and 
cursed  is  he  that  curseth  thee. 

10  And  Balak's  anger  was 
kindled  against  Balaam,  and  he 
smote  his  hands  together  :  and 
Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  I  call- 


/  c.  23.  4. 


g  Gen.  12.  3. 


"  Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart 
of  the  King's  enemies."  These  arrows 
are  the  words  of  Christ  penetrating  the 
hearts  of  rebellious  men.  Comp.  Ps. 
64 : 4.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  what  is  pri- 
marily applied  to  Israel  or  the  church, 
holds  good  mainly  of  Him  who  is  the 
essential  life  and  personality  of  the 
church. 

V.  9.  iZe  couched,  he  lay  down  as  a 
lion,  etc.  This  verse,  as  well  as  the 
24th  of  the  former  chapter,  refers  pri- 
marily to  the  entire  course  of  conquest 
of  Israel  over  their  enemies  the  Canaan- 
ites,  and  their  subsequent  perfect  and 
quiet  possession  of  the  land  promised ; 
but  ultimately  to  that  career  of  spiritual 
victories  achieved  by  the  true  Israel,  in 
their  own  persons  and  in  the  person  of 
their  head,  over  the  numerous  adversa- 
ries they  should  encounter,  and  to  that 
peaceful  rest  and  repose  which  should 

follow. *T|  Messed  (is)  he  that  Messeth 

thee,  etc.  It  is  observable  that  the  Lord 
here  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Balaam  the 
same  language  with  that  which  Isaac 
applies  to  Jacob  in  closing  his  benedic- 
tion, Gen.  27  :  29,  and  with  which  also 
God  crowns  Abraham,  the  father  of  the 
faithful.  Gen.  12  :  3.  The  Lord  herein 
confirms  the  assurance  of  his  favor  to 
the  righteous  and  their  seed  forever, 
and  gives  them  to  understand  how  pro- 
found and  permanent  shall  be  the  peace 
of  the  church  after  her  warfare  is  ac- 
complished. 


ed  thee  to  curse  mine  enemies, 
and,  behold  '\  thou  hast  alto- 
gether blessed  them  these  three 
times. 

11  Therefore  now  flee  thou 
to  thy  place  :  I  thought  to  pro- 
mote thee  unto  great  honour ; 
but,  lo,  the  Lord  hath  kept  thee 
back  from  honour. 


Balak's  angry  Reluke  of  Balaam. 

V.  10.  And  BalalSs  anger  was  Mn- 
dled  against  Balaam.  This  unexpected 
termination  of  the  affair  exhausted  the 
last  remains  of  the  patience  of  Balak, 
and  led  to  mutual  recriminations  be- 
tween himself  and  the  hireling  prophet. 
His  predictions  on  this  occasion  had 
the  air  &f  a  voluntary  benediction  pro- 
nounced upon  a  hated  people,  and  noth- 
ing is  so  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of 
wicked  men  as  the  assured  prosperity 

of  the  righteous. T[  ^motc  his  hands 

together.  Heb.  "  Clapped  the  palms  of 
his  hands" — a  token  of  indignation, 
and  at  the  same  time  of  contempt. 
Thus,  Job  17  :  23,  "Men  shall  clap  their 
hands  at  him,  and  shall  hiss  him  out  of 
his  place."  Lam.  2 :  15,  "  All  that  pass 
by  the  way  clap  their  hands  at  thcc, 
and  wag  their  heads."  He  proceeds  to 
charge  Balaam  with  putting  upon  him 
a  base  afii-ont  and  an  intolerable  cheat. 
Though  he  had  called  the  prophet  to 
curse  his  enemies,  yet  he  had  virtually 
shown  himself  in  league  with  them, 
although  by  his  altars,  and  sacrifices, 
and  other  rites,  he  had  made  him  be- 
lieve that  he  would  certainly  curse 
them;  instead  of  which  he  had  three 
times  blessed  them,  and  that  too  in  a 
very  plenary  and  emphatic  manner. 

V,  11.  Therefore  flee  now  to  thy  place. 
Heb.  "  Flee  for  thyself,"  i.  e.  get  thee 
gone  without  delay.    Hie  or  hasten  to 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 


393 


12  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak,  Spake  I  not  also  to  thy 
messengers  which  thou  sentest 
unto  me,  saying, 

13  If  Balak  would  give  me 
his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold, 
I  cannot  go   beyond    the  com- 

thine  own  land  or  city  (thy  place),  if 
thou  wouldst  get  beyond  the  sphere  of 

my  resentment  and  contempt. T[  The 

Lord  hath  kept  thee  hack  from  honor. 
Gr.  "  The  Lord  hath  deprived  thee  of 
honor."  The  God  with  whom  you  pro- 
fess to  be  so  familiar,  and  to  whom  you 
render  such  a  dutiful  obedience,  has 
now  rewarded  you  as  you  might  have 
expected.  He  has  deprived  you  of  the 
best  post  in  my  court  for  the  service 
you  have  done  him.  Thus  it  is  that 
they  who  appear  to  be  losers  by  obey- 
ing God  rather  than  man,  are  apt  to  be 
rebuked  by  the  worldly-minded  as  hav- 
ing foolishly  thrown  away  the  highest 
proffered  advantages.  We  cannot,  in- 
deed, say  much  for  the  motives  by  which 
Balaam  was  governed  in  yielding  com- 
pliance to  the  Divine  impulse,  but  we 
can  still  affirm,  that  if  he  had  been  vol- 
untary and  sincere  in  his  obedience, 
whatever  honor  he  lost  thereby  at  the 
hands  of  Balak,  it  would  have  been 
more  than  made  up  to  him  by  that  re- 
munerating Providence  which  never 
forgets  its  own  promises  to  those  who 
devoutly  trust  in  it.  Prov.  11 :  18,  "  The 
wicked  worketh  a  deceitful  work ;  but 
to  him  that  soweth  righteousness  shall 
be  a  sure  reward." 

V.  12.  Spake  I  not  also,  etc.  Balaam 
makes  the  best  of  his  case  in  vindicat- 
ing himself  from  the  charges  alleged 
against  him.  He  excuses  the  disap- 
pointment by  referring  to  the  restrain- 
ing and  constraining  power  of  the  Most 
High,  who  had  irresistibly  controlled 
his  utterance.    He  pleads,   moreover, 


mandment  of  the  Lord,  to  do 
either  good  or  bad  of  mine  own 
mind  ;  but  what  the  Lord  saith, 
that  will  I  speak  ? 

14  And  now,  behold,  I  go 
unto  my  people :  come  there- 
fore, and  I  will  advertise  thee 

that  he  could  not  be  charged  with  de- 
ception, inasmuch  as  he  had  told  him 
from  the  outset  what  he  must  depend 
upon.  He  had  forewarned  him  of  the 
contingency  which  had  now  actually 
occurred,  and  therefore  it  would  be  un- 
just to  lay  upon  him  the  blame  of  what 
he  could  not  help,  of  an  inability  which 
he  had  expressly  announced  as  possi- 
ble.  T[  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord.  Heb.  "  Beyond 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord."  Gr.  "  Cannot 
transgress  the  word  of  the  Lord  ;"  im- 
plying not  only  the  divine  decree,  but 
the  divine  dictate  within  the  prophet's 
bosom,  which  he  would  fain  have  sup- 
pressed if  he  could.  But  he  indicates 
that  he  was  bound  by  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  to  declare,  even  against  his  own 
will,  whatever  revelation  he  received. 

1  To  do  either  good  or  had  of  mine 

own  mind.  Heb.  "  Out  of  mine  own 
heart."  The  word  "  heart "  is  here 
contrasted  with  the  operation  of  the 
Lord's  Spirit,  as  impostors  are  said  to 
speak  "  out  of  their  own  heart,"  when 
they  falsely  use  the  name  of  God  to 
cover  their  own  inventions.  Being  un- 
der a  divine  prompting,  he  did  not  feel 
at  liberty  to  speak  "  of  his  own  heart." 
Y.  14.  Ixoill  advertise  thee  tvhat  this 
people  shall  do,  etc.  The  original  term 
here  translated  "  advertise,"  i.  e.,  in- 
form, usually  signifies  to  counsel,  to  ad- 
vise, and  some  have  supposed  it  was  on 
this  occasion  that  Balaam  gave  the  in- 
famous counsel  mentioned  ch.  31 :  16, 
by  which  Israel  was  seduced  into  a 
fatal  transgression  with  the  Midianitish 


894 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


what  this  people  shall  do  to  thy 
people  in  the  latter  days. 

15  And  he  took  up  his  para- 
ble, and  said,  Balaam  the  son 
of  Beor  hath  said,  and  the  man 
whose  eyes  are  open  hath  said ; 

16  He  hath  said,  which  heard 

women.  The  Vulg.  renders  it,  "  I  will 
give  thee  counsel  what  thy  people  shall 
do  to  this  people  in  the  latter  days ;" 
where  it  will  be  observed  that  instead 
of  "  what  this  people  shall  do  to  thy 
people,"  we  read,  "  what  thy  people 
shall  do  to  this  people."  Chald.  "  I  will 
counsel  thee  what  thou  shalt  do  ;  and  I 
will  show  thee  what  the  people  shall 
do."  And  the  Jerus.  Targ.  still  more 
explicitly,  "I  will  advise  thee  what 
thou  shalt  do  to  this  people ;  make 
them  to  sin ;  otherwise  thou  shalt  not 
have  dominion  over  them ;  but  this 
people  shall  not  domineer  over  thy 
people  in  the  latter  end  of  days."  But 
the  weight  of  evidence  is  in  favor  of  the 
present  rendering,  to  wit,  that  he  would 
inform  Balak,  in  the  exercise  of  his 
prophetic  gift,  what  the  people  of  Israel 
should  eventually  do  to  the  people  of 
Moab,  whom,  for  the  present,  they  were 
not  to  disturb,  but  in  respect  to  whom 
we  learn  that  in  a  subsequent  age,  in 
the  reign  of  David,  the  prediction  went 
into  accomplishment,  2  Sam.  8:2,"  And 
he  smote  Moab,  and  measured  them 
with  a  line,  casting  them  down  to  the 
ground  ;  even  with  two  lines  measured 
he  to  put  to  death,  and  with  one  full 
line  to  keep  alive.  And  so  the  Moab- 
ites  became  David's  servants,  and 
brought  gifts."  Again,  in  Jer.  48, 
there  is  an  extended  prophecy  of 
Moab's  desti'uction,  with  a  promise  of 
the  returning  of  their  captivity  "  in  the 

latter  days." T[  In  the  latter  days. 

Heb.  lit.  "  In  the  afterhood  of  days,"  a 
phrase  imputing  the   time    to    come, 


the  words  of  Grod,  and  knew  the 
knowledge  of  the  Most  High, 
which  saw  the  vision  of  the 
Almighty,  falling  into  a  trance^ 
but  having  his  eyes  open : 

17  I '  shall  see  him,  but  not 

t  Rev.  1.  7. 


whether  that  be  more  or  less  remote. 
Here  doubtless  it  has  an  extended 
reach  of  meaning,  embracing  the  era 
of  the  Messiah  and  his  New  Testa- 
ment Church,  when  the  spiritual  Israel 
should  waste  away  the  spiritual  Moab. 

JBalaam^s  Final  Prophecy. 

V.  15.  Took  tip  his  parable.  That  is, 
began  to  prophecy,  but  in  a  dark  and 
mystic  strain.  Thus  the  Psalmist,  Ps. 
78  :  2,  "I  will  open  my  mouth  in  a 
parable ;  I  will  utter  dark  sayings  of 
old." 

V.  16.  Andknewthehnowledgeofthe 
Most  High.  Chald.  "  Knowing  knowl- 
edge from  before  the  Most  High,"  i.  e., 
knowledge  made  known  to  him  by  rev- 
elation from  God.  This  clause  is  addi- 
tional to  what  we  have  in  v.  4.  Baal- 
hatturim  here  remarks,  "  He  saith  this 
because  he  would  reveal  the  days  of 
Christ." 

V.  17.  /  shall  see  Mm,  lut  not  now, 
etc.  The  prevailing  consent  of  com-  < 
mentators  here  determines  in  favor  of  I 
rendering  the  verbs  in  the  present  in-  " 
stead  of  the  future,  "  I  see  him,  but  not 
now ;  I  behold  him,  but  not  nigh."  A 
similar  change  of  tenses  is  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  Hebrew.  The  idea  is, 
that  he  had  a  view  in  dim  perspective 
of  the  event  or  the  personage  which 
constituted  the  main  theme  of  his  pro- 
phecy. As  if  he  should  say,  "  The  per- 
son of  whom  I  am  now  prophesying 
does  not  at  present  exist  among  the  Is- 
raelites, nor  shall  he  appear  in  this  gen- 
eration.   His  manifestation  is  reserved 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


895 


now ;    I  shall  behold  him,  but 
not  nigh :    there   shall  come  a 


to  after-times."  He  sees  him  not  now, 
for  he  is  rapt  in  spirit  out  of  the  pres- 
ent into  the  future,  to  the  "  end  of  the 
days,"  and  there  he  sees  him.  He  be- 
holds him  not  nigh,  for  a  great  distance 
lies  between  the  seer  and  the  seen.  His 
vision  of  Him  is  therefore  like  that  of 
Abraham,  who  saw  Christ's  day  afar 
off,  John  8  :  56.  Chald.  "  I  shall  see 
him,  but  not  now  ;  I  shall  behold  him, 
but  he  is  not  near."  Gr.  "  I  will  point 
to  him,  but  not  now  ;  I  will  bless  him, 
but  he  draws  not  near."  This  is  ex- 
tremely paraphrastic,  but  the  import 
seems  to  be,  that,  taking  Israel  for  the 
subject  of  the  prediction,  whatever  had 
been  promised  him  should  be  fulfilled, 
though  not  immediately ;  that  he  would 
in  due  time  accumulate  blessings  upon 
him  by  prophetic  announcement,  al- 
though the  time  was  not  yet  at  hand. 
Neither  these,  however,  nor  the  other 
versions  throw  much  light  upon  the  pas- 
sage. A  special  difficulty  is  to  determine 
whether  the  suffix  to  the  verbs  should  be 
translated  "  him  "  or  ''  it ;"  understand- 
ing by  "  it"  the  general  subject  of  the 
prediction.  On  this  point  the  original 
is  doubtful,  and  the  versions  vary.  The 
Arab,  however  countenances  the  latter : 
"  I  see  it,  and  it  is  not  yet  in  existence ; 
I  behold  it,  and  it  is  not  yet  nigh  at 
hand."  But  the  decision  is  not  intrin- 
sically of  much  importance,  as,  if  Israel 
be  meant,  it  is  Israel  advanced  to  the 
height  of  his  destiny,  and  viewed  in 
conjunction  with  his  Lord  and  Head. 
If  the  reference  be  to  Christ,  then  we 
must  assent  to  the  remark  of  Calmet, 
to  wit,  that  Balaam,  under  a  divine  im- 
pulse, points  to  the  Messiah  just  as  if 
the  whole  previous  discourse  had  con- 
templated him,  though  he  had  not  been 
expressly  named,  but  was  to  be  recog- 
nized from  the  main  drift  of  the  oracle. 


Star  *  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  Scep- 


This  strikes  us  as  on  the  whole  ex- 
tremely probable,  since  the  Messiah 
would  form  the  prominent  figure  in 

the  prophetic  picture. H  There  shall 

come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  etc.  Heb. 
darak,  which  has  the  import  of  stepping 
onward,  coming  forth,  proceeding,  and 
sometimes  of  walking  in  a  stately  man- 
ner, like  a  king.  From  darak,  as  a 
root,  comes  the  derivative  dereh,  a  way. 
It  is  however,  on  the  whole,  an  unusual 
word  to  bear  the  signification  oi coming, 
and  doubtless  involves  an  interior  rec- 
ondite sense  in  the  present  connection. 
What  that  sense  is,  we  think,  may  be 
ascertained  by  bringing  the  passage 
into  parallelism  with  the  evangelical 
history  of  Christ's  birth,  which  we  hold 
to  be  a  perfectly  legitimate  mode  of 
treating  it.  On  that  occasion  we  learn 
that  a  mysterious  Star  appeared  to  the 
Wise  Men  of  the  East,  and  guided  their 
steps  to  the  stable  in  Bethlehem  where 
the  Saviour  was  born.  This  was  the 
moving,  proceeding,  or  going  forth  of 
the  Star  which  the  prophet  now  beheld 
in  anticipative  vision.  "  They  depart- 
ed, and  lo  the  star  which  they  saw  in 
the  east,  ivent  bef&re  them,  till  it  came 
and  stood  over  where  the  young  child 
was."  A  star  has  always  been  regard- 
ed in  the  East  as  a  symbol  of  distinc- 
tion, as  the  herald  of  any  great  and 
glorious  birth  among  men,  and  this 
fact  enables  us  to  perceive  the  connect- 
ing link  between  seeing  a  star  and  con- 
cluding, as  the  wise  men  did,  that  a 
"King  of  the  Jews"  was  born.  It  is 
no  objection  to  this  that  the  Star  seen 
by  Balaam  was  a  symbol  of  Christ  him- 
self, whereas  that  seen  by  the  Wise  Men 
was  a  mere  concomitant  of  his  birth. 
In  either  case  the  Star  was  the  ensign 
of  an  august  personage,  and  Hengsten- 
berg  remarks  that  "it  is  not  simply  a 


896 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


tre  '  shall  rise  out  of  Israel,  and 
shall  smite  the  corners  of  Moab, 


literal  star  that  is  meant  by  Balaam. 
He  uses  the  *  star '  metaphorically,  as  is 
customary  among  all  nations,  to  desig- 
nate a  great  and  illustrious  ruler." 
Nor  is  the  objection  to  the  proposed 
parallelism  of  any  weight,  that  the  Star 
prophetically  seen  by  Balaam  is  said  to 
"come  out  of  Jacob,"  whereas  that 
seen  by  the  Magi  appeared  first  in  the 
Eastern  world  remote  from  Judea,  the 
birth-place  of  the  Saviour.  It  is  suffi- 
cient that  He  who  was  represented  by 
the  Star  did  originate,  as  to  his  earthly 
humanity,  in  the  midst  of  the  nation 
collectively  denominated  *'  Jacob,"  and 
nothing  in  the  local  relations  or  aspects 
of  the  Star  will  avail  to  weaken  the 
force  of  the  symbolical  coincidence  to 
which  we  have  alluded.  The  language 
describing  the  prophetic  imagery  sets 
before  us  a  star  proceeding,  and  such  a 
star  marshalled  the  way  of  the  Wise 
Men  to  the  birth-place  of  our  Lord. 
Can  we  doubt  then  that,  viewed  in  this 
light,  the  Star  of  the  Eastern  Magi 
stands  in  the  closest  relation  to  the  star 
which  Balaam  saw  in  spirit,  especially 
when  our  Lord  expressly  speaks  of 
himself.  Rev.  22  :  16,  as  "the  root  and 
oflfspring  of  David,  the  bright  and 
morning  Star."  This  view  is  confirmed 
by  the  fact,  that  the  Jews  understood 
this  prophecy  as  referring  to  the  Mes- 
siah or  Christ.  The  false  Christ  who, 
under  Hadrian,  took  up  arms  against 
Rome,  gave  himself  out  as  the  Messiah 
whom  Balaam  had  foretold,  and  as- 
sumed the  name  of  Bar-chocab,  or  the 
Son  of  the  Star,  for  the  purpose  of  pla- 
cing himself  in  nearer  connection  with 
that  prophecy,  although  after  being 
slain  in  battle  the  Jews,  finding  them- 
selves deceived,  called  him  Bar-coziba, 
tlie  son  of  a  lie.    We  are  well  aware  of 


and  destroy  all  the  children  of 

Sheth. 


the  dissenting  opinions  of  many  of  the 
modern  Gei-man  critics,  as  it  regards 
the  designed  application  of  this  oracle 
to  the  stellar  phenomenon  which  distin- 
guished our  Lord's  nativity,  or  even  to 
the  Lord  himself;  but  we  deem  it  not  i 
expedient  to  advert  to  them,  as  the 
above  interpretation  is  satisfactory  to 
us,  and  will  probably  commend  itself 
to  those  who  are  prepared  to  believe 
that  the  Sacred  Volume  has  proceeded 
from  an  intelligence  which  "sees  the 
end  from  the  beginning."  So  also  in 
regard  to  a  secondary  application  both 
of  the  Star  and  the  Sceptre  to  David. 
As  we  see  no  evidence  of  any  such  in- 
tended application,  we  pass  it  by  with-, 
out  remark.  To  the  "  Sceptre  "  we  as- 
sign substantially  the  same  symbolical 
significance  as  to  the  Star.  They  difier 
only  as  Jacob  differs  from  Israel,  which 
is  merely  in  certain  phases  of  repre- 
sentative import.  The  original  may  be 
rendered  literally  a  rod  or  a  staff,  and 
denotes  a  badge  or  emblem  of  govern- 
ment. Gr.  "A  man  shall  rise  out  of 
Israel."  Chald.  "Messiah  (or  Christ) 
shall  be  anointed  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael," i.  e.,  shall  assume  the  sovereign 
power.  As  David  and  other  kings  bore 
the  sceptre  as  an  ensign  of  power,  so  it 
is  said  of  Christ,  that  he  should  have  a 
rod  or  sceptre.  Ps.  45:7,  "The  scep- 
tre of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre." 
Heb.  1:8,  "  Thou  shalt  rule  them  with 
a  rod  (or  sceptre)  of  iron."  The  em- 
blem of  regal  authority  and  supremacy, 
becomes  him  who  is  King  of  Zion  and 
the  Prince  of  Peace.  But  his  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world.  He  received  it  not 
by  any  earthly  appointment.  It  is  not 
an  outward  and  visible  kingdom,  but  a 
kingdom  established  in  men's  hearts, 
and  its  sceptre    is    swayed  over  the 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


397 


thoughts  and  emotions  of  the  soul,  soft- 
ening, subduing,  and  sweetlj  control- 
ling them.  His  kingdom  is  a  govern- 
ment of  religious  and  heavenly  influ- 
ence, a  system  of  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  To 
this  kingdom,  established  near  thirty 
centuries  after  the  days  of  Balaam,  does 
the  immense  reach  of  this  prophecy  ex- 
tend.  T[  Shall  smite  the  corners  of 

Moah.  Chald.  "Shall  kill  the  princes 
of  Moab."  Gr.  ''  Shall  crush  the  chief- 
tains of  Moab."  These  renderings,  we 
think,  afford  a  clue  to  the  genuine 
sense,  though  the  relation  between 
"corners"  and  "princes"  or  "chief- 
tains "  may  require  some  explanation. 
Such  an  explanation  is  aflForded  by  the 
Oriental  ideas  and  usages  in  regard  to 
"  corners."  Sitting  in  a  corner  is  with 
them  a  stately  attitude,  and  is  expres- 
sive of  superiority.  "  The  divans  at 
Aleppo,"  says  Russell,  "are  formed  in 
the  following  manner  :  Across  the  up- 
per end  and  along  the  sides  of  the  room 
is  fixed  a  wooden  platform,  four  feet 
broad  and  six  inches  high ;  upon  this 
are  laid  cotton  mattresses  exactly  of  the 
same  breadth,  and  over  these  a  cover  of 
broadcloth,  trimmed  with  gold  lace  and 
fringes  hanging  over  the  ground.  A 
number  of  large  oblong  cushions  stuffed 
hard  with  cotton,  and  faced  with  flow- 
ered velvet,  are  then  ranged  in  the  plat- 
form close  to  the  wall.  The  two  upper 
corners  of  the  divan  are  furnished  also 
with  softer  cushions  half  the  size  of  the 
others,  which  are  laid  upon  a  square 
fine  mattress,  spread  over  those  of 
cloth,  both  being  faced  with  brocade. 
The  corners,  in  this  manner  distin- 
guished, are  held  to  he  the  places  of  hon- 
OTy  and  a  great  man  never  offers  to  re- 
sign them  to  persons  of  infer^ior  ranh." 
Mr.  Hogg,  in  his  "  Visit  to  Damascus," 
speaks  to  the  same  effect.  "  Round 
three  sides  of  the  room  was  a  broad 
scarlet  divan,  supplied  with  cushions  of 


gold  brocade,  resting  against  the  walls. 
The  corner's  were  distinguished  as  places 
of  honor  by  a  square  of  crimson  and 
gold  silk,  with  a  cushion  of  the  same 
color  and  materials  at  the  back  of 
each."  "Corners,"  therefore,  in  this 
connection  we  take  for  those  who  occu- 
py them,  that  is,  dignitaries  or  princes, 
so  that  "  smiting  the  corners  of  Moab" 
is,  in  reality,  abolishing  the  power  and 
predominance  of  Moab,  viewed  as  the 
symbol  of  a  spiritual  power  adverse  to 
the  interests  of  the  Lord's  kingdom, 
and  a  multiplicity  of  passages  may  be 
adduced  in  which  it  is  obvious  that 
Moah  has  this  mystic  significance,  as 
we  know  is  the  case  with  Egypt,  Baby- 
lon, Edom,  and  other  countries  spoken 

of  in   Scripture. *l  Destroy  all  the 

cMldren  of  Sheth.  Heb.  l-arkor  kol 
bene  Sheth,  a  clause  respecting  the 
purport  of  which  the  greatest  diversity 
of  opinion  prevails.  In  regard  to  kar- 
kor,  there  is  a  wavering  between  the 
sense  of  destroy,  lay  waste,  devastate, 
and  unwall  or  demolish  the  walls  of  a 
fortress  or  city,  although  the  difference 
is  so  slight  that  it  is  of  little  conse- 
quence which  we  adopt.  The  other 
term,  Sheth,  is  of  more  difficult  solution. 
The  more  ancient  interpretation  is  to 
understand  it  of  the  "  children  of  Seth," 
the  son  of  Adam,  which,  in  this  rela- 
tion, would  be  equivalent  to  the  whole 
human  race ;  for  the  posterity  of  Cain 
and  Adam's  other  sons  all  perished  in 
the  deluge,  the  line  of  Seth  only  having 
been  preserved  in  Noah  and  his  fam- 
ily. Chald.  "He  shall  have  dominion 
over  all  the  sons  of  men,"  Gr.  "  He 
shall  spoil  all  the  sons  of  Seth."  Yulg. 
"  He  shall  waste  all  the  sons  of  Seth." 
So  also  in  substance  the  Syr.  and  Arab. 
The  Sam.  is  peculiar  :  "  He  shall  trans- 
fix the  foolish  of  Moab,  and  the  crown 
of  the  head  of  all  the  sons  of  Seth." 
But  to  this  it  may  be  objected  that  it 
does  not  appear  obvious  why  mankind 


398 


LUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


18    And  Edom  ""  shall  be  a 
possession,  Seir  also  shall  be  a 

m  Ps.  60.  8-12. 

at  large  should  be  named,  not  after 
Adam,  their  first  progenitor,  nor  after 
Noah,  their  second,  but  after  Seth,  who 
stands  between  the  two.  So  also  we 
perceive  the  harshness  of  the  intima- 
tion, that  the  predicted  King  of  Israel 
should  destroy  the  race  of  men  instead 
of  exercising  benignity  towards  them, 
and  therefore  the  Syriac  and  Chaldee 
soften  it  to  the  expression  that  he  shall 
suMue  all  the  sons  of  Sheth,  and  rule 
over  all  the  sons  of  men.  But  to  the 
whole  of  this  mode  of  exposition  Heng- 
stenberg  replies  that  the  context  does 
not  allow  of  it.  "  Balaam  speaks  first, 
V.  17,  of  Moab ;  v.  18,  of  Edom ;  and 
shall  he  here  between  them  abruptly 
make  the  whole  human  race  the  subject 
of  his  prophecy  ?  The  parallel,  more- 
over, between  Edom  and  Seir,  v.  18, 
leads  us  to  think  that  the  sons  of  Seth 
are  nearly,  if  not  entirely,  identical 
with  Moab."  The  Jerus.  Targ.  trans- 
lates it  "the  sons  of  the  East,"  the 
Moabites  lying  east  of  Judea.  Rabbi 
Nathan  says  that  Shet?/,  is  the  name  of 
a  city  in  the  border  of  Moab,  while 
Grotius  apprehends  Sheth  to  be  the 
name  of  some  distinguished  king  among 
that  people.  Pool,  who  is  generally 
judicious,  conjectures  that  "it  is  the 
name  of  some  then  eminent,  but  now 
unknown  place  or  prince  in  Moab, 
there  being  innumerable  instances  of 
such  places  or  persons  sometime  fa- 
mous, but  now  utterly  lost  as  to  all 
monuments  or  remembrances  of  them." 
According  to  Hengstenberg,  Verschuir, 
a  German  critic,  is  entitled  to  the  cred- 
it of  having  established  the  correct  in- 
terpretation. He  suggests  that  the  orig- 
inal mn  iShefh  is  contracted  from  hXiD 
shedh,  a  derivative  from  ilKia  shddh, 
which  occurs.  Lam.  3  :  47,  in  parallel- 


possession  for  his  enemies  ;  and 
Israel  shall  do  valiantly. 

ism  with  sheber,  destruction,  and  is  sy- 
nonymous with  TiKTU  shdon,  tumult. 
The  term  implies,  therefore,  a  people 
restless,  tumultuous,  and  addicted  by 
their  continual  incursions,  vexations, 
and  contests,  to  creating  annoyances  to 
others,  which  he  supposes  to  apply 
with  peculiar  pertinency  to  the  Moab- 
ites. It  is  supposed  to  be  a  confirma- 
tion of  this  interpretion,  that  Jeremiah, 
ch.  48  :  45,  where  he  imitates  this  pas- 
sage, exhibits  the  following  parallel- 
ism : 

"  A  fire  shall  come  forth  out  of  Heshbon, 
And  a  flame  from  the  midst  of  Sihon, 
And  shall  devour  the  corner  of  Moab, 
And  the  crown  of  the  head  of  the  tumult- 
uous ones  ("jlJCO  sons  o/tumulty 

Additional  support  would  appear  to  be 

given  by  the  allusion  to  this  passage  in 

Amos  2 :  2. 

"  But  I  will  send  a  fire  upon  Moab, 
And  it  shall  devour  the  palaces  of  Kirioth, 
And  Moab  shall  die  with  tumult, 
With  shouting,  and  with  the  sound  of  the 
trimnpe.t.'''' 

As  in  many  other  cases,  the  opinion  of 
Hengstenberg  appears  to  us  to  be  here 
too   confidently  expressed,  yet  in  the 
absence  of  any  assured  exposition  of 
our  own,  we  submit  it  to  the  reader  for 
what  it  is  worth.     The  passage  is  one 
I  of  those  which  we  think  will  hereafter 
i  receive  the  light  of  a  clearer  elucidation 
i  than  has  yet  been  shed  upon  it. 
;      V.  18.  And  Edom  shall  he  a  possession. 
This  was  primarily  fulfilled  in  David, 
'  of  whom  it  is  said,  2  Sam.  8 :  14,  that 
;  "  he  put  garrisons  in  Edom ;  through- 
out all  Edom  he  put  garrisons,  and  all 
they   of  Edom    became    David's    ser- 
vants."    So  also  David  himself  in  two 
of  his  psalms,  Ps.  60  ;  8.  108  :  9,  men- 
tions together  his  conquest  of  Moab  and 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


399 


19  Out  of  Jacob  shall  come 
lie  that  shall  have  dominion,  and 

Edom,  as  they  are  also  joined  together 
in  this  prophecy ;  "  Moab  is  my  wash- 
pot,  over  Edom  will  I  cast  out  my  shoe." 
But  the  ulterior  reference  of  this  pro- 
phecy to  Christ  and  his  victory  over  a 
spiritual  Edom  is  evident  from  Is.  63 : 
1-6,  "Who  is  this  that  cometh  from 
Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Boz- 
rah  ?  "  etc. H  Seir  also  shall  be  a  pos- 
session far  his  enemies.  That  is,  shall 
be  or  become  a  possession  of  Israel. 
Seir  is  the  name  of  the  mountain,  or 
mountainous  region,  where  Esau  dwelt, 
Gen.  36  :  7,  8,  for  which  reason  the  Gr. 
renders  it,  "  And  Esau  his  enemy  shall 
be  a  possession  (or  inheritance)."  Edom 
and  Seir  are  here  used  on  the  principle 
of  parallellism  so  common  in  Hebrew 
poetry.  They  differ  not  more  than  Jacob 

and  Israel. H   Israel  shall  do  val- 

iantly.  Heb.  oseh  hdyil,  shall  do  Dal- 
iantness,  or  valiant  acts,  a  phrase  of 
somewhat  ambiguous  import,  as  it  is 
sometimes  to  be  understood  of  the 
achievement  of  valiant  deeds  in  war  and 
the  obtaining  of  victory,  1  Sam.  14  :  48, 
and  sometimes  of  the  acquisition  of 
wealth,  as  Ezek.  28  : 4.  With  Gesenius, 
we  see  nothing  to  prevent  the  embrac- 
ing of  both  senses  in  the  present  pas- 
sage. Chald.  "  And  Israel  shall  be  pros- 
pered in  substance."  The  fact  here 
asserted  of  Israel  corresponds  with  the 
import  of  his  name,  as  having  power 
and  prevailing  with  God  and  with  men. 
Gen.  32 :  28,  and  David,  after  vanquish- 
ing the  Edomites,  celebrated  thus  the 
truth  of  this  promise,  Ps.  60  :  12, 
"Through  God  we  shall  do  valiantly; 
for  he  it  is  that  shall  tread  down  our 
enemies."  But  the  scope  of  the  pro- 
phecy looks  to  a  future  period  far  be- 
yond that  of  David.  "  Since  Edom  here 
is  only  to  be  considered  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  powers  of  the  world 


shall  destroy  him  that  remain- 
eth  of  the  city. 


hostile  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  Is- 
rael continues  to  exist  in  the  Church  of 
the  New  Testament,  so  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  fulfilment  is  to  be  looked  for 
in  the  times  when  the  conflict  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  with  the  world  will  be 
completed  by  the  victory  of  the  former." 
— Hengsten  lerg. 

V.  19.  Out  of  Jacob  shall  come  he  that 
shall  have  dominion.  This  is  little  more 
than  a  repetition  of  the  announcement, 
V.  17,  under  the  figure  of  the  "  Star  "  and 
the  "  Sceptre."  The  verb  in  the  original 
has  no  subject  expressed,  but  it  is  easily 
supplied  from  the  tenor  of  the  context. 
It  is  observable,  however,  that  our  trans- 
lators have  here  relaxed  somewhat  of 
their  usual  scrupulousness  in  regard  to 
Italics,  according  to  which  they  should 
have  rendered  : — "  Out  of  Jacob  shall 
come  he  that  shall  have  dominion."  The 
Lord  the  Messiah  is  evidently  the  per- 
sonage intended,  and  thus  has  it  been 
understood  from  the  earliest  periods  by 
the  Jews.  Thus  Chald.  "And  there 
shall  descend  one  from  the  house  of  Ja- 
cob and  shall  destroy  him  who  escapes 
from  the  city  of  the  peoples."  Targ. 
Jon.  "  And  a  ruler  shall  rise  up  out  of 
the  house  of  Jacob."  So  Sol.  Jarchi, 
"  And  yet  there  shall  be  another  ruler 
out  of  Jacob,  and  he  shall  destroy  him 
that  remaineth  of  the  city.  Of  the  King 
Christ  he  speaketh  thus,  of  whom  it  is 
said  (Ps,  72  :  8),  *  He  shall  have  domin- 
ion from  sea  to  sea.' " If  Shall  de- 
stroy him  that  remmneth  of  the  city.  A 
clause  of  extreme  obscurity.  Eusebius 
says,  "  Who  can  this  be  but  the  divine 
Logos,  the  Messiah,  foretold  by  the 
prophets  ;  who  did  indeed  destroy  that 
which  remained  of  the  city,  i.  e.  of  the 
city  of  Jerusalem,  which  in  the  conclu- 
sion forfeited  and  lost  its  polity  and  its 
inhabitants."      Calvin    gives    another 


400 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


20  And  when  he  looked  on  I  of  the  nations ;  but  his  latter 
Amalek,  he  took  up  his  parable,  !  end  shall  he^  that  he  perish  for 
and  said,  Amalek  was  the  first    .ever. 


turn  to  the  expression  :— *'  He  shall  de- 
stroy him  that  remaineth  of  the  cities, 
i.  e.  all  enemies  whom  he  shall  find  in- 
corrigible." As  the  closing  scenes  of 
prophecy  in  the  Revelation  present  to 
view  two  cities  in  antagonism  with  each 
other,  to  wit,  Babylon  and  the  New  Je- 
rusalem, one  of  which  is  to  be  utterly 
destroyed,  it  may  be  that  it  is  to  this 
catastrophe  that  the  Spirit  alludes,  im- 
plying that  every  lingering  inmate 
should  perish  in  the  city's  overthrow. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  Edom,  as  a 
prophetical  or  mystical  denomination, 
has  long  been  understood  by  the  Jews 
to  apply  to  Rome.  Ains worth  cites  as 
parallel  the  following  from  the  prophet 
Obadiah,  v.  18,  "  And  the  house  of  Ja- 
cob shall  be  a  fire,  and  the  house  of 
Joseph  a  flame,  and  the  house  of  Esau 
for  stubble,  and  they  shall  kindle  in 
them,  and  devour  them ;  and  there 
shall  not  be  any  remaining  of  the  house 
of  Esau ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 
V.  20.  Wlien  lie  looTced  on  Amalek. 
Heb.  "  And  he  looked  upon  Amalek." 
That  is,  looked  with  the  eyes  of  his 
mind ;  fixed  his  mental  vision  and  re- 
gards upon.  He  saw  the  Amalekites, 
as  he  saw  the  Star  out  of  Jacob,  in 
prophetic  contemplation.  The  hypo- 
thesis of  Rosenmuller  and  others,  that 
there  was  at  the  same  time  an  outward 
beholding  of  the  Amalekites,  is  desti- 
tute of  all  probability.  We  have  no 
evidence  that  any  portion  of  that  peo- 
ple was  located  within  the  present  range 
of  Balaam's  vision.  But  as  the  out- 
ward sight  of  Israel  was  effective  in 
eliciting  a  blessing  upon  them,  so  the 
mental  survey  of  this  devoted  nation 
was  potent  also  to  prompt  a  judgment 

and  a  curse. •[[   Amalek  {was)  the 

first  of  the  nations.     Or,  Heb.  "  The 


beginning  of  the  nations,"  in  allusion 
at  once  to  the  antiquity  of  their  origin 
and  to  the  pre-eminence  which  they  at- 
tained, as  may  be  inferred  from  what  is 
said  of  them  Gen.  14  :  7,  and  from  their 
daring  assault  upon  the  chosen  people 
during  their  march  in  the  wilderness, 
Ex.  17  :  8-16.  The  sense  of  beginning 
is  specially  supported  by  the  contrast 
of  end  in  the  next  clause.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  interpret  this  expression 
as  implying  the  absolute  priority  of  the 
Amalekites  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  but  simply  that  of  all  the  adja- 
cent heathen  races  with  which  Israel 
came  in  contact,  no  one  was  more  con- 
spicuous than  this,  which  dated  back 
at  least  to  the  time  of  Abraham.  We 
think,  too,  that  their  own  estimate  of 
themselves  may  be  properly  included  in 
the  import  of  the  phrase,  and  that  Cal- 
vin's remark  is  well-founded  : — "  Poor 
and  unsatisfactory  is  the  view  of  some 
commentators,  who  think  that  Amalek 
is  called  '  the  first  of  the  nations,'  be- 
cause they  first  took  up  arms  against 
Israel,  and  encountered  them  in  order 
to  prevent  their  advance.  Rather  is 
the  pride  of  Amalek  indirectly  rebuked, 
because  they  claimed  superiority  for 
themselves  over  other  nations,  and  this 
on  the  score  of  their  antiquity,  as  if 
they  had  been  created  together  with 
the  sun  and  moon.  There  is,  then,  a 
pointed  comparison  between  this  noble 
origin,  and  the  slaughter  which  await- 
ed them  at  their  end." T[  His  latter 

end  {shall  be)  that  he  perish  for  ever. 
Our  present  version  seems  to  fail  in 
giving  the  exact  sense  of  the  original, 
although  it  is  extremely  difficult,  by  a 
merely  literal  rendering  to  make  the 
Hebrew  intelligible.  The  term  for  "  per- 
ish"  is   in   fact   a  present  participle 


B.C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 


*01 


2,1  And  he  looked  on  the 
Kenites ",  and  took  up  his  para- 
ble,  and    said,    Strong   is   thy 

n  Gen.  15.  19. 

equivalent  to  "the  perishing  one ; "  so 
that  the  true  version  would  be  some- 
thing like  this  : — "  His  end  shall  be 
(shall  reach,  extend)  to  the  perishing 
one."  "  T/ie perishing  one,"  says  Heng- 
.stenberg,  "  was,  as  it  were,  an  ideal  to 
whom,  or  to  whose  condition,  the  end 
of  Amalek  reached."  We  would  sub- 
mit, however,  whether  the  personage 
be  not  real  rather  than  ideal,  and  be 
not  to  be  recognized  in  that  "  Man  of 
Sin,"  or  Antichrist,  who  is  at  last  to 
"go  into  perdition,"  and  with  whose 
doom  that  of  the  spiritual  Amalek  is  to 
be  sjnchronical. 

V.  21.  And  lie  looked  on  the  Kenites, 
etc.  "We  here  again  encounter  a  dubi- 
ous passage.  It  is  diflBcult  to  determine 
precisely  what  people  is  meant  by  the 
Kenites.  There  is  mention  in  the  Old 
Testament  of  a  twofold  people  by  this 
name,  one  of  which  may  be  termed  Ca- 
naanitish,  the  other  Midianitish.  Of 
the  former,  see  Gen.  15  :  19,  where  they 
are  enumerated  among  the  Kenizzites, 
Hittites,  Perizzites,  etc.,  which  were 
afterwards  devoted  to  destruction,  al- 
though we  do  not  subsequently  find  the 
Kenites  expressly  mentioned.  The  other 
branch  was  intimately  associated  with 
the  Midianites.  Jethro,  the  father-in- 
law  of  Moses,  is  called,  Ex.  3:1,  "  the 
priest  of  Midian,"  and  in  Judg.  1 :  16, 
"  the  Kenite."  Of  these  Kenites  a  part 
followed  Israel ;  but  the  greater  part, 
we  may  presume,  remained  among  the 
Midianites  and  Amalekites,  and  that  to 
these  last  the  prophecy  applies,  inas- 
much as  its  tone  of  announcement  is 
severe  and  threatening.  That  portion 
of  the  Kenite  race  with  which  the  fam- 
ily of  Jethro  is  identified,  appears  al- 
ways to  have  lived  in  friendly  relations 


dwelling-place,  and  thou  puttest 
thy  nest  in  a  rock. 

22    Nevertheless  the  Kenite 


with  Israel,  and  thus  were  not  regard- 
ed as  obnoxious  to  the  prophetic  curse. 
It  is  the  Canaanitish  tribe  of  Kenites 

who  fall  under  the  anathema. \  Thou 

puttest  thy  nest  in  a  rock.  There  is  in 
this  and  the  next  verse  a  striking  j9am- 
nomasia,  Qy: play  upomoords,  which  can- 
not well  be  preserved  in  a  translation. 
The  Heb.  Kin,  Kenite,  is  also  the  word 
for  nest,  and  the  Kenites  are  in  effect 
nestlers,  as  if  it  were  said,  "  Looking  to- 
wards the  Nestler,  he  said.  Although 
thy  nest  thou  hast  fixed  in  a  rock,"  as 
eagles,  ravens,  and  other  birds  of  prey 
are  wont  to  do.  Under  this  figurative 
mode  of  speech  there  is  perhaps  an  al- 
lusion to  their  fixing  their  strong  habi- 
tations among  the  Amalekites,  with 
whom  they  appear  to  have  dwelt,  1  Sam. 
15  :  6,  "  And  Saul  said  unto  the  Kenites, 
Go,  depart,  get  you  down  from  among 
the  Amalekites,  lest  I  destroy  you  with 
them,"  etc.  A  designed  analogy  is  also 
traced  by  commentators  between  this 
passage  and  the  following  paragraph 
from  the  prophet  Obadiah,  vs.  3,  4, 
"  The  pride  of  thine  heart  hath  deceived 
thee,  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  clefts  of 
the  rock,  whose  habitation  is  high ;  that 
saith  in  his  heart.  Who  shall  bring  me 
down  to  the  ground?  Though  thou  ex- 
alt thyself  as  the  eagle,  and  though  thou 
set  thy  nest  among  the  stars,  thence 
will  I  bring  thee  down,  saith  the  Lord." 
V.  22.  Nevertheless  the  Kenite  shall  he 
xoasted,  etc.  Heb.  Kain,  a  word  varying 
slightly  from  the  original  as  it  occurs 
elsewhere  in  this  connection,  but  proba- 
bly rendered  correctly,  and  designating 
the  name  of  the  founder  of  the  Kenites. 
This  name  is  employed  to  denote  the 
nation  his  descendants.  This  people 
appear  to  have  thought,  by  reason  of 


402 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


shall  be  wasted  until  Assliur 
shall  carry  thee  away  cap- 
tive. 

23  And  he  took  up  his  para- 

their  high  and  scarcely  accessible  dwell- 
ing-place, they  were  secure  from  every 
danger.  The  Spirit  of  prophecy  here 
grants  them  the  distinction  of  which 
they  boast,  but  assures  them  that  it  will 
not  be  sufficient  to  ward  off  from  them 
the  doom  which  their  hostility  against 
Israel,  the  people  of  the  Lord,  would 
bring  upon  them.  This  doom  is,  that 
they  shall  be  gradually  wasted,  and 
finally  carried  captive  to  Babylon  by 
the  Assyrians.  Their  lot,  in  this  re- 
spect, seems  to  have  been  milder  than 
that  of  Amalek,  as  that  people  was  to 
be  utterly  destroyed,  whereas  the  Ken- 
ites  were  to  be  carried  captive.  That 
such  was  their  fate  there  is  no  reason 
to  doubt,  as  we  find  some  of  them  men- 
tioned among  the  Jews  after  their  re- 
turn from  captivity,  1  Chron.  2 :  55. 
Ashur,  in  this  connection,  is  equivalent 
to  Assyrians. 

V.  23.  Alas,  who  shall  live  when  God 
doeth  this  ?  Heb.  "  When  God  putteth 
or  disposeth  this."  The  general  idea  is 
plainly  that  of  extreme  distress  and 
tribulation.  Who,  amidst  the  impending 
general  destruction,  shall  preserve  his 
life?  Who  shall  be  accounted  worthy 
to  escape?  Chald.  "Woe  to  the  sin- 
ners who  shall  live  when  God  doeth 
these  things."  It  would  be  a  momen- 
tous crisis  in  human  affairs,  and  as  the 
period  to  which  this  train  of  prophecies 
reaches  is  that  of  the  grand  consumma- 
tion mentioned  by  our  Lord  in  the  Gos- 
pels, therefore  his  words  come  into 
striking  parallelism  with  those  of  Ba- 
laam :— Mat.  24  :  21,  22,  "  For  then  shall 
be  great  tribulation,  such  as  was  not 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this 
time,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be.    And  except 


ble,  and  said,  Alas,  who "  shall 
live  when  God  doeth  this  f 
24    And   ships  ^  shall   come 

o  Mai.  3.  2.  j>  Dan.  11.30. 


those  days  should  be  shortened,  there 
should  no  flesh  be  saved :  but  for  the 
elect's  sake  those  days  shall  be  short- 
ened." 

V.  24.  And  ships  {shall  come)  from 
the  coast  of  Chittim,  etc.  Heb.  "  From 
the  hand  of  Chittim,"  i.  e.  from  the  side. 
Expositors  have  gone  into  considerable 
diversity  of  opinion  relative  to  the  peo- 
ple denominated  Chittim,  but  as  it 
would  involve  us  in  extended  ethno- 
graphical discussion  to  follow  them  in 
their  various  researches,  we  shall  con- 
tent ourselves  with  stating  what  we 
conceive  the  most  probable  general  con- 
clusion, viz.  that  Chittim  is  a  name  of 
large  signification,  similar  to  Levant, 
applied  to  the  islands  and  coasts  of  the 
Mediterranean,  in  a  loose  sense,  with- 
out definitely  fixing  the  particular  part. 
Chittim  was  the  son  of  Javan,  who  was 
one  of  the  sons  of  Japhet,  Gen.  10  :  5. 
From  him  descended  a  people  who  in- 
habited Greece,  or  "  the  isles  of  the 
Gentiles,"  Gen.  10 :  5,  from  whence  a 
colony  was  transplanted  into  Italy. 
The  term  Chittim,  therefore,  sometimes 
denotes  Greece  in  a  large  sense,  espe- 
cially as  including  Macedonia,  1  Mac. 
1 : 1  and  3  : 5,  and  sometimes  Italy,  Dan. 
11 :  30,  whence  the  Vulg.  here  renders 
by  "Romanos,"  Eomuns.  The  coun- 
tries beyond  the  seas  were  not  so  well 
known  to  the  Israelites  as  to  enable 
them  clearly  to  distinguish  them,  and 
therefore  the  name  primarily  applied  to 
Greece,  and  also  to  the  island  of  Cyprus, 
is  occasionally  transferred  to  Italy.  In 
the  present  passage  we  see  no  valid 
reason  to  prevent  our  adopting  both 
senses,  as  each  nution  successively  act- 
ed its  part  in  fulfilling  the  terms  of  the 


B.  0.  1452.J 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 


from  the  co^st  of  Chittim,  and 
shall  afflict  '  Asshur,  and  shall 


q  Gen.  10.4. 


prophecy.  Indeed,  we  may  sum  up  the 
drift  of  the  oracles  here  given,  vs.  23, 
24,  in  the  following  compendious  para- 
phrase : — How  wondrous  and  amazing 
will  be  the  revolutions,  desolations,  and 
afflictions  that  shall  mark  the  succes- 
sion of  worldly  empires,  till  they  shall 
all,  one  after  another,  pass  away  in  their 
turn,  and  give  place  to  the  one  spirit- 
ual, universal,  and  eternal  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah,  the  divine  King  of  Israel ! 
As  the  Assyrian  and  Persian  monarch- 
ies shall  first  domineer  over  a  great 
part  of  the  known  world,  leading  into 
captivity  God's  own  people  the  Israel- 
ites ;  so  shall  there  afterward  arise  from 
the  descendants  of  Japhet,  by  Chittim 
the  son  of  Javan,  a  second  monarchy, 
viz.  that  of  the  Greeks  or  Macedonians 
under  Alexander,  that  shall  completely 
break  the  Persian  or  Babylonian  pow- 
er. From  the  same  source,  the  race  of 
Chittim,  by  colonies  transplanted  by 
ships  to  Italy,  shall  arise  still  another 
monarchy,  the  Roman,  which  shall  con- 
quer all  before  it,  lay  waste  the  country 
of  the  Israelites  or  Hebrews,  and  drive 
them  into  a  final  dispersion.  Yet  event- 
ually shall  this  last  and  most  formida- 
ble monarchy  be  dissolved,  Rome  itself 
with  all  its  idolatry,  pomp,  and  super- 
stition, be  destroyed,  and  thus  a  way 
made  for  spreading  the  religion,  and 
establishing  the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah over  all  kindreds,  and  nations,  and 
tongues. — In  these  few  verses  is  con- 
densed the  substance  of  Daniel's  predic- 
tions of  the  four  great  empires  and  their 
successor,  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  the 
Lord,  which  was  to  supersede  them  all. 

IF  And  shall  afflict  Ashur.     Ashur, 

according  to  general  usage,  denotes  the 
descendants  of  Ashur,  or  the  Assyrians. 
The  pronhecy  was  fulfilled  primarily  in 


afflict  Eber',  and  he  also  shall 
perish  for  ever. 


r  Gen.  10.21,25. 


the  conquest  of  Alexander,  who  over- 
threw the  Persian  empire  that  then  held 
in  subjection  the  Chaldeans  and  Assy- 
rians.  Tl  And  shall  afflict  Eher.  This, 

like  Ashur,  is  no  doubt  to  be  understood 
as  a  collective  name  for  the  posterity  of 
Eber  (or  Heber),  of  whom  it  is  said, 
Gen.  10  :  21,  that  "  Shem  was  the  father 
of  all  the  children  of  Eber,"  and  as 
Abraham  was  directly  descended  from 
Eber,  and  in  him  the  nation  of  Israel, 
so  we  gather  that  the  power  denoted  by 
Chittim  should  oppress  and  afilict  the 
Jews,  which  was  done  by  the  Seleu- 
cidae,  the  successors  of  Alexander,  and 
especially  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  and 
also  by  the  Romans,  who  not  only  sub- 
dued and  oppressed  them,  but  event- 
ually "  took  away  their  place  and  na- 
tion," and  dispersed  them  over  the  face 
of  the  earth.  As  the  intimation  in  this 
oracle  is  of  rather  a  sinister  import  as 
compared  with  the  usual  style  of  bless- 
ing which  Balaam  is  prompted  to  em- 
ploy towards  the  chosen  people,  there 
seems  to  be  a  designed  change  of  terms 
that  shall  serve  to  discriminate  between 
the  fortunes  of  the  literal  and  the  spir- 
itual Israel.  The  spiritual  Israel,  or 
the  church,  is  never  called  "  Eber,"  but 
generally  "  Israel "  or  "  Jacob,"  and 
here  the  spirit  of  prophecy  has  proba- 
bly designed  to  teach  us  that  a  destiny 
was  predicated  of  the  Jews  as  a  nation, 
which  would  not  hold  good  of  the  church 

which  they  typically  represented. 

TI  And  he  also  shall  perish  forever.  The 
phraseology  here  is  the  same  with  that 
in  the  final  clause  of  v.  20,  on  which  we 
have  already  remarked.  The  original 
has  nothing  to  answer  to  "  forever," 
and  the  undoubted  import  is  that  of 
some  subject,  some  "  perishing  one," 
entirely  independent  of  that  which  goes 


404 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1452. 


25    And    Balaam    rose    up, 
and  went  and   returned  to  liis 

before,  but  with  which  that  is  in  some 
way  compared,  or  to  be  associated.  He 
or  they  shall  perish,  even  as  shall  the 
perishing  one.  The  allusion  is  to  some 
devoted  power,  some  power  emphati- 
cally doomed,  which  though  wholly  un- 
known to  Balaam,  was  well  known  to 
the  spirit  of  prophecy  speaking  through 
him,  and  which,  in  our  view,  is  no  other 
than  the  Man  of  Sin,  or  the  Antichrist 
of  the  last  times.  "  Thus  Balaam,  as 
he  began  with  the  blessing  of  Israel, 
endeth  with  the  destruction  of  their  en- 
emies; God  by  his  mouth  confirming 
the  promises  made  unto  Abraham  and 
to  his  seed  forever,  the  accomplishment 
of  all  which  is  in  Christ." — Ainsivorth. 
V.  25.  And  Balaam  rose  up,  and  went 
and  returned  to  Ms  place.  There  is  an 
apparent  contradiction  between  this 
passage,  which  seems  to  say  that  Ba- 
laam, after  fulfilling  his  mission,  imme- 
diately, and  without  tarrying  on  the 
road,  returned  and  reached  his  home  in 
safety,  and  Num.  31 :  8, 16  (comp.  Josh. 
13  :  22),  according  to  which  Balaam 
was  killed  by  the  Israelites  in  the  war 
which  they  undertook  against  the  Mid- 
ianites,  as  a  righteous  punishment  for 
the  counsel  given  to  that  people  with  a 
view  to  lead  Israel  into  sin.  In  the  so- 
lution of  this  difficulty,  which  has  been 
long  since  remarked,  some  have  sup- 
posed that  Balaam  returned  home,  but 
made  a  second  journey  to  the  Midian- 
ites,  though  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  find 
sufficient  time  for  this  double  journey. 
A  far  preferable  mode  of  reconciling 
the  apparent  discrepancy  is  to  under- 
stand the  words  in  an  inchoative  sense, 
implying  that  he  started  with  the  piir- 
pose  of  returning  home,  but  was  de- 
tained by  the  Midianites.  For  instances 
of  this  phraseology  see  Ex.  8  :  18.  Num. 
14 :  40.     This  construction  is  favored 


place  :  and  Balak  also  went  his 
way. 

by  the  fact  that  the  original  sJiooh  prop- 
erly signifies  to  turn  from,  to  turn  haclc, 
while  the  reaching  the  object  aimed  at 
is  not  included  in  the  meaning  of  the 
word  itself.  So  in  like  manner,  Gen. 
18:33,  "And  the  Lord  went  his  way 
as  soon  as  he  had  left  communing  with 
Abraham ;  and  Abraham  returned  back 
to  his  place,"  where  not  so  much  the 
arrival  as  the  direction  is  meant;  he 
set  out  on  his  return.  They  parted 
each  one  his  own  way.  So  here  also 
the  parallelism  leads  us  to  suppose 
that  not  the  end,  but  the  direction,  the 
course,  is  intended.  Whether  he  reach- 
ed the  end  of  his  journey  or  not,  is  in- 
different to  the  object  which  the  in- 
spired historian  had  in  view  in  relating 
the  incidents.  He  could  let  him  jour- 
ney without  troubling  himself  how  it 
fared  with  him,  and  what  he  did  fur- 
ther. This  is  intimated  in  the  sequel 
quite  incidentally.  The  writer  began 
with  telling  how  Balak  had  sent  for  the 
prophet  in  order  to  destroy  Israel,  and 
he  closes  his  narrative  with  simply 
telling  how  the  parting  took  place 
without  the  object  being  attained. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Israelites,  at  their  last  Station  in 

the   Wilderness,   seduced  to  Idolatry 

ivitlh  the  Moabites  and  Midianites  hy 

the  Counsel  of  Balaam. 

"We  have  seen  thus  far  the  fruitless 

attempts  of  Balak  and  Balaam  to  curse 

the    people    whom  God  had  blessed. 

Their  attempts  had  recoiled  upon  their 

own  heads,   and  their  disappointment 

had  not  only  resulted  in  deep  chagrin 

on  the  part  of  each,  but  also  in  mutual 

dissatisfaction  with  each  other.     Balak 

had  obtained  no  aid  against  the  people 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


405 


CHAPTER   XXY. 

ND  Israel  abode  in  Shittim", 
.  and  the  people  began  to  com- 


49.   Mie.  6.  5. 


whom  he  feared,  and  Balaam  had  lost 
the  wealth  and  honors  which  he  covet- 
ed. The  failure  in  this  respect  he 
would  fain  make  good  if  possible.  He 
saw  that  the  favor  of  God  was  with  the 
Israelites,  and  he  knew  that  while  they 
were  possessed  of  it  they  would  be  in- 
vincible. He  perceived  that  the  only 
way  to  prevail  against  them  was  to 
cause  them  to  forfeit  that  favor.  If  he 
could  lead  them  to  sin  against  the  Lord, 
then  they  would  be  deserted  by  their 
strength,  Balak  would  be  able  to  over- 
come them,  and  he  should  reap  his  re- 
ward. With  diabolical  malice  and  cun- 
ning, therefore,  he  puts  Balak  and  his 
people  upon  a  plan  for  corrupting  them, 
and  the  success  of  the  scheme  and  its 
consequences  are  detailed  in  the  course 
of  the  present  chapter. 

V.  1.  And  Israel  abode  in  SMttim. 
This  was  the  name  given  to  some  part 
of  the  tract  called  "  the  plains  of  Moab," 
lying  on  the  borders  of  the  Jordan  where 
they  were  now  encamped.  It  is  termed 
Ahel-SMttim,  ch.  33  :  48,  49,  and  as 
"  Abel "  signifies  mourning,  it  is  prob- 
able the  name  was  given  it  from  the 
lamentation  made  over  the  transgress- 
ors who  were  cut  oflF  for  their  grievous 
offence  at  this  place.  It  is  no  unusual 
thing  with  the  Hebrew  writers  to  omit 
the  first  part  of  compound  names. 
Thus  Judg.  3  :  3,  Herman  for  Baal- 
Hermon ;  1  Chron.  4:29,  Tliolad  for 
EtJitolad ;  Josh.  19  :  4,  Nimrim  for 
Beth-Mmrim  ;  Ps.  66  :  3,  Salem  for  Je- 
rusalem. The  original  Shittim  means 
Acacias,  probably  from  their  growing 
abundantly  in  this  vicinity,  and  Keil 
(on  Jos.  2  : 1)  renders  Ahel-Shittim  by 
Acacia- Meadows.  Its  true  location  ap- 
pears to  have  been  in  the  Arboth-Moab 


mit  whoredom  *  with  the  daugh- 
ters of  Moab. 


6  c.  31.  16.    1  Cor.  10. 


(plains  of  Moab)  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountainous  range  of  Abarim,  and  im- 
mediately under  i^ebo  opposite  to  Jeri- 
cho. Hence  it  is  to  be  looked  for  near 
the  point  at  which  the  "Wady  Hesban 
enters  the  plains  of  Moab,  probably  to 
the  south  of  this  Wady.  According  to 
Josephus,  the  town  of  Abila  was  after- 
wards built  on  the  site  previously  occu- 
pied by  Shittim,  in  a  country  abound- 
ing with  date-bearing  trees,  sixty  sta- 
dia from  the  Jordan.  In  this  place  Is- 
rael abode  (Heb.  "sat")  until  after 
the  death  of  Moses,  consequently  until 
every  thing  related  in  the  book  of 
Deuteronomy  had  transpired.  It  was 
from  hence,  too,  that  Joshua  took  his 
departure,  Josh.  2 : 1,  when  the  host 
passed  over  to  Gilgal.  Of  this  period 
of  their  history  the  chosen  people  are 
reminded  by  the  prophet,  Mic.  6 : 5, 
"  0  my  people,  remember  now  what 
Balak  king  of  Moab  consulted,  and 
what  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  answered 
him  from  Shittim  unto  Gilgal ;  that  ye 
may  know  the  righteousness  of  the 
Lord." ^  TTie  people  began  to  com- 
mit wlioredom  with  the  daughters  of 
Moab.  Or,  Heb.  "Profaned,  or  pro- 
fanely began,  etc."  The  idea  Qi  pro- 
fanation is  undoubtedly  included  in 
the  original  term.  The  prompters  to 
this  iniquity  are  said  to  have  been  "  the 
daughters  of  Moab,"  but  to  them  are  to 
be  added  the  daughters  of  Midian,  as 
appears  from  vs.  6,  17,  18.  The  sin 
here  predicted  of  "the  people"  is  not 
to  be  understood  of  the  whole  body  of 
them,  but  only  of  a  portion,  and  these 
all  met  with  a  condign  punishment,  as 
we  learn  from  the  sequel.  The  iniquity 
in  which  Israel  now  became  involved 
was  plainly  instigated  by  Balaam,  of 


406 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  U52. 


2  And^tliey  called  the  people 
unto  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods : 


c  Ex.  34.  15,  16. 


whom  it  is  said,  Rev.  2 :  14,  *'  But  I 
have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because 
thou  hast  there  them  that  hold  the  doc- 
trine of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to 
cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed 
unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication." 
It  was  the  more  aggravated  from  the 
fact  that  the  Lord  had  borne  with  them 
so  long  and  had  conducted  them  so  far, 
as  they  were  now  in  fact  just  upon  the 
borders  and  in  full  sight  of  the  land  of 
promise.  The  lapses  of  Christians  as 
they  near  the  end  of  their  pilgrimage 
and  are  in  full  view  of  heaven,  have  a 
peculiar  enormity,  which  should  cause 
them  to  be  shunned  with  the  most  pro- 
found abhorrence  and  awful  dread. 

V.  2.  And  they  called  the  peopUy  etc. 
As  the  verb  in  the  original  is  here  in 
the  feminine,  it  implies  that  the  calling 
or  invitation  was  given  by  these  daugh- 
ters of  Moab,  who  no  doubt  exerted 
various  fascinating  arts  to  inveigle  the 
sons  of  the  covenant  into  their  snares. 

Tf  Unto  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods. 

Or,  Heb.  "Of  their  god."  Gr.  and 
Chald.  "  Of  their  idols,"  meaning  Baal- 
Peor,  as  we  learn  from  v.  3.  Baal- 
Peor  is  probably  the  localized  title  of  a 
general  heathen  deity  worshipped  in 
various  ancient  countries,  but  here  de- 
riving his  appellation  from  the  name 
of  a  mountain,  mentioned  ch.  23  :  28, 
just  as  Jupiter,  among  the  Greeks,  was 
called  Jupiter  Olympus,  from  the  name 
of  a  mountain  specially  dedicated  to 
him.  He  was  worshipped  with  the 
most  obscene  and  revolting  rites,  so 
that  the  learned  have  conceived  him  to 
be  identical  with  the  Priapus  of  the 
Greeks  and  Romans.  Whether  this 
were-  so  or  not  is  not  very  important, 
as  the  moral  bearings  of  this  trans- 


and  the  people  did  eat,  and  bow- 
ed "^  down  to  their  gods. 


action  claim  our  first  attention.  It 
evinces  clearly  that  our  most  formida- 
ble enemies  are  evermore  within  and 
not  without  us.  Lusts  inwardly  cher- 
ished are  more  to  be  dreaded  than  ex- 
ternal foes ;  for  here  we  perceive  that 
what  the  curse  of  Balaam  could  not 
effect  was  brought  about  by  their  own 
corruptions.  The  charms  and  incanta- 
tions of  infernal  magic  do  not  work  so 
much  mischief  as  the  seductive  arts  and 
blandishments  of  siren  females,  who 
beguile  to  idolatry  by  yielding  to  licen- 
tiousness. Still  the  weight  of  our  con- 
demnation must  fall  upon  the  unprin- 
cipled fathers,  brothers  and  husbands 
of  the  miserable  women  who  had  doubt- 
less been  pressed  in  the  first  instance, 
against  their  better  instincts,  into  com- 
plicity with  this  nefarious  scheme. > 

II  And  the  people  did  eat,  and  howed 
down  to  their  gods.  The  act  of  eating 
in  common  carries  with  it  an  implica- 
tion of  the  parties  being  closely  con- 
joined together,  and  when  this  is  done 
over  the  sacrifices  offered  in  religious 
worship,  it  implies  a  unanimity  of 
views  and  feelings  which  could  not  be 
supposed  to  exist,  without  downright 
profanation,  between  the  worshippers 
of  the  true  God  and  the  votaries  of 
idols.  Now  against  this  aggravated  in- 
iquity the  chosen  people  had  been  espe- 
cially warned  on  a  former  occasion. 
Ex.  34  :  12-16.  "  Take  heed  to  thyself 
lest  thou  make  a  covenant  with  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land  whither  thou 
goest,  lest  it  be  for  a  snare  in  the  midst 
of  thee ;  but  ye  shall  destroy  their  al- 
tars, break  their  images,  and  cut  down 
their  groves :  for  thou  shalt  worship  no 
other  god:  for  the  Lord,  whose  name 
is  Jealous,  is  a  jealous  God  :  lest  thou 
make  a  covenant  with  the  inhabitants 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXY. 


407 


3  And  Israel  joined  '  himself    of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against 
unto  Baal-peor  :  and  the  anger  :  Israel. 


Josh.  ii.  17.    Ps.  106.  2S,  29.  Hos.  9.  10. 


of  the  land,  and  they  go  a  whoring 
after  their  gods,  and  do  sacrifice  unto 
their  gods,  and  one  call  thee,  and  thou 
eat  of  his  sacrifice ;  and  thou  take  of 
their  daughters  unto  thy  sons,  and  their 
daughters  go  a  whoring  after  their 
gods,  and  make  thy  sons  go  a  whoring 
after  their  gods."  This  strain  of  pro- 
hibition would  seem  to  have  been  in- 
•tended  for  just  such  a  case  as  the  pres- 
ent, yet  it  is  grossly  disregarded,  and 
the  fearful  moral  guilt  of  a  mixed,  pol- 
luted, and  prostituted  worship  incurred. 
The  subject  will  be  better  appreciated 
by  adducing  the  reasonings  of  Paul  in 
relation  to  this  species  of  profanation, 
1  Cor.  10  :  16-21,  "  The  cup  of  blessing 
which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  com- 
munion of  the  blood  of  Christ?  the 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  For 
we,  being  many,  are  one  bread,  and 
one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of 
that  one  bread.  Behold  Israel  after  the 
flesh ;  are  not  they  which  eat  of  the 
sacrifices  partakers  of  the  altar?  What 
say  I  then  ?  that  the  idol  is  any  thing  ? 
or  that  which  is  offered  in  sacrifice  to 
idols  is  any  thing  ?  But  I  say,  that  the 
things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice, 
they  sacrifice  to  devils  and  not  to  God  : 
and  I  would  not  that  ye  should  have 
fellowship  with  devils.  Ye  cannot 
drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup 
of  devils:  ye  cannot  be  partakers  of 
the  Lord's  table,  and  of  the  table  of 
devils."  Here  the  general  idea  is  plain- 
ly, that  by  partaking  of  the  sacrifices 
offered  upon  any  altar,  we  do  in  fact 
partake  of  the  altar,  and  by  partaking 
of  the  altar  we  own,  communicate 
with,  and  worship  the  god  of  the  altar, 
Mai.  1 : 7.  For  as  "  swearing  by  the 
altar"  is  swearing   **by  him"  whose 


altar  it  is,  Matt.  23  :  20,  so  having  com- 
munion with  the  altar  is  having  com- 
munion with  him  whose  altar  it  is, 
"Bowing  down  to  their  gods"  is,  in 
effect,  uniting  in  the  worship  of  idols, 
as  "  gods  "  is  rendered  both  in  the  Gr. 
and  the  Chald.  The  Psalmist,  in  a  sig- 
nificant allusion  to  this  event,  says,  Ps. 
106  :  28,  "  They  joined  themselves  also 
unto  Baal-peor,  and  ate  the  sacrifices 
of  the  dead,"  so  called  not  only  because 
the  idol  itself  was  a  dead  thing,  op- 
posed to  the  true  and  living  God,  but 
because  the  sacrifices  were  offered  in 
honor  of  some  distinguished  personage 
who  was  deified  after  death,  somewhat 
after  the  fashion  of  the  canonization  of 
saints  in  the  Romish  Church. 

V.  3.  Israel  joined  himself  to  Baal- 
Peor.  Heb.  "Was  joined,  coupled,  or 
yoked."  Yulg.  "Israel  was  initiated 
to  Beelphegor."  Gr.  "  Israel  was  con- 
secrated to  Beelphegor."  Chald.  "Is- 
rael was  conjoined  to  the  worshippeis 
of  Baal-Peor."  Syr.  and  Arab.  "  Is- 
rael cleaved  closely  to  Beel-Pheor."  It 
is  probably  to  this  peculiar  phrase  that 
Paul  alludes,  2  Cor.  6  :  14,  "  Be  ye  not 
'unequally  yoked  with  unbelievers."  As 
two  kinds  of  animals  were  not  to  be 
yoked  together  in  ploughing,  so  neither 
were  Christians  and  Heathen  to  be  as- 
sociated in  the  sacred  acts*of  worship. 
The  expression  is  highly  significant, 
and  as  Baal,  lord,  has  somewhat  of  a 
marital  import,  we  recognize  an  in- 
direct allusion  to  that  holy  union  into 
which  the  Most  High  had  entered  with 
his  people,  and  which  they  are  here  ac- 
cused of  violating,  and  oi Joining,  coup- 
ling, and  yoking  themselves  in  impious 
alliance  with  his  enemies.  "  Hence, 
therefore,"  says  Calvin,  "this  general 
instruction  may  be  gathered,  that  when 


408 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


4  And  the  Lord  'said  unto 
MoseSj  ■'  Take  all  the  heads  of 
the  people,  and  hang  them  up 
before  the  Lord  against  the  sun, 

/  Deut.  13.  6-9. 

we  turn  aside  from  pure  religion,  we  in 
a  manner  connect  ourselves  with  idols, 
so  as  to  coalesce  in  one  body  with  them, 
and  conspire  to  renounce  the  true  God." 
T[  The  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kin- 
dled against  Israel.  Thus  paralleled  in 
the  language  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  106  : 
29,  "  They  provoked  him  to  anger  with 
their  inventions ;  and  the  plague  brake 
in  upon  them." 

V.  4.  Take  all  the  heads  of  the  people, 
etc.  It  is  not  entirely  clear  how  this  is 
to  be  understood.  From  the  wording 
of  our  English  version  it  would  appear 
that  they  regarded  the  "  heads  of  the 
people"  as  denoting  the  chief  actors  in 
the  transgression,  and  that  they  were 
the  ones  who  were  commanded  to  be 
hung.  And  so  the  words  are  con- 
strued by  a  large  proportion  of  com- 
mentators, both  ancient  and  modern. 
But  they  are  capable  of  another,  and 
perhaps,  on  the  whole,  a  preferable 
sense,  by  which  the  clause  "take  all 
the  heads  of  the  people,"  means  to  take 
them  for  assistants  in  carrying  out  the 
sentence  of  judgment  now  enjoined.  In 
this  case  the  word  "  them  "  in  the  next 
clause  refers  not  to  the  "  heads  of  the 
people,"  but  to  those  who  had  joined 
themselves  to  Baal-Peor.  The  Hebrew 
affords  abundant  examples  of  similar 
usage  in  regard  to  relatives  and  ante- 
cedents, and  the  suggestion  is  evident- 
ly favored  by  the  next  verse,  where  the 
"judges  of  Israel"  appear  to  be  the 
same  persons  with  the  "  heads  of  the 
people."  So  also  Chald.  "  Take  the 
princes  of  the  people,  sit  in  judgment, 
and  slay  him  who  shall  be  worthy  of 
death."    The  following  is  the  version 


that  the  fierce  ^  anger  of  the  Lord 

may  be  turned  away  from  Israel. 

6  And  Moses  said  unto  the 

judges  of  Israel,  Slay  ^  ye  every 


g  Deut. 


A  Ex.  32.  27. 


of  Geddes :  "  Take  all  the  chiefs  of  the 
people  with  thee;  and  let  them  slay 
those  men  who  have  worn  the  badges 
of  Baal-Peor ;  and  hang  them  up  before 
the  Lord  until  sunsetting."  Bp.  Pat- 
rick, while  he  thinks  the  other  to  be 
the  most  natural  sense,  yet  remarks, 
that  "  it  must  be  acknowledged  that 
there  is  a  great  current  of  interpreters 
which  runs  the  other  way,"  and  to  this 
current  we  confess  ourselves  to  belong. 

^  Hang  them  up  before  the  Lord. 

Heb.  "  To  or  for  the  Lord ;"  i.  e.,  as  an 
offering  to  his  just  displeasure,  as  a 
token  of  his  retributive  justice.  Gr. 
"  Make  a  public  example  of  them,  for 
the  Lord,  against  the  sun."  It  is  to  be 
understood  that  the  victims  were  first 
stoned  to  death,  and  then  hung  up  in 
this  open  exposed  manner,  in  the  light 
of  day,  for  hanging  alive  was  never 
practised  among  the  people  of  Israel. 
Crucifixion  was  not  a  Jewish,  but  a 
Roman  punishment.  Hanging,  how- 
ever, subsequent  to  stoning,  was  con- 
sidered as  a  special  mark  of  the  divine 
malediction,  as  appears  from  Deut.  21  : 
23,  "  He  that  is  hanged  is  accursed  of 
God,"  i.  e.,  his  being  hung  is  a  sign  of 
his  being  accursed,  or,  as  Jerome  re- 
marks (on  Gal.  3  :  13),  "  He  was  not  ac- 
cursed because  he  was  hanged,  but  he 
was  hanged  because  he  was  accursed." 
V.  5.  Slay  ye  every  one  his  men. 
That  is,  the  men  under  his  special  ju- 
risdiction, as  they  were  distributed  in 
Ex,  18  :  25.  Aben  Ezra  and  Sol.  Jarchi 
understand  by  the  language,  that  the 
heads  of  the  people,  divided  into  sev- 
eral courts  of  judgment,  should  exam- 
ine and  ascertain  who  had  been  guilty 


B.  C.  1452.J 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


409 


one  his  men  that  were  joined  un- 
to Baal-peor. 

6  And,  behold,  one  of  the 
children  of  Israel  came,  and 
brought  unto  his  brethren  a 
Midiauitish  woman,  in  the  sight 
of  Moses,  and  in  the  sight  of  all 
the  congregation  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  who  icere  weeping '  he- 


of  idolatry,  and  then  put  them  to  death, 
as  here  commanded.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  judicial  system  suggested  by 
Jethro  was  continued  all  the  time  they 
were  in  the  wilderness,  and  that  it  was 
their  duty  to  find  out  the  guilty  in  their 
several  departments  or  divisions.  This 
explains  the  phrase,  "Slay  ye  every 
one  his  men,"  They  were  the  men  for 
whom  each  of  the  judges  were  several- 
ly, in  a  sense,  responsible  from  their 
falling  under  their  supervision. 

The  Outrage  so  signally  avenged  hy 
PhinehaSy  and  his  comequent  Re- 
ward. 

V.  6.  Behold,  one  of  the  children  of 
Israel  came,  and  brought  unto  his  brdh- 
ren,  etc.  Heb.  "Brought  near  to  his 
brethren;"  i.  e.  brought  near  in  the 
sight  of  his  brethren.  This  is  the  only 
sense  in  which  she  was  brought  to 
them,  implying  a  peculiarly  open,  pub- 
lic, and  shameless  proceeding  on  the 
part  of  the  ofienders.  It  was  done  not 
only  in  the  sight  of  the  brethren  of  the 
culprit,  but  of  Moses  also,  and  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  congregation  who  were 
at  that  time  collected  at  the  door  of  the 
Tabernacle  weeping  and  movirning  over 
the  fearful  transgression.  It  is  not  im- 
probable, in  fact,  that  the  judgment  had 
even  then  begun,  and  what  must  have 
been  the  enormity  of  introducing  a  par- 
amour, in  these  circumstances,  into  an 
Israelitish   tent,  in   open  defiance  of 

18 


fore  the  door  of  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation. 

7  And  when  Phinehas  ^  the 
son  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron 
the  priest,  saw  it^  he  rose  up 
from  among  the  congregation, 
and  took  a  javelin  in  his  hand : 

8  And  he  went  after  the  man 
of  Israel  into  the  tent,  and  thrust 

k  Ps.  106.  31. 

every  restraint  of   decency  and  reli- 
gion ! 

V.  8.  Se  went  afte)^  the  man  of  Israel 
into  the  tent,  etc.  Heb.  el  hakkulah, 
into  the  recess.  The  original  word  here 
rendered  "tent"  is  not  the  term  {ohel) 
usually  employed  for  that  purpose. 
RosenmuUer  remarks,  that  it  is  equiv- 
alent to  the  Arab,  kulhah  or  Tcohbah, 
and  with  the  article  allcobbah,  from 
which  is  derived  the  Spanish  alcoba 
and  alcova,  Eng.  alcove,  denoting  an 
interior  chamber  appropriated  to  sleep- 
ing. Into  this  retired  room  the  offend- 
ers were  followed  by  Phinehas,  and 
both  transfixed  by  a  single  stroke  of 
his  javelin.  The  way  of  transgressors 
is  hard,  and  their  end  sometimes  strik- 
ingly awful.  Though  all  are  not  cut 
off  by  the  stroke  of  exemplary  justice, 
yet  the  close  of  a  sinful  and.  impeni- 
tent life  must  be  destruction,  whether 
through  the  gradual  decays  of  nature, 
!  the  waste  of  sickness,  or  the  sudden 
seizure  of  death.  The  act  on  the  part 
of  Phinehas  seems  to  have  been  prompt- 
ed by  a  sudden  impulse  of  holy  zeal, 
which  received,  indeed,  the  divine  ap- 
probation, although  it  is  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  precedent  in  ordinary  cases. 
Sudden  emergencies  warrant  extraor- 
dinary expedients.  As  a  priest,  it  was 
not  the  office  of  Phinehas  to  punish 
crime,  but  in  this  instance,  while  aU 
others  held  back,  he  was  no  doubt 
moved  by  a  divine  inspiration  to  enter 


410 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


both  of  them  through,  the  man  of 
Israel,  and  the  woman  through 
her  belly.  So  the  plague  was 
stayed  from  the  children  of  Israel. 

upou  the  work  of  vengeance.  "  If  any 
private  person  should  in  his  preposter- 
ous zeal  take  upon  himself  to  punish  a 
similar  crime,  in  vain  will  he  boast  of 
being  an  imitator  of  Phinehas,  unless 
he  shall  be  thoroughly  assured  of  the 
command  of  God.  In  order  that  our 
zeal  may  be  approved  of  God,  it  must 
be  tempered  by  spiritual  prudence,  and 
directed  by  His  authority ;  in  a  word, 
the  Holy  Spirit  must  go  before,  and 
dictate  what  is  right." — Calvin.  But 
while  the  act  of  Phinehas  would  be  un- 
justifiable in  those  who  had  received 
no  such  commission,  either  from  God 
or  man,  yet  the  spirit  from  whicJi  it 
proceeded  would  be  commendable,  in 
whomsoever  it  were  found.  We  ought 
to  be  filled  with  zeal  for  God's  honor. 
We  ought  to  feel  indignation  against  sin. 
We  ought  to  be  penetrated  with  com- 
passion towards  those  who  are  seduced 
into  dangerous  courses  by  the  evil  acts 
of  others.  We  ought  to  be  ready  to  as- 
sist the  civil  magistrate  in  the  suppres- 
sion of  iniquity. T[  So  the  plague  was 

stayed  from  the  children  of  Israel.  Heb. 
hammagg'iphah,  the  stroke.  This  is  usu- 
ally understood  to  denote  a  pestilence 
which  the  Lord  had  caused  to  break 
forth  on  this  occasion,  and  to  rage  with 
destructive  violence.  But  as  nothing 
has  been  previously  said  of  any  such 
pestilence,  and  as  the  term  is  elsewhere 
applied  to  a  slaughter  by  the  sword, 
1  Sam.  4 :  17,  we  see  no  good  reason  to 
doubt  that  it  is  here  used  in  reference 
■to  the  execution  of  the  judgment  com- 
manded above,  vs.  4,  5,  which  now 
reached  its  climax  in  the  fearful  act  of 
Phinehas  towards  the  culprits  slain  by 
his  hand.  To  this  evenj;  in  the  history 
the  Psalmist  alludes  as  follows,  Ps.  106  : 


9  And  those  '  that  died  in  the 
plague  were  twenty  and  four 
thousand. 


/  Deut.  4.  3.     1  Cor.  10.  8. 


29,  30,  "  Thus  they  provoked  him  to 
anger  with  their  inventions:  and  the 
plague  brake  in  upon  them.  Then  stood 
up  Phinehas,  and  executed  judgment: 
and  so  the  plague  was  stayed."  The 
original  word  for  "  plague  "  is  here  the 
same  with  that  before  us,  and  we  see 
no  evidence  of  any  other  "  plague  "  than 
that  of  the  slaughter  recorded  by  the 
historian. 

V.  9.  Twenty  and  four  thousand. 
The  number  here  specified  aftbrds  a 
fearful  indication  of  the  ravages  of  the 
divine  judgment,  but  it  has  greatly 
tasked  the  ingenuity  of  commentators 
to  reconcile  with  it  the  statement  of 
Paul,  1  Cor.  10  :  8,  "  Neither  let  us  com- 
mit fornication,  as  some  of  them  com- 
mitted, and  fell  in  one  day  three  and 
twenty  thousand.^'  The  solution  usual- 
ly given  depends  upon  the  assumed 
distinction  between  the  number  of  those 
who  fell  by  the  plague  and  those  who 
fell  by  the  sword  of  the  judges.  Moses, 
it  is  supposed,  in  the  24,000,  compre- 
hends all  that  perished  both  by  the 
sword  and  the  pestilence,  whereas  Paul 
refers  only  to  the  latter.  But  as  we  see 
no  evidence  of  the  occurrence  of  any 
plague  on  this  occasion,  so  we  are  com- 
pelled to  reject  this  explanation.  In 
our  view  Paul  had  no  design  to  specify 
the  precise  number.  He  had  in  his 
mind  the  fact  of  a  tremendous  judg- 
ment inflicted  on  the  Israelites  for  a 
particular  sin,  but  whether  it  were  ex- 
actly 23,000  or  24,000  he  might  not 
have  recollected  at  the  moment,  and  as 
the  piecise  specification  was  not  im- 
portant for  the  moral  lesson  which  it 
was  calculated  to  teach,  instead  of  ar- 
resting his  pen  and  turning  to  the  in- 
spired volume  to  certify  himself  on  the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXY. 


411 


10  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

11  Phinehas  the  son  of  Elea- 
zar,  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest, 
hath  turned  ™  my  wrath  away 
from  the  children  of  Israel, 
(while  he  was  zealous  for  my 
sake  among  them,)  that  I  con- 

m  Pa.  106,  '23.  John  3.  36. 


point,  he  set  down  the  number  of  23,000 
as  being  at  least  the  number  slain,  with- 
out assuming  to  give  it  with  absolute 
accuracy.  Now  if  the  assertion  of 
Moses  was  true,  that  24,000  perished 
on  this  occasion,  the  assertion  of  Paul 
is  likewise  true  that  23,000  perished, 
and  the  assertion  of  the  less  number 
does  not  deny  that  of  the  greater.  As, 
then,  it  cannot  be  shown  that  there  is 
any  thing  intrinsically  false  in  Paul's 
statement,  why  not  be  content  with  it 
as  it  stands  without  striving  to  bring  it 
to  a  perfect  tally  with  Moses? — espe- 
cially when  the  only  ground  on  which 
this  is  attempted  to  be  done  is  a  gra- 
tuitous assumption  utterly  incapable 
of  proof?  We  are  persuaded  it  will  be 
forever  a  futile  attempt  to  maintain 
that  the  Holy  Spirit,  speaking  through 
Paul,  designed  to  state  the  exact  num- 
ber of  the  victims  who  fell  under  the 
judgment  now  visited  upon  the  people, 
for  this  would  bring  him  in  conflict 
with  his  own  declaration  made  through 
the  Old  Testament  writer. 

Vs.  10, 11.  The  Lord  spake  unto  Moses, 
etc.  The  Most  High  here  announces  to 
Moses  that  it  was  his  pleasure  that  the 
whole  nation  should  know  how  much 
they  owed  to  the  heroic  act  of  retribu- 
tion— this  courageous  and  well-timed 
zeal — on  the  part  of  Phinehas,  inasmuch 
as  by  vindicating  the  divine  honor  he 
had  staid  the  hand  of  justice  from  strik- 
ing and  consuming  the  whole  mass  of  a 
congregation  so  corrupted. H  While 


sumed  not  the  children  of  Israel 
in  my  jealousy". 

12  Wherefore  say,  Behold,  I 
give  unto  him "  my  covenant  of 
peace : 

13  And  he  shall  have  it,  and 
his  seed  after  him,  even  the  cov- 


n  Ex.  20.  5.  Deut.  3:.  16,  21.      1  K.  14.  <ii.    Vs.  78. 
58.  Ezek.  16.  38.  Zeph.  1.  18.     3.  8.         o  Mai.  '2.  4,  5. 


he  was  zealous  for  my  sake  among  them. 
Or,  Heb.  "  He  was  jealous  with  my  jeal- 
ousy." See  Note  on  ch.  5  :  14,  where 
the  import  of  the  original  term  for 
"zeal"  is  fully  unfolded.  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  in  thus  vindicating  the  di- 
vine honor  he  showed  that  he  could  no 
more  tolerate  this  forbidden  connection 
of  the  chosen  people  with  an  idolatrous 
race  than  a  man  would  suffer  his  wife 
to  prostitute  herself  to  strangers.  In 
this  sense  the  Lord  himself  is  said  to  be 
"jealous,"  Ex.  20 :  5.  The  term  con- 
veys an  allusion  to  the  conjugal  relation 
which  the  Lord  sustained  to  his  people. 

V.  12.  Behold,  I  give  unto  him  my 
covenant  of  peace.  Heb.  herithi  shdlom, 
implying  an  abundant  prosperity,  com- 
prising multitudinous  forms  of  happi- 
ness and  comfort.  Such  is  the  import 
of  the  original  term  for  "peace;"  so 
that  this  promised  "  covenant  of  peace  " 
is  nothing  more  than  the  divine  stipu- 
lation that  his  lot  should  be  crowned 
with  a  fulness  of  blessings,  both  tem- 
poral and  spiritual.  So  the  Lord  says 
of  Levi,  Mai.  2  :  5,  "My  covenant  was 
with  him  of  life  and  peace ;  and  I  gave 
them  to  him  for  the  fear  wherewith  he 
feared  me,  etc."  The  Targ.  Jon.  ren- 
ders thus  :  "  Behold,  I  decree  unto  him 
my  covenant  of  peace,  and  I  will  make 
him  the  messenger  of  my  covenant,  and 
he  shall  live  forever  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel of  redemption  in  the  end  of  days." 

V.  13.  Eve7h  the  covenant  of  an  ever- 
lasting priesthood.    As  if  he  should  say, 


412 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452 


enant  of  an  ^  everlasting  priest- 
hood ;  because  he  was  *  zealous 
for  his  God,  and  made  an ''  atone- 
ment for  the  children  of  Israel. 
14  Now  the  name  of  the  Is- 
raelite that  was  slain,  even  that 
was  slain  with  the  Midianitish 
woman,  was  Zimri  the  son  of 

p  Ex.  40.  15.  q  Ps.  69.  9.  r  Heb.  2.  17. 


Let  Phinehas  know  that  by  way  of  re- 
ward for  so  noble  and  pure  an  example 
of  religious  zeal,  a  zeal  not  prompted 
by  private  passion,  by  hasty,  uncharita- 
ble, or  ungovernable  resentment,  but 
by  a  solid  and  earnest  regard  to  the 
honor  of  the  divine  majesty,  the  love  of 
truth,  and  the  highest  welfare  of  his 
brethren,  his  family  shall,  in  direct  line 
from  him,  be  honored  with  the  priv- 
ilege of  a  long  succession  in  the  high- 
priesthood  ;  and  though  this  succession 
may  be  temporarily  interrupted,  yet  it 
shall  return  again  to  his  posterity,  and 
remain  with  them  even  to  the  passing 
away  of  the  dispensation  now  insti- 
tuted. He  was  indeed  already  entitled 
to  the  office,  and  had  actually  held  it 
since  the  death  of  Aaron  ;  but  it  is  now 
confirmed  to  him  as  a  birthright,  and 
ordained  to  run  down  in  his  family, 
and  doubtless  in  the  eldest  son,  instead 
of  being  transferred  to  some  other 
branch  of  Aaron's  descendants.  The 
interruption  spoken  of  occurred  when 
the  priesthood  passed  from  the  family 
of  Phinehas  to  that  of  Ithamar,  where  it 
remained  about  150  years,  Eli  being 
one  of  his  descendants,  but  it  was  re- 
stored again  in  the  person  of  Zadok, 
1  Chron.  6  :  50,  and  thence  continued  in 
the  family,  as  far  as  is  known,  down  to 
the  close  of  the  Jewish  economy.  The 
"  everlasting  priesthood  "  belongs  prop- 
erly to  Christ,  and  it  would  seem  that 
the  promise  made  to  Phinehas,  as  a  type 
of  Christ,  glides  imperceptibly  into  that 


Salu,  a  prince  of  a  chief  house 
among  the  Simeonites. 

15  And  the  name  of  the 
Midianitish  woman  that  was 
slain  was  Cozbi,  the  daughter 
of  Zur";  he  was  head  over  a 
people,  and  of  a  chief  house  in 
Midian. 


which  receives  its  fulfilment  in  him  who 
was  made  "  a  priest  forever  after  the 

order  of  Melchisedek." T[  And  made 

an  atononent  for  the  children  of  Israel. 
Heb.  "Atoned  upon  (or  for)  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel."  That  is,  made  recon- 
ciliation, pacified,  propitiated.  Thus 
Moses,  in  addressing  the  Israelites  after 
the  great  crime  which  they  had  com- 
mitted in  worshipping  the  golden  calf, 
says,  Ex.  82  :  30,  32,  "  Ye  have  sinned  a 
great  sin ;  and  now  I  will  go  up  unto 
the  Lord ;  perad  venture  I  will  make  an 
atonement  for  your  sins."  So  again,  in 
respect  to  the  rebellion  of  Korah,  Num. 
16  :  46,  48,  "  And  Aaron  took  as  Moses 
commanded,  and  ran  into  the  midst 
of  the  congregation ;  and,  behold,  the 
plague  was  begun  among  the  people  : 
and  he  put  on  incense,  and  made  an 
atonement  for  the  people.  And  he  stood 
between  the  dead  and  the  living;  and 
the  plague  was  stayed."  So  the  Psal- 
mist makes  honorary  mention  of  this  act 
of  Phinehas,  Ps.  106  :  30,  "  Then  stood 
up  Phinehas  and  executed  judgment, 
and  so  the  plague  was  stayed." 

Vs.  14,  15.  Now  the  name  of  the  Is-  \ 
raelite,  etc.  The  names  and  the  pedi- 
gree of  the  ofiending  parties  are  here 
particularly  cited,  both  in  order  to  con- 
sign their  character  to  deeper  infamy 
in  after  ages,  and  to  do  higher  honor  to 
Phinehas,  who,  in  this  transaction,  re- 
garded not  the  rank  or  dignity  of  the 
transgressors.  These,  it  appears,  were 
of  high  condition  on  both  sides,  yet 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


413 


16  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

17  Vex  '  the  Midianites,  and 
smite  them : 

18  For  they  vex  you  "  with 
their  wiles,  wherewith  they  have 
beguiled  you,  in  the  matter  of 
Peor,    and   in   the    matter    of 


their  standing  gave  them  no  exemption 
when  the  stroke  of  retribution  fell.  The 
passage  before  us  is  a  testimony  that 
the  Lord  would  give  publicity  to  the 
sin  as  a  warning  to  others,  that  the 
most  exalted  sphere  in  life  will  protect 
no  one  from  the  just  consequences  of 
his  crimes. 

V.  17.  Vex  the  Midianites  and  smite 
tliem.  Heb.  "Straighten,  distress." 
Gr.  "  Treat  as  enemies."  The  divine 
justice  having  visited  deserved  punish- 
ment upon  his  own  people,  now  decrees 
vengeance  against  his  and  their  ene- 
mies, although  the  actual  execution  of 
it  was  delayed  till  after  the  numbering 
of  the  people  and  the  occurrence  of 
various  other  events  recorded  in  the 
next  five  chapters.  The  infliction  of 
this  vengeance  was  to  be  the  last  public 
act  of  Moses,  as  it  is  said,  ch.  81 : 2, 
"  Avenge  the  children  of  Israel  of  the 
Midianites ;  afterward  shalt  thou  be 
gathered  unto  thy  people."  Judgment 
often  begins  at  the  house  of  God,  but  it 
does  not  end  there.  Accordingly  the 
Lord  says,  by  the  prophet,  Jer.  25  :  29, 
"  For  lo,  I  begin  to  bring  evil  on  the 
city  which  is  called  by  ray  name,  and 
should  ye  be  utterly  unpunished  ?  Ye 
shall  not  be  unpunished  :  for  I  will  call 
for  a  sword  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
The  judgment  is  here  denounced  against 
the  Midianites  rather  than  against  the 
Moabites,  because  the  Midianites,  in  this 
particular  instance,  seem  to  have  taken 


Cozbi,  the  daughter  of  a  prince 
of  Midian,  their  sister,  which 
was  slain "  in  the  day  of  the 
plague,  for  Poor's  sake. 

CHAPTER   XXVL 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  after  the 
plague,  that  the  Lord  spake 


the  lead  in  the  conspiracy  suggested  by 
Balaam.  Balak  had  turned  away  the 
wicked  prophet  in  disgrace,  but  the 
Midianites,  in  all  probability,  retained 
him  in  the  midst  of  them,  as  it  was 
amongst  them  that  he  was  slain,  ch. 
31 :  8.  We  cannot  mistake  in  account- 
ing those  our  greatest  enemies  who 
would  entice  us  into  sin,  and  though 
we  are  never  to  indulge  in  a  vindictive 
spirit,  yet  we  may  be  and  ought  to  be 
moved  by  a  righteous  indignation 
against  whatever  tends  to  effect  a  sep- 
aration between  us  and  our  heavenly 
Father. 

V.  18.  For  they  vex  you  ivith  their 
wiles,  etc.  Heb.  "Distress  you,"  the 
same  word  occurring  in  the  preceding 
verse,  but  denoting  here,  not  war,  but 
a  resort  to  the  arts  of  subtlety  and  de- 
ceit. This  was  a  peculiar  source  of 
vexation  to  them,  whence  Henry  well 
remarks,  that  "  whatever  draws  us  to 
sin  should  be  a  vexation  to  us,  as  a 
thorn  in  the  flesh." 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

A  new  Census  tahen  in  the  Flains  of 

Modb. 
V.  1.  It  came  to  pass  after  the  plague, 
etc.  After  the  slaughter  of  the  24,000 
who  fell  by  the  sword  of  the  judges  as 
stated  ch.  25  :  9,  as  this  is  the  undoubt- 
ed sense  of  the  word  "plague"  in  this 
connection.    We  may  properly  recog- 


414 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


unto  Moses,  and  unto  Eleazar  the 
son  of  Aaron  the  priest,  saying, 
2  Take "  the  sum  of  all  the 
congregation  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  from  twenty  years  old 
and   upward,  throughout   their 

a  Ex.  30.  U.    38.  25,  26.     c.  1.  2,  3. 


nize  a  moral  as  well  as  a  historical  sig- 
nificancy  in  the  command  to  number 
the  people  afresh.  It  was  a  token  of 
the  Lord's  special  regard  for  those  who 
survived  and  had  cleaved  to  him  in  the 
midst  of  a  wide-spread  defection.  Deut. 
4  :  3, 4,  "  Your  eyes  have  seen  what  the 
Lord  did  because  of  Baal-peor :  for  all 
the  men  that  followed  Baal-peor,  the 
Lord  thy  God  hath  destroyed  them  from 
among  you.  But  ye  that  did  cleave 
unto  the  Lord  your  God  are  alive  every 
one  of  you  this  day."  The  Hebrew 
writers,  in  a  somewhat  pious  vein,  il- 
lustrate it  '*  by  the  similitude  of  a  shep- 
herd, who,  when  a  wolf  has  gotten 
among  his  flock,  and  worried  some  of 
them,  he  counteth  them  to  know  the 
number  of  those  that  are  left."  Again, 
"  As  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt  and 
were  delivered  to  Moses,  they  were  de- 
livered to  him  by  tale  (Ex.  38  :  26),  so 
now  when  Moses  was  ready  to  die,  and 
to  deliver  his  flock  again,  he  delivered 
them  by  tale." — Sol.  JarcTii.  A  farther* 
reason  for  the  measure  may  be  found 
in  the  divine  determination  to  make 
good  the  promise  to  Abraham,  to  mul- 
tiply his  seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven, 
notwithstanding  it  might  seem  to  be 
countervailed  by  the  fearful  diminution 
in  their  numbers  caused  by  the  sweep- 
ing judgments  which  their  sins  had  in- 
curred. "  This  was  the  reason  why 
the  people  was  numbered  immediately 
after  the  plague,  in  order  that  it  might 
be  more  conspicuous  that  God  had  mar- 
vellously prorided  lest  any  diminution 
should  appear  after  the  recent  loss  of 


father's  house,  all  that  are  able 
to  go  to  war  in  Israel. 

3  And  Moses  and  Eleazar 
the  priest  spake  with  them  in 
the  plains  *  of  Moab,  by  Jordan 
near  Jericho,  saying, 


so  many  men." — Calvin.  The  whole 
generation  existing  thirty-eight  years 
before,  with  the  exception  only  of  Ca- 
leb and  Joshua,  had  been  wasted  away, 
and  as  the  promised  land  was  now 
about  to  be  distributed  to  their  de- 
scendants, which  would  be  facilitated 
by  a  new  census,  one  is  accordingly 
ordered.  The  matter  was  intrusted  to 
the  charge  of  Eleazar,  who  was  now, 
since  the  death  of  Aaron,  high  priest. 
As  Aaron  had  performed  this  office  in 
conjunction  with  Moses  on  a  former  oc- 
casion, ch.  1 :  3,  so  Eleazar  is  called  to 
do  it  now.  He  also  united  with  Joshua 
afterwards,  Josh.  14  : 1,  in  dividing  the 
land  among  the  people. 

V.  2.  Tahe  the  sum  of  all  the  congre- 
gation. Heb.  "Take  the  head."  On 
the  import  of  this  expression  see  Note 
on  ch.  1 :  2.  Chald.  "  Take  the  count, 
or  the  sum."  This  was  the  third  cen- 
sus of  which  we  have  an  account  in  the 
sacred  narrative.  The  particular  terms 
occurring  in  this  verse  will  be  found 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  ch.  1 :  2,  3. 

V.  3.  Moses  and  Eleazar  the  priest 
spahe  xoith  them,  etc.  The  purport  of 
this  and  the  following  verse,  particu- 
larly as  expressed  in  the  original,  is  not 
very  clear,  since  the  command  given 
in  V.  2  to  Eleazar,  appears  here  to  be 
given  to  some  other  party  intimated  by 
"  them,"  which,  as  it  stands,  is  of  very 
indefinite  reference.  The  clue  to  the 
sense  would  seem  to  be  given  by  the 
Targ.  Jon.  "Spake  unto  the  princes, 
and  said  to  number  them  (the  people)." 
According  to  this  the  order  was  given 


B.  C.  1452. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


415 


4  Take  the  sum  of  the  people, 
from  twenty  years  old  and  up- 
ward ;  as  the  Lord  commanded 
Moses,  and  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, which  went  forth  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt. 

5  Keuben",  the  eldest  son  of 
Israel :  the  children  of  Reuben ; 
Hauoch,  of  whom  cometh  the 
family  of  the  Hanochites :  of 
Pallu,  the  family  of  the  Pallu- 
ites  : 

6  Of  Hesron,  the  family  of 
the  Hesronites  :  of  Carmi,  the 
family  of  the  Carmites. 

7  These  are  the  families  of 
the  Reubenites ;  and  they  that 

c  Gen.  46.  8. 

to  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes,  who  acted  as 
assistants  to  Moses  and  Aaron  in  the 
former  numbering. 

V.  4.  {Take  the  sum  of  the  people). 
These  words  are  wanting  in  the  orig- 
inal, but  are  evidently  implied  in  the 
general  tenor   of   the   command,   and 

therefore  properly  inserted. ^   As 

the  Lord  commanded,  etc.  Implying 
that  they  were  now  to  proceed  accord- 
ing to  the  directions  given  them  by  the 
Lord  himself  on  the  occasion  of  the  for- 
mer numbering,  ch.  1 : 1-4.  This  fa- 
vors the  construction  above  suggested. 

V.  5-7.  Reuben,  the  eldest  son  of  Is- 
rael, etc.  The  enumeration  begins  with 
Reuben  the  eldest-born,  as  it  did  also 
in  the  former  instance,  ch.  1 :  5,  20. 
Four  families  are  here  enumerated  to 
Reuben,  as  we  read  also  Gen.  46  :  9. 

1  Chron.  5  :  3. 1"  Hanoch  {of  whom 

cometh)  the  Hanochites.  Heb.  "  The 
Hanochite,"  sing,  for  the  plur.  as  else- 
where throughout  this  chapter.  The 
phraseology  of  the  original  identifies 
the  descendants  of  Hanoch  with  Han- 
och himself,  which  is  according  to  a 
frequent  Scriptural  usage.   So  likewise 


were  numbered  of  them  were 
forty  and  three  thousand  and 
seven  hundred  and  thirty. 

8  And  the  sons  of  Pallu ; 
Eliab. 

9  And  the  sons  of  Eliab ; 
Nemuel,  and  Dathan,  and  Abi- 
ram.  This  is  that  Dathan  and 
Abiram  which  were  famous  in 
the  congregation,  who  strove  ^ 
against  Moses  and  against  Aaron 
in  the  company  of  Korah,  when 
they  strove  against  the  Lord. 

10  And  the  earth  opened  her 
mouth,  and  swallowed  them  up 
together  with  Korah,  when  that 
company  died,  what  time  the  fire 


with  the  other  three  families  of  this 
tribe.  The  census  now  made  shows 
that  the  tribe  had  decreased  by  near 
three  thousand  men.  But  whole  house- 
holds had  perished  in  the  preceding 
judgments,  as   is   evident  from  v.   9. 

T[  Forty  and  three  thousand  and 

seven  hundred  and  thirty.  The  Reu- 
benites, at  the  last  numbering,  gave  a 
total  of  46,500 ;  their  decrease  conse- 
quently, up  to  this  time,  was  2,720, 
which  may  be  accounted  for,  at  least  in 
part,  by  the  ravages  of  the  divine  judg- 
ment in  consequence  of  Korah's  con- 
spiracy. 

V.  9.  Famous  in  the  congregation. 
Heb.  "  The  called,  the  summoned." 
See  Note  on  ch.  1 :  16,  where  the  term 
is  fully  explained.  Comp.  also  ch.  16  : 
1,  2,  etc. 1  Strove.  Gr.  "Made  in- 
surrection against."  Chald.  "  Gathered 
themselves  together  against."  These 
strove  against  Moses  and  Aaron  in  the 
striving  of  Korah's  company  against 
the  Lord. 

V.  10.  Together  with  Korah.  These 
words,  taken  as  they  read,  would  seem 
to  import  that  Korah  was  swallowed  up 


416 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


devoured  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men  ;  and  '  they  became  a  sign. 

11  Notwithstanding,  the  chil- 
dren^ of  Korah  died  not. 

12  The  sons  of  Simeon  after 
their  families  :  of  Nemuel"^,  the 


ec.  16.  38.     ICor.  10.  6.    2  Pet.  2.  6. 
g  Gen.  46.  10.  Ex.  6.  16.  Jemuel. 


with  Dathan  and  Abiram — contrary  to 
the  conclusion  stated  in  our  Note  on 
ch.  16  :  32.  But  it  is  palpable  that  the 
langviage  of  the  verse  before  us  is  some- 
what confused  in  the  present  render- 
ing, as  it  is  not  clear  whether  the 
sacred  writer  meant  to  say  that  Ko- 
rah's  company  perished  by  the  opening 
of  the  earth,  or  by  the  fire ;  and  there- 
fore we  do  not  hesitate,  with  Patrick, 
Poole,  Geddes,  Boothroyd,  and  others, 
to  propose  another  translation  con- 
formed substantially  to  the  Samaritan, 
which  reads  thus:  ''And  the  earth 
opened  its  mouth,  and  swallowed  them 
up,  and  when  this  company  died  a  fire 
devoured  Korah  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  men."  The  original  will  admit, 
we  think  without  violence,  of  the  fol- 
lowing version  :  "  And  the  earth  opened 
her  mouth,  and  swallowed  them  up 
(i.  e.,  Dathan  and  Abiram  with  their 
immediate  associates,  ch.  16  :  32),  and 
as  for  Korah  (he  perished)  in  the  dying 
of  that  company,  at  the  time  the  fire 
devoured  two  hundred  and  fifty  men." 
This  is  not  a  forced  construction,  and 
it  agrees  well  with  Ps.  106  :  17,  18, 
"  The  earth  opened  and  swallowed  up 
Dathan,  and  covered  the  company  of 
Abiram."  Here  it  is  plain  that  Korah 
is  not  included.  Josephus  says  to  the 
same  effect,  "  This  fire  was  very  bright, 
and  had  a  terrible  flame,  such  as  is 
kindled  at  the  command  of  God;  by 
whose  irruption  on  them,  all  the  com- 
pany, and  Korah  liimself,  were  de- 
stroyed."    But  whichever  be  the  con- 


family  of  the  Nemuelites:  of 
Jamin,  the  family  of  the  Jamin- 
ites  :  of  Jachin  '^,  the  family  of 
the  Jachinites : 

13  Of  Zerah  \  the  family  of 
the  Zarhites  :  of  Shaul,  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Shaulites. 


h  1  Chr.  4.  i4.  Jarlh. 


Gen.  4G.  10.  Zohar. 


struction  adopted,  the  moral  lesson  con- 
veyed by  the  event  is  the  same,  and  the 
allusion  is  here  made  to  these  conspira- 
tors to  affix  a  new  brand  of  infamy  to 

their  names. \  And   tliey  Ijecame 

a  sign.  Heb.  "  They  became  for  an  en- 
sign, or  banner."  That  is,  they  were 
made  an  example  of;  they  were  made 
a  monument  of  the  Lord's  righteous 
displeasure  against  those  who  would 
wrong  his  ministers,  and  a  warning  to 
all  posterity  not  to  walk  in  their  steps. 
The  fittest  commentary  on  the  words  is 
the  language  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  10  :  11, 
"  Now  all  these  things  happened  unto 
them  for  ensamples  ;  and  they  are  writ- 
ten for  our  admonition  upon  whom  the 
ends  of  the  world  are  come."  What  is 
here  said  of  the  persons  of  the  rebels  is 
in  ch.  16  :  38,  40,  said  of  their  censors, 
that  they  were  to  be  "  a  sign  unto  the 
children  of  Israel,"  and  "  a  memorial 
that  no  stranger,  which  is  not  of  the 
seed  of  Aaron,  come  near  to  offer  in- 
cense before  the  Lord ;  that  he  be  not 
as  Korah  and  his  company,  etc." 

V.  11.  The  children  of  Korah  died  not. 
His  immediate  sons  were  Assir,  Elka- 
nah,  and  Abiasaph,  Ex.  6  :  24.  These 
with  their  posterity  lived  and  served 
officially  in  Israel,  as  their  genealogy  is 
reckoned,  1  Chron.  6  :  22,  28,  and  fre- 
quent honorable  mention  is  made  of 
the  sons  of  Korah,  both  in  the  Psalms 
and  elsewhere.  It  is  reasonably  to  be 
supposed  that  they  were  not  with  Ko- 
rah, when  he  met  his  fate,  being  en- 
gaged in  ministering  at  the  Tabernacle, 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


41'J 


14  These  are  the  families  of 
the  Simeonites,  twenty  and  two 
thousand  and  two  hundred. 

15  The  children  of  Gad,  after 
their  families  :  of  Zephon  *,  the 
family  of  the  Zephonites :  of 
Haggi,  the  family  of  the  Hag- 
gites  :  of  Shuni,  the  family  of 
the  Shunites ; 

16  Of  Ozni',  the  family  of 
the  Oznites  :  of  Eri,  the  family 
of  the  Erites  : 

17  Of  Arod '",  the  family  of 
the  Arodites  :  of  Areli,  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Arelites. 

18  These  are  the  families  of 
the  children  of  Gad,  according 
to  those  that  were  numbered  of 
them,  forty  thousand  and  five 
hundred. 

19  The  sons  of  Judah "  ivere 
Er  and  Onan :  and  Er  and  Onan 
died  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 

20  And  the  sons  of  Judah 
after  their  families  were :  of 
Shelah,  the  family  of  the  She- 
lanites  ;  of  Pharez,  the  family 
of  the  Pharzites  :  of  Zerah,  the 
family  of  the  Zarhites. 

21  And  the  sous  of  Pharez 
were  ;  of  Hezron,  the  family  of 
the  Hezronites :  of  Hamul,  the 
family  of  the  Hamulites. 

22  These  are  the  families  of 


k  Gen.  46,  16.   Zif.hi 
I  Gen.  46.  .6-   Ardi. 


I  Gen.  4i3.  16.    Ezb"n. 
n  Gen.  l8.  2-10.     1  Chr. 


Judah  according  to  those  thai 
were  numbered  of  them,  three- 
score and  sixteen  thousand  and 
five  hundred. 

23  Of  the  sons  of  Issachar ' 
after  their  families  :  of  Tola, 
the  family  of  the  Tolaites  :  of 
Pua,  the  family  of  the  Punites  . 

24  Of  Jashub,  the  family  of 
the  Jashubites  :  of  Shimron,  the 
family  of  the  Shimronites. 

25  These  are  the  families  of 
Issachar  according  to  those  that 
were  numbered  of  them,  three- 
score and  four  thousand  and 
three  hundred. 

26  Of  the  sons  of  Zebulun^ 
after  their  families:  of  Sered, 
the  family  of  the  Sardites  :  of 
Elon,  the  family  of  the  Elon- 
ites  :  of  Jahleel,  the  family  of 
the  Jahleelites. 

27  These  a?'e  the  families  of 
the  Zebulunites,  according  to 
those  that  were  numbered  of 
them,  threescore  thousand  and 
five  hundred. 

28  The  sons  of  Joseph^,  after 
their  families,  were  Slanasseh 
and  Ephraim. 

29  Of  the  sons  of  Mauasseh : 
of '  Machir,  the  family  of  the 
Machirites :  and  Machir  begat 
Gilead  :  of  Gilead  come  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Gileadites. 


oGen.  46.  13 
q  Gen.  46.  -20. 


1  Chr.  7.  1.  p  Gen.  46.  14 

r  J..sh.  17.  1.     1  Chr.  7.  14,  15. 


or  that  they  did  not  consent  to  their 
father's  rebellion,  or  having  at  first  en- 
listed in  it,  were  afterwards  induced  to 
repent  and  abandon  the  enterprise  upon 
the  warning  appeal  given  by  Moses,  oh. 
16  :  5.  See  Xotes  on  ch.  16  :  5,  31-35. 
Y.  14.  TTiese  are  the  families  of  the 
Sirneonites.    That  is,  the  families  which 

18* 


j  remained,  for  it  appears  from  Gen.  46  : 
10.  Ex.  6  :  15,  that  there  was  another 

j  family,  that  of  Ohad ;  but  this  had 
doubtless  become  extinct  in  the  wilder- 

I  ness,  and  is  therefore  omitted  here. 

T[  Twenty  and  two  thousand  and  two 
hundred.  A  great  diminution  in  num- 
ber, since  at  the  former  census  they 


418 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


30  These  are  the  sons  of 
Gilead :  of  Jeezer,  the  family 
of  the  Jeezerites :  of  Helek,  the 
family  of  the  Helekites : 

31  And  o/"  Asriel,  the  family 
of  the  Asrielites :  and  of  She- 
chem,  the  family  of  the  Shechem- 
ites : 

32  And  of  Shemida,  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Shemidaites  :  and  of 
Hepher,  the  family  of  the  Heph- 
erites : 

33  And  Zelophehad '  the  son 
of  Hepher  had  no  sons,  but 
daughters ;  and  the  names  of 
the  daughters  of  Zelophehad 
were  Mahlah,  and  Noah,  Hoglah, 
Milcah,  and  Tirzah. 

34  These  are  the  families  of 
Manasseh,  and  those  that  were 
numbered  of  them,  fifty  and  two 
thousand  and  seven  hundred. 

35  These  are  the  sons  of 
Ephraim  after  their  families : 
of  Shuthelah,  the  family  of  the 
Shuthalhites :  of  Becher',  the 
family  of  the  Bachrites  :  of  Ta- 
han,  the  family  of  the  Tahan- 
ites. 

36  And  these  are  the  sons 
of  Shuthelah  :  of  Eran,  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Eranites. 

37  These  are  the  families  of 
the  sons  of  Ephraim,  according 

»  c.  27.  1.     36.  U.  t  1  Chr.  7.  20.  Bend. 

amounted  to  59,300,  ch.  1  :  23,  The 
diflerence,  therefore,  amounts  to  no  less 
than  30,100,  more  than  half  their  orig- 
inal number.  Their  guilty  participa- 
tion in  the  sin  brought  about  by  the 
evil  counsels  of  Balaam  "in  the  matter 
of  Peor,"  is  probably  to  be  regarded  as 
the  procuring  cause  of  this  remarkable 
decrease.     Zimri  was  "  a  prince  of  a 


to  those  that  were  numbered  of 
them,  thirty  and  two  thousand 
and  five  hundred.  These  are 
the  sons  of  Joseph  after  their 
families. 

38  The  sons  of  Benjamin "  af- 
ter their  families  :  of  Bela,  the 
family  of  the  Belaites  :  of  Ash- 
bel,  the  family  of  the  Ashbel- 
ites  :  of  Ahiram",  the  family  of 
the  Ahiramites : 

89  Of  Shupham"-,  the  family 
of  the  Shuphamites :  of  Hu- 
pham,  the  family  of  the  Hu- 
phamites. 

40  xVnd  the  sons  of  Bela 
were  ^  Ard  of  Naaman  :  of  Ard, 
the  family  of  the  Ardites  :  and 
of  Naaman,  the  family  of  the 
Naamites : 

41  These  are  the  sons  of  Ben- 
jamin, after  their  families  :  and 
they  that  were  numbered  of  them 
were  forty  and  five  thousand  and 
six  hundred. 

42  These  •'  are  the  sons  of 
Dan,  after  their  families :  of 
Shuham,  the  family  of  the  Shu- 
hamites.  These  are  the  fami- 
lies of  Dan  after  their  families. 

43  All  the  families  of  the 
Shuhamites,  according  to  those 
that  were   numbered   of  them. 


u  Gen.  46.  21.    1  Chr.  1. 
1  Chr.  8.  1.  Aharah.  i 

Iltippim.         X  1  Chr.  8.  3 


i.  V   Gen.  4«.  21.  Mi. 

Gfn.  46.  21.  Miippim  ai^d 
Addar.         y  Gen.  46.  23. 


chief  house  among  the  Simeonites," 
and  it  is  presumable  that  large  num- 
bers of  his  tribe  joined  with  him  in  the 
wicked  revolt  and  fell  in  the  punish- 
ment that  ensued.  It  is  probably  to 
this  circumstance  also  that  we  are  to  re-  j 
fer  the  fact,  that  Moses,  in  blessing  the 
tribes,  Deut.  33,  makes  no  mention  of 
Simeon. — In  the  subsequent  parts  of 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


419 


were  threescore  and  four  thou- 
sand and  four  hundred. 

44  Of  the  children  of  Asher  % 
after  their  families :  of  Jimna, 
the  family  of  the  Jimnites  :  of 
Jesui,  the  family  of  the  Jesu- 
ites  :  of  Beriah,  the  family  of 
the  Beriites. 

45  Of  the  sons  of  Beriah: 
of  Heber,  the  family  of  the  He- 
berites  :  of  Malchiel,  the  family 
of  the  Malchielites. 

46  And  the  name  of  the 
daughter  of  Asher  was  Sarah. 

47  These  are  the  families 
of  the  sons  of  Asher,  accord- 
ing to  those  that  were  number- 
ed of  them,  who  were  fifty 
and  three  thousand  and  four 
hundred. 

2  Gen.  46.  17.     1  Chr.  7,  30. 

this  chapter  to  v.  51,  there  is  nothing 
especially  requiring  remark,  though 
various  details  of  names,  genealogies, 
etc.,  may  be  found  treated  by  other 
commentators. 

V.  51.  Six  hundred  thousand  and  a 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty. 
The  sum  total  of  the  former  census  was 
603,550,  which  number,  compared  with 
the  present,  shows  a  decrease  in  thirty- 
eight  years  of  1820,  exclusive  of  the 
Levites,  who  were  numbered  apart.  So 
great  was  the  divine  beneficence,  and 
such  the  Lord's  faithfulness  to  his  prom- 
ises, that  notwithstanding  all  the  for- 
mer generation  above  twenty  years  of 
age  had  passed  off  the  stage,  yet  so  fast 
had  he  multiplied  their  posterity,  that 
in  that  space  of  time  their  numbers  had 
nearly  kept  good. 

The  following  comparative  statement 
■will  show  how  much  some  of  the  tribes 
had  increased^  and  others  had  dimin- 
ished^ since  the  enumeration  in  ch.  1 : 


48  0/the  sons  of  Naphtali", 
after  their  families  :  of  Jahzeel, 
the  family  of  the  Jahzeelites: 
of  Guni,  the  family  of  the  Grun- 
ites  : 

49  Of  Jezer,  the  family  of 
the  Jezerites  :  of  Shillem  *,  the 
family  of  the  Shillemites. 

50  These  are  the  families  of 
Naphtali,  according  to  their  fam- 
ilies :  and  they  that  were  num- 
bered of  them  were  forty  and 
five  thousand  and  four  hundred. 

51  These 'z^ere  the  number- 
ed of  the  children  of  Israel, 
six  hundred  thousand,  and  a 
thousand  seven  hundred  and 
thirty. 

52  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying. 


a  Gen.  46.  24.     1  Chr.  7.  13. 

b  1  Chr.  7. 13.  Shal- 

Urn. 

c  c.  1.46. 

CI).  XXVI. 

Ch.i. 

Eeuben..  43,730, 

46,500, 

2,770  decrease. 

Simeon..  22,200, 

59,300, 

37,100  decrease. 

Gad 40,500, 

45,650, 

5,150  decrease. 

Judah...  76,500, 

74,600, 

1,900  increase. 

Issachar.  64,800, 

54,400, 

9,900  increase. 

Zebulon..  60,500, 

57,400, 

3,100  increase. 

Manusseh  52,700, 

32,200, 

20,500  increase. 

Ephraim  32,500, 

40,500, 

8,000  decrease. 

Benjamin  45,600, 

35,400, 

10,200  increase. 

Dan 64,400, 

62,700, 

1,700  increase. 

Asher....  53,400, 

41,500, 

11,900  increase. 

Naplitali  45,400, 

53,400, 

8,000  decrease. 

Total.. 601,730,  603,550,      1,820  decrease 
on  the  whole  in  38  years. 

Decrease  in  all 61,020 

Increase  in  all 59,200 

Here  it  is  to  be  observed  that  though 
there  was  an  increase  in  seven  tribes 
of  not  less  than  74,800  men,  yet  so 
great  was  the  decrease  in  the  other 
five  tribes,  that  the  balance  against 
the  present  census  is  1,820,  as  appears 
above. 


420 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


53  Unto  '^  these  the  land  shall 
be  divided  for  an  inheritance, 
according  to  the  number  of 
names. 

54  To  '  many  thou  shalt  give 
the  more  inheritance,  and  to  few 
thou  shalt  give  the  less  inherit- 
ance :  to  every  one  shall  his  in- 


Division  of  the  Land  ly  Lot. 

V.  53.  Unto  these  the  land  shall  he 
divided,  etc.  Heb.  "  Apportioned."  The 
enrolment  of  the  names  in  the  census- 
register  was  a  preliminary  step  equiva- 
lent to  a  profession  of  their  being  heirs 
of  the  promises,  just  as  those  are  par- 
takers of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  vrhose 
names  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book 
of  life.  To  all  such  the  declaration 
here  made  is  a  comforting  assurance, 
since  it  virtually  put  the  promised  land 
into  their  present  possession.  The  de- 
monstrative pronoun  is  used  emphati- 
cally to  preclude  the  apprehension  that 
they  were  longer  to  be  put  off,  or  that 
their  posterity  and  not  themselves  were 

to  be  made  the  actual  inheritors. 

T[  According  to  the  numher  of  names. 
That  is,  according  to  the  number  of  the 
persons  registered  under  each  family. 
According  as  these  were  numerous  or 
otherwise,  the  portion  assigned  was  to 
be  large  or  small.     Comp.  ch.  33  :  54. 

V.  54.  To  many  thou  shalt  give  the 
more  inhentance,  and  to  few  thou  shalt 
give  the  less  inheritance.  Heb.  "To 
many  thou  shalt  multiply  his  inherit- 
ance, and  to  few  thou  shalt  diminish 
his  inheritance."  Thus,  Sol.  Jarchi, 
"  To  the  tribes  which  had  the  greater 
multitudes  they  gave  the  greater  poi'- 
tion,  though  the  portions  were  not 
equal ;  for,  lo,  every  tribe  had  his  por- 
tion according  to  his  multitude."  This 
reminds  us  of  the  rule  prescribed  to  the 


heritance  be  given  according  to 
those  that  were  numbered  of 
him. 

55  Notwithstanding  the  land 
shall  be  divided  by  lot :  accord- 
ing to  the  names  of  the  tribes 
of  their  fathers  shall  they  in- 
herit. 


Israelites  in  gathering  the  manna,  Ex. 
16:16-18,  "This  is  the  thing  which 
the  Lord  hath  commanded.  Gather  of 
it  every  man  according  to  his  eating : 
an  omer  for  every  man  according  to  the 
number  of  your  persons,  take  ye  every 
man  for  them  which  are  in  his  tents. 
And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so,  and 
gathered,  some  more,  some  less.  And 
when  they  did  mete  it  with  an  omer,  he 
that  gathered  much  had  nothing  over, 
and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack  : 
they  gathered  every  man  according  to 
his  eating." 

V.  55.  Notivithstanding  the  land  shall 
he  divided  hy  lot.  These  lots  would  seem 
to  have  been  cast  only  for  the  tribes, 
and  not  for  the  families,  for  to  them  the 
distribution  was  evidently  to  be  gov- 
erned by  the  rule  laid  down  v.  54.  Yet 
in  case  any  lot  was  too  large  for  the 
tribe,  it  appears  that  there  was  nothing 
to  prevent  their  giving  up  a  part  of 
their  right  to  others,  as  we  learn  was 
the  case  with  Judah,  which  relinquished 
a  portion  of  its  territory  to  Simeon  and 
Dan.  It  is  easy  to  conceive  that  with- 
out some  mode  of  appeal  to  the  Supreme 
Arbiter  the  burden  of  responsibility  in 
regard  to  the  several  allotments  would 
have  been  very  heavy,  and  probably 
led  to  charges  of  partiality  or  prejudice ; 
for  which  reason  the  lot  seems  to  have 
been  ordained,  "  the  whole  disposing 
of  which  is  of  the  Lord." T[  Accord- 
ing to  the  names  of  the  tribes  of  their 
fathers.   This  gives  countenance  to  the 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 


421 


56  According  to  the  lot  shall 
the  possession  thereof  be  divided 
between  many  and  few. 

57  And -^  these  are  they  that 
were  numbered  of  the  Levites, 
after  their  families  :  of  Gershon, 
the  family  of  the  Gershonites  : 
of  Kohath,  the  family  of  the 
Kohathites :  of  Merari,  the  fam- 
ily of  the  Merarites. 

/  Gen.  46.  11.  Ex.  6.  16-19.     1  Chr,  6.  1,  16. 

idea  that  the  lot  had  reference  only  to 
the  inheritance  of  the  tribes  and  not  of 
the  &i;bordiuate  families.  In  being  cast 
they  probably  bore  the  names  of  each 
tribe  or  each  patriarch.  It  is,  however, 
to  be  observed,  that  only  nine  and  a 
half  lots  were  to  be  assigned  on  the 
west  of  the  Jordan,  as  two  and  a  half 
tribes  hud  chosen  their  inheritance  on 
the  east  of  that  river,  ch.  34  :  13-15. 

V.  56.  Accordiiig  to  the  lot  sJmll  the 
possession,  etc.  That  is,  the  portion  or 
share  which  shall  fall  by  lot  to  each 
tribe,  shall  be  distributed  to  the  several 
families  in  such  proportions  as  their 
numbers  shall  require.  The  precise 
mode  in  which  the  lots  were  drawn  is 
not  known  with  any  certainty. 

Tlie  Xumhering  of  the  Levites. 
Y.  57.  These  {are)  they  that  were  num- 
bered of  the  Levites,  The  Levitical  fam- 
ilies are  here  numbered  by  themselves, 
because  they  were  not  to  have  a  distinct 
share  of  the  land,  although  they  were 
to  be  provided  with  48  cities  and  their 
suburbs  for  habitations.  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served, however,  that  they  are  not  enu- 
merated with  the  same  precision  as  the 
other  tribes,  some  families  being  here 
wholly  omitted.  Comp.  Ex.  6  :  17-19. 
The  register  was  now  made  under  the 
three  branches  of  that  tribe,  specified 
ch.  3  :  17,  18,  etc.,  from  one  of  which 
descended    Moses    and    Aaron,    and 


58  These  are  the  families  of 
the  Levites  :  the  family  of  the 
Libnites,  the  family  of  the  He- 
bronites,  the  family  of  the  Mah- 
lites,  the  family  of  the  Mushites, 
the  family  of  the  Korathites  : 
and  Kohath  begat  Amram. 

59  And  the  name  of  Amram's 
wife  ivas  Jochebed",  the  daugh- 
ter of  Levi,  whom  her  mother 

g  Ex.  2.  1,  2.     6.  20. 


Aaron's  sons  the  priests.  There  were 
four  of  these,  but  two  of  them,  Nadab 
and  Abihu,  were  cut  off  by  the  hand  of 
heaven  for  their  impiety,  and  yet  the 
Lord  so  ordered  it,  that  they  were  pre- 
served and  increased  in  their  posterity 
so  as  to  afford  a  sufficient  number  for 
the  discharge  of  the  priestly  functions. 

Y.  58.  The  family  of  the  Korathites. 
Or,  more  properly  Korhites,  from  Ko- 
rah  the  son  of  Izhar,  the  son  of  Kohath, 
the  son  of  Levi,  ch.  16  : 1.  Korah  him- 
self died  in  the  rebellion,  but  his  chil- 
dren were  exempted  from  his  fate,  and 
are  therefore  here  reckoned  for  a  fami- 
ly in  the  fourth  generation  from  Levi, 
which  is  one  degree  farther  than  the 
other  families  extend.  Upon  compar- 
ing Ex.  6  :  17,  we  find  two  sons  of  Ger- 
shon mentioned,  viz.  Libni  and  Shimi, 
yet  here  the  former  is  enumerated  and 
the  latter  omitted.  Then  also  Kohath 
has  four  sons,  Amram,  and  Izhar,  and 
Hebron,  and  Uzziel,  yet  here  Uzziel  is 
wholly  omitted,  nor  is  Izhar  named 
otherwise  than  impliedly  in  his  sous 
the  Korathites. 

Y.  59.  The  name  of  Amram's  wife 
was  Jochebed,  etc.  We  give  upon  this 
passage  the  note  of  Calvin  (Harm,  of 
Pent.)  which  will  be  seen  to  be  al- 
together appropriate.  "Why  Moses 
should  expressly  state  the  name  of  his 
mother,  contrary  to  the  usual  custom 
of  Scripture,  does  not  clearly  appear ; 


422 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


bare  to  Levi  in  Egypt :  and  she 
bare  unto  Amram,  Aaron,  and 
Moses,  and  Miriam,  their  sister. 

60  And  unto  Aaron  ^  was  born 
Nadab,  and  Abihu,  Eleazar,  and 
Ithamar. 

61  And  '  Nadab  and  Abihu 
died,  when  they  offered  strange 
fire  before  the  Lord. 

62  And* those  that  were  num- 
bered of  them  were  twenty  and 
three  thousand,  all  males,  from 
a  month  old  and  upward :  for 
'  they  were  not  numbered  among 
the  children  of  Israel,  because 
there  was  no  inheritance  *"  given 
them  among  the  children  of 
Israel. 


A  c.  3.  2.         t  Lev.  10.  1.  2. 
k  c.  3.  39.  I  c.  1.49. 

10.  9.  Josh.  13.  14,  33.     14.  3. 


3.  4.     1  Chr.  24.  2. 
I  c.  18.  20-24.  Deut. 


for  it  is  not  likely  that  he  did  this  as  a 
distinction  to  his  own  family,  because 
he  at  the  same  time  shows  how  he  him- 
self, as  well  as  his  children,  was  de- 
prived of  the  honor  of  the  priesthood, 
in  which  there  is  no  appearance  of  am- 
bition. It  is  more  probable,  if  the  word 
daugliter  is  literally  taken,  that  he  did 
not  conceal  a  disgraceful  circumstance, 
in  order  to  extol  more  highly  the  indul- 
gence of  God ;  for  in  this  case,  Moses 
and  Aaron  sprang  of  an  incestuous  mar- 
riage, since  Amram  their  father  must 
have  married  his  aunt,  which  natural 
modesty  forbids.  It  will  then  be  rather 
an  ingenuous  confession  of  family  dis- 
honor, than  an  ambitious  boast." 

V.  60.  Unto  Aaron  was  horn  Nadab 
and  Abihu,  etc.  Here  the  names  of 
Moses'  children,  Gershon  and  Eleazar, 
are  again  omitted,  and  only  those  of 
Aaron  mentioned.  But  a  reason  for 
this  may  be  suggested  in  the  fact,  that 
the  sudden  death  of  two  of  his  sons 
seemed  in  itself  to  endanger  the  per- 


63  These  are  they  that  were 
numbered  by  Moses  and  Elea- 
zar the  priest,  who  numbered 
the  children  of  Israel  in "  the 
plains  of  Moab,  by  Jordan  near 
Jericho. 

64  But  among  these  "  there 
was  not  a  man  of  them  whom 
Moses  and  Aaron  the  priest  num- 
bered, when  they  numbered  the 
children  of  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Sinai : 

65  For  the  Lord  had  said  ^  of 
them.  They  shall  surely  die  in 
the  wilderness.  And  there  was 
not  left  a  man  of  them,  save  Ca- 
leb the  son  of  Jephunneh,  and 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun. 


n  Ter.  3.  o  Deut.  4. 

1  Cor.  10.  5,  6.   Jude  5. 


p  e.  14.  ^8- 


petuity  of  the  high-priesthood,  which, 
according  to  the  divine  order,  appeared 
to  depend  on  their  life.  With  this  view 
Moses  cites  the  history  of  the  sad  event 
in  order  that  the  Lord's  wonderful 
providence  might  be  more  clearly  per- 
ceived in  the  preservation  of  this  sacred 
class,  with  which  the  well  being  of  the 
whole  church  was  so  intimately  con- 
nected. To  which  we  may  add,  that 
the  renewed  mention  of  their  fate  and 
its  occasion  would  administer  a  whole- 
some admonition  to  the  priests  of  all 
degrees  diligently  to  beware  of  wilful 
sacrilege,  as  also  of  error  and  negli- 
gence in  their  ministrations. 

V.  62.  Twenty  and  three  thousand. 
The  former  census  exhibited  22,000  as 
the  total  of  this  tribe ;  so  that  their  in- 
crease in  the  wilderness  was  1000  males, 
ch.  3  :  39. 

V.  64.  Among  these  there  was  not  a 
man,  etc.  This  is  stated  in  order  to 
show  how  punctual  the  Most  High  had 
been  in  executing  the  threatening  so 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


423 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

THEN  came  the  daughters  of 
"  Zelophehad,  the  son  of 
Hepher,  the  son  of  Gilead,  the 
son  of  Machir,  the  son  of  Ma- 
nasseh,  of  the  families  of  Manas- 

a  «.  26.  S3.  36.     1-11.  Josh.  17.  3. 

emphatically  pronounced  against  the 
murmurers  of  a  former  generation,  ch. 
14 :  23,  28,  29.  Of  the  vast  total  of  up- 
wards of  600,000  then  enumerated,  Ca- 
leb and  Joshua  alone  had  their  names 
registered  in  the  present  census.  This, 
however,  is  to  be  understood  with  a 
peculiar  qualification.  It  is  evident 
from  Josh.  14  :  1.  22  :  13,  that  both 
Eleazar  and  Phinehas  did  actually  enter 
into  the  promised  land.  How  is  this 
consistent  with  the  statement  here 
made?  We  reply  that  the  sentence  of 
exclusion  applied  to  the  other  tribes 
which  were  enumerated  on  two  former 
occasions,  and  in  which  the  Levites 
were  not  embraced.  We  do  not  read 
that  they  had  any  share  in  the  transac- 
tion which  brought  the  divine  denun- 
ciation upon  the  mass  of  the  people. 
This  tribe  did  not,  like  the  others,  send 
a  spy  into  Canaan,  nor  does  it  appear 
that  it  concurred  in  the  general  mur- 
muring which  the  report  of  the  spies 
occasioned. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  Case  of  Zelophehad^ s  Daughters 
claiming  an  Inheritance. 

V.  1.  Then  came  the  daughters  of 
Zelophehad,  etc.  Heb.  "  Then  came 
near,  or  approached."  Targ.  Jon. 
"  Then  came  near  to  the  place  of  judg- 
ment." In  the  late  census  of  the  Is- 
raelitish  families,  ch.  26 :  33,  mention 
is  made  of  Zelophehad,  son  of  Hepher, 


seh  the  son  of  Joseph  :  and  these 
are  the  names  of  his  daughters ; 
Mahlah,  Noah,  and  Hoglah,  and 
Milcah,  and  Tirzah. 

2  And  they  stood  before 
Moses,  and  before  Eleazar  the 
priest,  and  before  the  princes 
and  all  the  congregation,  hy  the 

of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  who  died 
without  male  issue,  having  five  daugh- 
ters as  his  only  heirs.  These  women, 
hearing  that  the  land  of  Canaan  was  to 
be  divided  amongst  the  heads  of  the 
tribes  and  the  families  mentioned  in 
that  census,  were  at  once  filled  with 
apprehension  that  being  females,  they 
were  to  be  excluded  from  all  inherit- 
ance in  the  lands  and  estates  of  the 
country,  and,  consequently,  that  the 
name  and  family  of  the  Hepherites 
would  be  extinguished  in  Israel.  They 
accordingly  determined  to  make  a  rep- 
resentation of  their  case  to  Moses,  in  a 
full  court  of  the  high-priests  and  judges, 
assembled  with  him  at  the  door  of  the 
Tabernacle.  "  This  peculiar  case  gave 
occasion  for  the  discovery  of  exemplary 
piety  in  these  daughters,  who  had  faith 
to  believe  that  Canaan  would  be  actual- 
ly possessed,  and  grace  enough  to  de- 
sire a  share  in  the  inheritance.  It  is  a 
mercy  when  under  no  consideration 
sons  or  daughters  are  satisfied  to  resign 
a  portion  among  the  Lord's  people,  their 
part  in  the  heavenly  Canaan.  Reader ! 
the  inheritance  is  dividing ;  the  time  is 
now  for  the  settlement  of  titles  and  the 
decision  of  interests.  Have  you  no  con- 
cern for  a  clear  and  indisputable  case, 
a  satisfactory  cl  aim  ?  If  not,  the  daugh- 
ters of  Zelophehad  reproach  your  indif- 
ference."— Seaton. 

V.  2.  Stood  lefore — all  the  congrega- 
tion. This  is  not  to  be  understood  in 
its  literal  sense,  for  such  a  gathering  of 
the  whole  host  of  the  people  at  the  door 


424 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,  saying, 

3  Our  father  died  *  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  he  was  not  in  the 
company  of  them  that  gathered 
'  themselves  together  against  the 
Lord  in  the  company  of  Korah ; 
but  died  in  his  own  ^  sin,  and 
had  no  sons. 

4  Why  should  the  name  of 
our  father  be  done  away  from 
among  his  family,  because   he 

6  c.  14,  35.  26.  64,  65.  c  c.  16. 1,  2.  d  Ezek. 
18.4.  Johns.  21,24.  Rom.  6,  23. 

of  the  Tabernacle  was  impossible.  "  All 
the  congregation"  here  undoubtedly 
denotes  the  seventy  elders,  representa- 
tives of  the  congregation,  mentioned 
eh.  11 :  24,  who  are  elsewhei'e  called 
hoi  ha-eddh,  tJce  whole  congregation, 
and  sometimes  simply  eddJi,  the  con- 
gregation.   See  Note  on  ch.  10  :  7. 

V.  3.  But  died  in  Ms  own  sin.  That 
is,  for  his  own  sin,  and  that  only.  He 
had  not  engaged  in  any  conspiracy  or 
rebellion  like  Korah,  and  thus  been  in- 
strumental in  drawing  other  men  into 
sin.  Targ.  Jon.  "Nor  did  he  cause 
others  to  sin."  His  daughters  hereby 
express  the  hope  that,  as  their  father 
had  not  participated  in  any  act  of  re- 
bellion or  mutiny,  or  been  in  any  way  a 
disturber  of  the  public  peace,  and  had 
died  chargeable  only  with  the  common 
iniquities  of  mankind,  they  might  not 
be  deprived  of  their  just  rights  and  priv- 
ileges, and  see  their  family  extinct,  but 
might  have  their  share  with  the  rest,  and 
that  the  male  children  they  might  subse- 
quently have,  though  begotten  by  fath- 
ers belonging  to  other  families  of  the 
same  tribe,  should  enjoy  their  inheri- 
tance under  the  name  of  Hepherites. 
See  ch.  36  :  3-10.  "  They  distinguish 
his  private  sin  from  any  public  crime, 
which  should  have  caused  him  to  de- 


hath  no  son  ?  Give  *  unto  us, 
therefore,  a  possession  among 
the  brethren  of  our  father. 

5  And  Moses'  brought  their 
cause  before  tl^e  Lord. 

6  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

7  The  daughters  of  Zelophe- 
had  speak  right :  thou  ^  shalt 
surely  give  them  a  possession 
of  an  inheritance  among  their 
father's  brethren;  and  thou  shalt 


e  Josh.  17.  4. 
g  c.  36.  2. 


/  Ex.  18.  15,  19.   Job  23.  4. 


serve  to  be  disinherited.  At  the  same 
time,  they  hold  fast  to  the  principle 
dictated  by  the  common  feelings  of  re- 
ligion, that  death  is  the  wages  of  sin." 
— Calvin.  They  were  happy  in  being 
able  to  make  this  plea  on  the  ground 
of  the  good  character  of  their  father, 
and  it  is  happy  fo'r  any  one  when  the 
testimony  can  be  borne  of  him,  that 
whatever  were  his  own  personal  in- 
firmities or  transgressions,  he  was  not 
accessory  to  the  ruin  of  others  by  in- 
volving them  in  sin.  "Here  we  may 
see  what  a  comfort,  what  a  credit  and 
glory,  honest  parents  be  to  their  chil- 
dren. They  leave  a  good  name  behind 
them,  making  their  children  bold  to 
speak  of  them ;  when  others  must  hang 
their  heads  and  blush  either  to  mention 
them  themselves,  or  to  hear  them 
spoken  of  by  others." — Bp.  Bahington. 

V.  5.  Moses  brought  their  cause  before 
the  Lord.  Heb.  "Brought  near  their 
judgment."  It  would  seem  from  this 
that  the  case  was  considered  too  diffi- 
cult for  the  judges  to  decide,  being 
without  precedent  and  involving  im- 
portant consequences,  and  therefore 
was  referred  to  the  Lord,  as  was 
Moses'  wont  in  all  doubtful  matters, 

V.  7-11.  The  daughters  of  Zelophehad 
speak  right.    The  divine  response  de- 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


425 


cause  the  inheritance  of  their 
father  to  f)ass  unto  them. 

8  And  thou  shalt  speak  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  saying, 
If  a  man  die,  and  have  no  son, 
then  ye  shall  cause  his  inherit- 
tance  to  pass  unto  his  daughter. 

9  And  if  he  have  no  daugh- 
ter, then  ye  shall  give  his  inher- 
itance unto  his  brethren. 

10  And  if  he  have  no  brethren, 
then  ye  shall  give  his  inheritance 
unto  his  father's  brethren. 

Clares  the  suit  of  these  women  to  be 
just  and  equitable,  and  orders  it  to  be 
accorded  to  them.  At  the  same  time, 
he  takes  occasion  to  graft  upon  this 
particular  case  a  general  law,  to  wit, 
that  if  any  Israelite  died  without  male 
children,  his  daughters  were  to  inherit 
his  land ;  that  in  default  of  direct  heirs 
in  the  female  line,  it  was  to  go  to  his 
brothers ;  if  he  left  no  brothers,  to  his 
father's  brothers  ;  and,  failing  that  re- 
lationship, then  to  his  nearest  collateral 
kinsman,  always  keeping  to  the  rela- 
tions nearest  in  blood. — We  find  some 
further  particulars  respecting  the  case 
of  Zelophehad's  daughters  in  the  last 
chapter,  to  the  Notes  on  which  the 
reader  is  referred. 


Death  announced  to  Mm. 
V.  12.  Get  thee  vp  into  this  mount 
Abarim.  Abarim,  as  we  have  already 
remarked,  ch.  23  :  14,  was  the  name  of  a 
somewhat  extensive  chain  of  mountains 
on  the  east  of  the  Dead  Sea,  among  the 
principal  distinct  elevations  or  peaks  of 
which  was  Nebo  or  Pisgah.  It  does  not 
appear  that  the  Lord  designed  Moses 
should  now  ascend  the  mount  specified, 
for  his  compliance  with  the  command 
is  not  here  mentioned.  Indeed,  we  are 
obliged  to  confess  to  some  degree  of 
difficulty  in  adjusting  the  chronological 


11  And  if  his  father  have 
no  brethren,  then  ye  shall  give 
his  inheritance  unto  his  kins- 
man that  is  next  to  him  of  his 
family,  and  he  shall  possess  it : 
and  it  shall  be  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  a  statute  *  of 
judgment ;  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses. 

12  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  Get  thee  *  up  into  this 


relations  of  the  incident  here  referred  to 
The  order  of  events  as  described  in  this 
part  of  the  history  is  the  punishment 
of  the  people  on  account  of  their  sin  in 
the  matter  of  Midian,  the  numbering 
of  the  people,  the  application  of  the 
daughters  of  Zelophehad,  the  command 
to  ascend  the  mountain,  and  the  ap- 
pointment of  Joshua  as  his  successor. 
From  the  third  chapter  of  Deuteronomy 
it  would  appear  that  this  command  to 
ascend  the  mountain  was  given  after 
he  had  delivered  his  special  charge  to 
the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad,  which 
in  the  book  of  Numbers  occurred  at  a 
somewhat  later  date  than  that  we  are 
now  considering.  Again,  in  Deut.  32, 
we  learn  that  Moses  had  uttered  his  in- 
spired and  prophetic  song,  when,  "  in 
that  self-same  day  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying.  Get  thee  up  into  this 
mountain  Abarim,  unto  mount  Nebo," 
etc.  But  from  Deut.  34  :  l-i,  it  appears 
that  the  final  blessing  upon  the  tribes 
was  pronounced  before  he  went  up  from 
the  plains  of  Moab  to  the  mountain  of 
Nebo.  It  is  not  indeed  probable  that 
any  great  length  of  time  intervened  be- 
tween these  several  events,  but  we  nat- 
urally feel  a  desire  to  fix,  if  possible, 
their  precise  order.  This,  in  the  pres- 
ent instance,  it  is  not  possible  to  do, 
and  occasionally  in  other  cases  in  the 


"* 


426 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


mount  Abarim,  and  see  the  land 
which  I  have  given  uuto  the 
children  of  Israel. 

13  And  when  thou  hast  seen 
it,  thou  also  shalt  be  gathered  ^' 
unto  thy  people,  as  ^  Aaron  thy 
brother  was  gathered. 

14  For  "*  ye  rebelled  against 
my  commandment  in  the  desert 
of  Zin,  in  the  strife  of  the   con- 


k  c.  20.  24.    31.  2. 
I  c.  iO.  10-1-2. 


I  c.  20,  28.     Deut.  10.  6. 


Sacred  Volume  we  find  transpositions 
and  dislocations  in  the  record  which 
have  given  occasion  of  cavil  to  skeptical 
critics,  while  at  the  same  time  nothing 
could  be  clearly  indicated  as  militating 
with  the  intrinsic  truth  of  the  narra- 
tive, or  implying  any  greater  lack  of 
order  than  might  reasonably  be  expect- 
ed in  documents  of  such  extreme  anti- 
quity.  ^  See  the  land  which  I  have 

given  unto  the  children  of  Israel.  As 
this  is  the  intimation  of  a  privilege 
which  was  not  actually  enjoyed  till 
some  time  afterwards,  we  defer  our  re- 
marks upon  it  till  we  reach  the  period 
of  its  occurrence,  Deut.  34  : 1-4. 

V.  16.  Let  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh.  Gr.  "  Let  the  Lord, 
the  God  of  the  spirits  and  of  all  flesh." 
So  also  ch.  16  :  22.  The  phraseology 
implies  not  only  that  God  is  the  origi- 
nal Creator  of  all  men's  souls  or  spirits, 
Eccles.  12  :  7.  Zech.  12  : 1,  but  that  he 
is  also  the  divine  Bestower  of  the  vari- 
ous spiritual  gifts  of  grace,  knowledge, 
etc.,  which  are  termed  ''spirits,"  1  Cor. 
14:12,  "Even  so  ye,  forasmuch  as  ye 
are  zealous  of  spiritual  gifts  (Gr.  of 
spirits),  seek  that  ye  may  excel,"  etc. 
The  burden  of  Moses'  prayer  on  this 
occasion  is,  that  the  Lord  would  set  a 
man  over  the  congregation  who  should 
be  abundantly  furnished  with  those 
spiritual  endowments  that  should  best 


gregation,  to  sanctify  me  at  the 
water  before  their  eyes  :  that  is 
the  water  of  Meribah  "  in  Ka- 
desh  in  the  wilderness  of  Zin. 

15  And  Moses  spake  unto 
the  Lord,  saying, 

16  Let  the  Lord,  the  God "  of 
the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  set  ^  a  man 
over  the  congregation, 

17  Which  may  go  out '  before 

n  Ex.  17.  7.  <.  c.  16.  22.  Heb.  12.  9.  ;).Jer.  3.  15. 
q  Deut.  31.  2.  1  Sam.  8.  20.  18.  13.  2  Chr.  1.  10. 
John  10.  9. 


qualify  him  for  the  ofiice.  As  these 
gifts  and  graces  were  to  come  from  the 
Lord  alone,  therefore  he  addresses  him 
as  the  "  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh," 
that  is,  the  God  who  so  works  upon  and 
endows  the  spirits  of  men  as  to  render 
them  most  competent  for  the  functions 

he  assigns  them. Tj  Set  a  man  over, 

etc.  Heb.  yiphkod,  visit  over,  i.  e.  con- 
stitute, appoint,  make  to  preside  over. 
See  Note  on  ch.  1 : 3.  The  conduct  of 
Moses,  in  view  of  the  intimation  now 
given  him,  is  eminently  worthy  his 
general  character.  Instead  of  giving 
way  to  vain  regrets,  striving  to  turn 
the  Most  High  from  his  purpose,  he 
forgets  himself,  and  makes  the  welfare 
of  the  people  his  great  concern.  His 
absorbing  anxiety  is,  that  they  may  not 
be  deprived  of  the  services  of  a  compe- 
tent leader — that  they  may  not  be  left 
as  sheep  without  a  shepherd.  We  have 
but  to  compare  this  with  his  whole  pre- 
vious career  to  see  that  the  same  un- 
selfishness of  spirit,  the  same  zeal  for 
the  honor  of  God,  the  same  devoted  con- 
cern for  the  well-being  of  the  people, 
which  had  marked  his  course  hitherto, 
shine  conspicuous  on  this  occasion,  con- 
firming his  title  to  rank  high  among 
the  excellent  of  the  earth. 

V.  17.  Whichmay  go  out  lefore  them, 
and  which  may  go  in  before  them.  That 
is,  who  may  guide  and  govern  them 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


427 


them,  and  which  may  go  in  be- 
fore them,  and  which  may  lead 
them  out,  and  which  may  bring 
them  in  ;  that  the  congregation 
of  the  Lord  be  not  as  sheep 
•■  which  have  no  shepherd. 

18  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,    Take  thee  Joshua  the 

r  1  K.  '22.  n.  Zech.  10.  2,  Mat.  9.  36.   1  Pet.  2.  25. 

both  at  home  and  abroad,  in  times  of 
peace  and  of  war,  and  who  may  under- 
take the  charge  of  defending  them  from 
their  enemies;  for  under  this  phrase 
of  "going  out  and  coming  in  before 
them,  of  leading  them  out  and  bringing 
them  in,"  all  the  offices  of  the  supreme 
magistracy  are  comprised.  Hence  Mo- 
ses, when  on  the  point  of  resigning  the 
government,  uses  this  language  of  him- 
self, Deut.  31 : 2,  "I  can  no  more  go 
out  and  come  in."  The  similitude  is 
taken  from  the  case  of  shepherds,  whose 
custom  it  is  to  go  out  and  in  before 
their  flocks,  to  lead  them  forth  to  their 
pastures,  and  then  to  bring  them  home 
again  to  their  folds. 

Inauguration  of  Joshua. 


V.  18.  A  man  %n  wJiom  is  the  spirit 
That  is,  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  manifest- 
ed in  the  gifts  and  graces  with  which 
he  was  endowed.  Thus,  Deut.  34  :  9, 
"  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  was  full 
of  the  spirit  of  wisdom  ;  for  Moses  had 
laid  his  hands  upon  him."  In  this  re- 
spect he  was  an  evident  type  of  Him 
to  whom  the  Lord  "  gave  not  the  Spirit 
by  measure." 1  Lay  thine  hand  up- 
on him.  Heb.  samaMd,  lean  or  impose 
thine  hand  upon  him,  i.  e.  thine  hands, 
V.  23,  and  as  it  is  rendered  in  the  Gr. 
"  Thou  shalt  lay  thine  hands  upon  him." 
By  this  ceremony  of  the  imposition  of 
hands  was  signified  the  transfer  of  the 
office  of  leader  of  Israel  from  Moses 


son  of  Nun,  a  man  in  '  whom  is 
the  spirit,  and  lay '  thine  hand 
upon  him  : 

19  And  set  him  before  Elea- 
zar  the  priest,  and  before  all  the 
congregation  ;  and  give  him  "  a 
charge  in  their  sight.  ■ 

t  Gen.  41.  38.  Jndg.  3.  10.     11.  29.     1  Sam.  16.  13, 
18.  Dae.  5.  14.  Acts  6.  3.  t  Deut.  34.  9.  Acts  6.  6. 

u  Deut.  il.  7. 


to  Joshua,  and  the  communication  of 
the  requisite  spiritual  gifts  and  endow- 
ments for  its  right  discharge.  A  simi- 
lar ceremony  obtained  subsequently  in 
the  primitive  Christian  church  when 
men  were  separated  and  set  apart  for 
the  discharge  of  special  holy  functions. 
See  1  Tim.  4  :  14. 

V.  19.  8et  him  before  Eleazar  the 
■priest,  and  before  all  the  congregation. 
The  relation  which  he  was  to  sustain  to 
the  high-priest  and  to  the  congregation, 
made  it  fitting  that  this  act  of  inaugura- 
tion or  consecration  should  be  perform- 
ed in  the  presence  of  all  the  people,  that 
they  might  thus  signify  their  devout 
reception  of  their  new  leader,  as  desig- 
nated and  appointed  for  them  of  the 

Lord  himself T|  Give  him  a  charge 

in  their  sight.  Heb.  "  Thou  shalt  com- 
mand him."  We  read  the  purport  of 
this  charge,  Deut.  31 :  7,  8.  "  And  Mo- 
ses called  unto  Joshua,  and  said  unto 
him  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel,  Be  strong 
and  of  a  good  courage :  for  thou  must 
go  with  this  people  unto  the  land  which 
the  Lord  hath  sworn  unto  their  fathers 
to  give  them;  and  thou  shalt  cause 
them  to  inherit  it.  And  the  Lord,  he  it 
is  that  doth  go  before  thee ;  he  will  be 
with  thee,  he  will  not  fail  thee,  neither 
forsake  thee  :  fear  not,  neither  be  dis- 
mayed." In  addition  to  this  the  Lord 
himself  gave  Joshua  a  charge  in  the 
Tabernacle,  Deut.  31  :  14,  of  which  it  is 
said,  v.  23,  "And  he  (the  Lord)  gave 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  a  charge,  and 


428 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


20  And "  thou  shalt  put  some 
of  thine  honour  upon  him,  that 
all  the  congregation  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  may  be '"  obedient. 

21  And  he  shall  stand  before 
Eleazar  the  priest,  who  shall 
ask  "^  counsel  for  him,  after  the 
judgment  of^Urim  before  the 
Lord  :  at  his  word  shall  they  go 
out,  and  at  his  word  they  shall 
come  in,  both  he,  and  all  the 


D  2K.  2.  9,  15.        w  Josh.  1.16,17. 
18,  etc.     ISam.  22.1U.     2J.  9.     30.7. 


X  Judg.  20. 
y  Ex.  vl8.  3. 


said,  Be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage ; 
for  thou  shalt  bring  the  children  of  Is- 
rael into  the  land  which  I  sware  unto 
them  ;  and  I  will  be  with  thee,"  The 
charge  thus  given  tended  at  once  to 
confirm  the  authority  of  Joshua,  and 
to  bind  him  more  solemnly  to  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties.  As  Moses  also 
gave  him  his  instructions  in  the  name 
of  God,  he  would  be  exempt  from  the 
imputation  of  mercenary  motives,  while 
Joshua  would  be  strengthened  in  faith 
and  diligence. 

V.  20.  Hiou  shalt  put  (some)  of  thine 
honor  wpon  him.  Heb.  "Thou  shalt 
give  of  thine  honor,  majesty,  or  glory, 
upon  him."  The  inserted  word  "  some  " 
is  perhaps  implied,  though  not  abso- 
lutely necessary.  The  spiritual  gifts 
and  endowments  conferred  upon  Moses 
rendered  him  honorable  in  the  sight  of 
the  people,  and  the  communication  of 
these  gifts  to  Joshua  was  ajyparently  a 
divesting  of  himself  of  a  portion  of 
them,  and  putting  them  upon  his  suc- 
cessor. In  like  manner,  it  is  said,  of 
the  seventy  elders  chosen  to  assist 
Moses  in  the  government  of  Israel,  ch. 
11  :  17,  that  God  would  take  of  the 
spirit  which  was  upon  him  and  put  it 
upon  them.  Joshua  was  not,  indeed, 
to  have  the  full  measure  of  Moses'  gifts, 


children    of    Israel   with    him, 
even  all  the  congregation. 

22  And  Moses  did  as  the 
Lord  commanded  him  :  and  he 
took  Joshua,  and  set  him  before 
Eleazar  the  priest,  and  before 
all  the  congregation. 

23  And  he  laid  his  hands  up- 
on him,  and  gave  him  a  charge, 
as  the  Lord  commanded  '  by 
the  hand  of  Moses. 


but  a  certain  portion  of  them,  so  that 
the  pre-eminence  of  Moses  should  re- 
main unimpaired.  Of  him  alone  could 
it  be  said,  that  "  there  arose  not  a  pro- 
phet since  in  Israel  like  unto  Moses." 
The  purport  of  the  command  is,  regard 
Joshua  no  longer  henceforth  as  a  ser- 
vant, but  as  a  brother  and  an  equal, 
united  in  joint  commission  with  thyself, 
and  entitled  to  the  ensigns  and  evi- 
dences of  thine  own  authority,  what- 
ever they  may  be. 

Y.  21.  He  shall  stand  lefore  Eleazar 
the  priest,  etc.  Notwithstanding  his 
high  position  as  head  of  the  Israelitish 
host,  he  shall  still  be  required  to  ren- 
der a  suitable  deference  to  the  priest, 
and  upon  all  proper  occasions  to  pre- 
sent himself  before  him,  and  avail  him- 
self of  his  counsels  and  intercessions. 
By  the  priest's  "  asking  counsel  for  him 
after  the  judgment  of  Urim,"  is  meant 
that  he  should  assume  the  Ephod,  in 
which  was  the  breastplate,  whereunto 
were  affixed  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
the  medium  of  oracular  responses  from 
the  Lord,  On  this  subject  we  refer  the 
reader  to  our  Note  on  Ex.  28  :  30,  where 
it  is  treated  at  length.  From  1  Sam. 
23  :  6,  we  learn  that  when  Saul  would 
have  consulted  the  Lord  by  Urim,  he 
answered  him  not. 


B.C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  xxym. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

AND  the  Lord   spake    unto 
Moses,  saying, 
2  Command  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  say  unto  them,  My 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

The  stated  Sacrifices  re-enjoined. 
V.  2.  Command  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, and  say  unto  them,  etc.  The  peo- 
ple having  now  been  numbered,  a 
leader  in  the  place  of  Moses  appointed, 
and  orders  for  the  distribution  of  the 
land  given,  the  Most  High  is  pleased  to 
re-enact  the  ordinances  touching  the 
stated  oblations  to  be  made  upon  his 
altar  in  the  order  of  daily,  weekly, 
monthly,  and  annual.  The  regular 
routine  of  sacrifices  and  services  per- 
taining to  the  Tabernacle  had  doubtless 
been  very  much  interrupted,  if  not 
wholly  omitted,  during  the  last  thirty- 
eight  years  while  wandering  to  and  fro 
in  an  unsettled  state  through  the  desert, 
and  as  the  generation  now  living  was 
mostly  unborn  when  the  ritual  system 
was  at  first  given  from  Mount  Sinai,  it 
seemed  proper  to  enjoin  anew  the  ob- 
servance of  the  sacred  rites,  that  they 
might  have  no  excuse  for  neglecting 
the  punctilious  performance  of  them 
when  fully  established  in  the  land  of 
Canaan.  They  were  now,  moreover, 
about  entering  upon  a  career  of  war, 
and  as  they  might  be  tempted  to  regard 
this  as  a  species  of  dispensation  from 
the  regular  offering  of  the  appointed 
sacrifices,  the  Lord  is  particular  to  re- 
peat his  injunctions  on  this  score  main- 
ly in  the  form  in  which  they  were  given 
in  Exodus  and  Leviticus,  but  with  here 
and  there  new  explanations  and  ampli- 
fications as  occasion  seemed  to  demand. 
It  is  deemed  probable  that  these  direc- 
tions   were    delivered    in    the    eighth 


offering,  and  my  bread  for  my 
sacrifices  made  by  fire  for  "  a 
sweet  savour  unto  me,  shall  ye 
observe  to  ofi"er  unto  me  in  their 
due  season. 


month  of  the  last  year  of  their  travels 

in    the    wilderness. T[  My  ofering 

{and)  my  bread,  etc.  Rather  according 
to  the  Heb.  "My  offering,  (even)  my 
bread,"  as  the  conjunction  "and"  is 
wanting  in  the  original.  "  Oflfering  "  is 
moreover  there  expressed  by  "  korban," 
equivalent  to  gift,  of  which  we  have  for- 
merly given  a  full  explication.  See  espe- 
cially Note  on  Lev.  1 : 2.  The  following  is 
the  literal  rendering  of  the  whole  verse  : 
"Command  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
say  unto  them.  Mine  oblation,  my  bread 
for  my  fire-(oflferings),  the  savor  of  my 
rest,  ye  shall  observe  to  offer  unto  me 

in  their  due  season." T[  My  bread 

for  my  sacrifices,  etc.  Chald.  "The 
bread  ordained  for  my  oblations."  Un- 
der the  term  "bread"  is  included  all 
kinds  of  food,  even  the  flesh  itself,  or 
the  fat  of  sacrifices,  as  is  remarked  in 

the  Note  on  Lev.  3  :  11. ^  A  sweet 

savor  unto  me.  Heb.  "The  savor  of 
my  rest."  Implying  that  the  savor  or 
odor  of  sacrifices  had  the  effect  of  quiet- 
ing or  pacifying  the  divine  displeasure, 
and  causing  the  services  of  the  people 
to  be  acceptable  to  him.  Gr.  "  For  a 
savor  of  sweetness."     Chald.   "To  be 

accepted  with  favor." T[  In  their  due 

season.  Heb.  "  In  his  appointed  time." 
At  the  season  especially  appointed  and 
prescribed  by  the  Lord  himself.  Gr, 
"In  my  feasts;"  as  the  original  word 
for  "  appointed  time  "  is  used  also  for 
a  solemn  feast  appointed  by  God.  See 
Lev.  23  :  2,  with  the  Note.  Every  sac- 
rifice is  here  limited  to  its  specified  sea- 
son, so  that  if  it  were  passed  over  the 
omission  was  not  to  be  attempted  to  be 


430 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


3  And  thou  sbalt  say  unto 
them,  This  is  *  the  oflfering  made 
by  fire  which  ye  shall  offer  unto 
the  Lord  ;  two  lambs  of  the  first 
year  without  spot,  day  by  day, 
for  a  continual  burnt-offering. 

4  The  one  lamb  shalt  thou 
offer  in  the  morning,  and  the 
other  lamb  shalt  thou  offer  at 
"  even  : 


supplied  by  that  oblation  being  offered 
at  another  day  or  time,  as  it  is  said 
V.  10,  "  The  burnt-offering  of  the  sab- 
bath in  or  on  his  sabbath."  Hence  the 
Jewish  saying,  "If  the  time  be  past, 
the  oblation  is  past."  On  the  same 
ground  Jeroboam,  1  Kings  12 :  32,  33, 
who  kept  the  feast  of  the  seventh 
month  "  in  the  eighth  month,"  is  vir- 
tually rebuked  for  it,  in  its  being  said 
that  he  did  this  "  in  the  month  which 
he  had  devised  of  his  own  heart."  The 
general  purport  of  the  passage  is  there- 
fore very  explicit,  that  that  which  the 
Lord  calls  his  food  or  bread  is  to  be  ren- 
dered to  him  with  the  utmost  regularity 
in  its  appointed  season,  so  that  without 
violence  we  may  say,  that  as  we  are  to 
call  upon  him  for  our  daily  bread,  he  in 
like  manner  says  to  us,  "Give  me  day 
by  day  my  daily  bread." 

The  Daily  OfeHng. 
V.  3.  Two  la-mis  of  the  first  year,  etc. 
This  is  the  daily  sacrifice  of  two  choice 
and  perfect  lambs,  one  for  the  morning 
and  one  for  the  evening,  making  an  of- 
fering which  was  upon  no  account  to  be 
intermitted,  whatever  additional  sacri- 
fices might  at  any  time  be  offered.  It 
is  therefore  called  the  "  continual  burnt- 
offering,"  of  which  a  full  account  is 
given  in  the  Notes  on  Ex.  29  :  38-45, 
where  it  will  be  seen  that  the  continued 
manifestation  of  the  divine  presence 


5  And  a  tenth  'part  of  an 
ephah  of  flour  for  a  meat-offer- 
ing '^j  mingled  *  with  the  fourth 
part  of  an  hin  of  beaten  oil. 

6  It  is   a   continual  burnt- 
offering,  which  was  ordained  in 
mount  Sinai  for  a  sweet  savour, 
a  sacrifice  made  by  fire  unto  the  i 
Lord. 

7  And     the     drink-offering 


d  Lev.  2.1.  0.15.4. 


«  Ex.  29.  40,  etc. 


was  made  dependent  upon  the  regu- 
larity with  which  this  daily  service  was 
performed.  So  in  our  private  and  do- 
mestic devotions,  if  we  are  remiss,  in- 
constant, and  irregular,  allowing  tri- 
fling or  inadequate  occasions  to  break 
in  upon  the  fixed  routine  of  worship, 
we  shall  be  very  certain  to  forfeit  and 
lose  the  tokens  of  the  Lord's  presence 
with  us,  and  bring  leanness  into  our 
souls. 

V.  4.  The  one  lamb  shalt  thou  offer  in 
the  mornirig.  Heb.  "  Shalt  thou  make ;" 
a  sacrificial  term  implying  all  that  was 
necessarily  involved  in  the  act  of  obla- 
tion, such  as  killing  the  victim,  sprin- 
kling its  blood,  cutting  it  in  pieces,  lay- 
ing and  burning  it  on  the  altar,  etc.,  as 

indicated  Lev.  1. 1  At  even.     Heb. 

"  Between  the  two  evenings."  That  is, 
in  the  afternoon,  as  will  be  seen  ex- 
plained at  length  in  the  Note  on  Ex. 
12  :  6.  It  pointed  typically  to  the  Lord's 
being  offered  in  his  crucifixion  at  the 
same  hour.  Comp.  John  19  :  14.  Matt. 
27  :  46,  50. 

V.  5-8.  Ordained  in  Mount  Sinai. 
The  order  respecting  the  two  lambs  is 
repeated  with  little  variation  from  Ex. 
29,  but  he  speaks  more  respecting  the 
concomitants  of  flour  and  wine,  which 
are  the  bread  and  the  beverage  of  the  di- 
vine meal  partaken  from  off  the  altar  as 
from  a  table.  The  reference  of  this  ordi- 
nance back  to  Mount  Sinai,  the  scene  of 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXYIII. 


431 


thereof  shall  he  the  fourth  part 
of  an  hin  for  the  one  lamb  :  in 
the  holy  place  shalt  thou  cause 
the  strong  wine  to  be  poured 
unto  the  Lord  for  a  drink- 
offering. 

8  And  the  other  lamb  shalt 
thou  offer  at  even  :  as  the  meat- 
offering of  the  mornmg,  and  as 
the  drink-offering  thereof,  thou 
shalt  offer  it^  a  sacrifice  made 
by  fire,  of  a  sweet  savour  unto 
the  Lord. 

9  And  on  the  sabbath-day 
two  lambs  of  the  first  year  with- 
out spot,  and  two  tenth  deals  of 
flour  for  a  meat-offering,  min- 

so  much  sanctity,  would  commend  it  the 
more  to  their  devout  observance.  To 
each  of  the  lambs  was  to  be  annexed,  as 
bread  and  drink  requisite  to  the  furni- 
ture of  a  table,  about  three  quarts  of 
the  finest  flour,  about  a  quart  of  pure 
oil  for  mixing  with  the  flour,  and  as 
much,  we  may  suppose,  of  the  strongest 
wine,  to  be  poured  upon  the  fire  along 
with  the  rest.  The  action  of  the  fire 
upon  these  materials  was  the  Lord's 
consuming  them,  as  one  and  the  prin- 
cipal party  to   the  feast. ^  Strong 

wine.  "The  richest  and  most  gener-  j 
ous,  and  best-bodied  wine  they  could  ! 
get.  Though  it  was  to  be  poured  out  j 
upon  the  altar,  and  not  drunk  (they  ! 
might  therefore  be  ready  to  think  the  ; 
worst  would  serve  to  be  so  thrown 
away),  yet  God  requires  the  strongest, 
to  teach  us  to  serve  God  with  the  best  ' 

we  have." — Henry.  \ 

1 

The  Sabhath,  or  Weekly  Offering.       \ 
Ys.  9,  10.  And  on  the  Sabbath  day 
two  lambs,  etc.     The  special  feature  of 
the  Sabbath  or  weekly  offering  is  the  ■ 
duplication  of  the  lambs.      This  ap-  | 


I  gled  with  oil,  and  the  drink- 
I  offering  thereof. 
I  10  This  is  the  burnt-offering 
i  of  every  sabbath^,  beside  the 
'  continual  burnt-offering,  and  his 
j  drink-offering. 

11  And  in  the  beginning  ^  of 
your  months  ye  shall  offer  a 
burnt-offering  ^  unto  the  Lord  ; 

,  two    young   bullocks,  and    one 
I  ram,   seven  lambs  of  the   first 
year  without  spot ; 

12  And  three  tenth  deals  of 
flour  for  a  meat-offering,  min- 
gled with  oil,  for  one  bullock ; 

/  Ezek.  46.  4.  g  c.  10.  10.    1  Chr.  23.  31.   2  Chr. 

2.  4.  Neh.  10.  33.  le.  1.  13,  14.  Ezek.  45.  17.  Col.  i.  16. 
h  c.  15.  3-11. 


pears,  from  comparing  vs.  9  and  10, 
from  which  it  is  evident  that  the  two 
lambs  here  spoken  of  were  over  and 
above  "the  continual  burnt-offering." 
This  suggests  to  us  the  propriety  of 
doubling  our  devotions  on  the  Sab- 
bath. 

Offering  on  the  New  Moons. 
Vs.  11-15.  In  thfi  beginning  of  your 
months  ye  shall  offer,  etc.  The  third 
stated  sacrifice  was  monthly,  being  of- 
fered on  the  first  day  of  every  month. 
This  is  not,  indeed,  included  in  the  list 
of  solemn  feasts  enumerated  Lev.  23, 
yet  we  find  there  was  a  celebration  of 
this  kind  to  which  special  allusion  is 
made,  Num.  10  :  10,  and  which  was  dis- 
tinguished by  extraordinary  sacrifices, 
by  abstinence  from  servile  labor.  Am. 
8  :  5,  by  the  sounding  of  trumpets,  and 
by  sacred  assemblies,  2  Kings,  4  :  23. 
The  design  of  this  commemoration  un- 
doubtedly was  not  only  to  teach  the 
cho.sen  people  that  all  the  separate  por- 
tions of  time,  whether  days,  weeks, 
months  or  years,  were  to  be  conse- 
crated to  the  Lord  as  in  reality  his,  and 


432 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


and  two  tenth  deals  of  flour /or 
a  meat-offering,  mingled  with 
oil,  for  one  ram ; 

13  And  a  several  tenth  deal 
of  flour  mingled  with  oil,  for  a 
meat-offering  unto  one  lamb ; 
for  a  burnt  offering  of  a  sweet 
savour,  a  sacrifice  made  by  fire 
unto  the  Lord. 

14  And  their  drink-offerings 
shall  be  half  an  hin  of  wine  unto 
a  bullock,  and  the  third  part  of 
an  hin  unto  a  ram,  and  a  fourth 
part,  of  an  hin  unto  a  lamb  :  this 
is  the  burnt-offering  of  every 
month  throughout  the  months 
of  the  year. 

15  And  '  one  kid  of  the  goats 
for  a  sin-offering  unto  the  Lord 
shall  be  offered,  beside  ^'  the  con- 
tinual burnt-offering,  and  his 
drink-offering. 

16  And  in  the  fourteenth '  day 

i  0.  15.  24.  k  VL-r.  11.  /  ch,  9.  3.  Ex.  12. 

6,  18.  Lev.  23.  5,  6.    Ezek.  45.  21. 


to  be  devoted  to  his  service,  but  also  to 
guard  them  against  that  form  of  idola- 
try which  prevailed  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, viz.,  worshipping  the  new  moon 
upon  its  appearance,  with  various  pro- 
fane rites.  By  a  sacrifice  and  service 
directed  to  the  true  God,  the  only 
proper  object  of  worship,  their  minds 
would  be  led  away  from  these  perver- 
sions and  centred  upon  the  only  suita- 
ble theme.  The  offering  on  this  occa- 
sion consisted  of  two  young  bullocks,  a 
ram,  and  seven  lambs,  of  the  choicest 
quality  on  the  score  of  fat  and  fairness. 
The  meal  and  drink-oflering  annexed 
to  each  was  to  be  proportionate,  viz., 
each  bullock  to  have  three  times  the 
quantity  allotted  to  a  lamb  ;  the  ram  to 
have  double  that  quantity ;  and  so  ac- 
cordingly for  the  wine  and  oil.     There 


of  the  first  month  is  the  pass- 
over  of  the  Lord. 

17  And  in  the  fifteenth  day 
of  this  month  is  the  feast :  sev- 
en days  shall  unleavened  bread 
be  eaten. 

18  In  the  first  day  shall  he 
an  holy  convocation ;  ye  shall 
do  no  manner  of  servile  work 
therein. 

19  But  ye  shall  offer  a  sacri- 
fice made  by  fire,  for  a  burnt- 
offering  unto  the  Lord  ;  two 
young  bullocks,  and  one  ram, 
and  seven  lambs  of  the  first 
year :  they  shall  be  unto  you 
without '"  blemish : 

20  And  their  meat-offering 
shall  he  of  flour  mingled  with 
oil :  three  tenth  deals  shall  ye 
offer  for  a  bullock,  and  two 
tenth  deals  for  a  ram. 

21  A  several  tenth  deal  shalt 

m  ver.  31.  Lev.  22.  20.  c.  J9.  8.    Deut.  !5.  21.    Mai.  1. 


was  on  this  day  also  added  a  kid  for  a 
sin  or  expiation  sacrifice,  having  a 
special  typical  reference  to  the  great 
redemption-ofiering  of  Him  in  whom 
these  legal  shadows  all  pass  into  sub- 
stance. 


TJie  Passover 


Vs.  16-25.  In  the  fourteenth  day  of 
the  first  month,  etc.  The  fourth  stated 
and  national  sacrifice  was  annual,  the 
great  Passover  festival,  with  the  feast 
of  unleavened  bread  annexed  to  it. 
But  as  the  origin,  design,  and  mode  of 
observance  of  this  institution  have  al- 
ready been  largely  considered  in  the 
Notes  on  Ex.  12  :  3-20.  Lev.  23  :  5-8, 
we  shall  waive  any  further  explanation 
in  this  connection. 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


433 


thou     offer    for     every    lamb, 
throughout  the  seven  lambs  : 

22  And  one  goat "" for  a  sin- 
offering,  to  make  an  atonement 
for  you. 

23  Ye  shall  offer  these  beside 
the  burnt-offering  in  the  morn- 
ing, which  is  for  a  continual 
burnt- offering. 

24  After  this  manner  ye 
shall  offer  daily,  throughout 
the  seven  days,  the  meat  of  the 
sacrifice  made  by  fire,  of  a  sweet 
savour  unto  the  Lord:  it  shall 
be  offered  beside  the  continual 
burnt-offering,  and  his  drink- 
offering. 

25  And  on  the  seventh  day 
ye  shall  have  an  holy  convoca- 
tion; ye  shall  do  no  servile 
work, 

26  Also  in  "  the  day  of  the 
first-fruits,  when  ye  bring  a  new 
meat-offering  unto  the  Lord, 
after  your  weeks  he  out.,  ye  shall 
have  an  holy  convocation ;  ye 
shall  do  no  servile  work  : 

27  But   ye    shall   offer    the 

n  ver.  15.         o  Ex.  23.  16.    34.  -li.  Lev.  23.  !0,  etc. 
Dt-ut.  16   1(1.  Acts  -I.  1. 

The  Offering  of  the  First-Fruits. 

Vs.  26^31.  Also  in  the  day  of  thefrst- 
fniits,  etc.  The  fifth  of  these  stated 
oflferiugs  was  also  annual,  being  that  of 
the  harvest  festival,  when  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  corn  were  to  be  ofiered. 
This  festival  was  twofold,  first,  the 
barley  harvest  first-fruit,  beginning  at 
the  Passover,  and  then,  at  the  end  of 
seven  weeks,  the  wheat  harvest  festival 
called  the  Feast  of  Weeks,  or  Pentecost. 
iThis  has  also  been  previously  treat- 
'  ed  at  length.  See  Notes  on  Lev.  23  : 
15-22. 


burnt-offering  for  a  sweet  sa- 
vour unto  the  Lord;  two  young 
bullocks,  one  ram,  seven  lambs 
of  the  first  year  ; 

28  And  their  meat-offering 
of  flour  mingled  with  oil,  three 
tenth  deals  unto  one  bullock, 
two  tenth  deals  unto  one  ram ; 

29  A  several  tenth  deal  unto 
one  lamb,  throughout  the  seven 
lambs ;  ^-^ 

30  And  one  kid  of  the  goats, 
to  make  an  atonement  for 
you. 

31  Ye  shall  offer  themhesi^e 
the  continual  burnt-offering,  and 
his  meat-offering  (they  shall  be 
unto  you  without  blemish^,)  and 
their  drink-offerings. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A  ND  in  the  seventh  month,  on 
1\.  the  first  day  of  the  month, 
ye  shall  have  an  holy  convoca- 
tion :  ye  shall  do  no  servile 
work  ;  it "  is  a  day  of  blowing 
the  trumpets  unto  you. 

p  vc-r.  19.  a  Lev.  23.  24.   Ps.  81.  3,  4. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

The  Particulars  of  the  three  remaining 
National  and  Stated  Sacrifices. — The 
Offering  at  the  Feast  of  Trumpets. 

Y.  1.  In  the  seventh  month,  on  the 
first  {day)  of  the  month,  etc.  The 
month  here  spoken  of  is  the  month 
Tisri,  the  seventh  month  of  their  ec- 
clesiastical year,  but  the  first  of  their 
civil  year,  answering  to  our  September. 
The  present  was,  therefore,  a  kind  of 
New  Year's  festival,  although  invested 
with  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath  so  far 


19 


434 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452„ 


2  And  ye  shall  offer  a  burnt- 
offering  for  a  sweet  savour  unto 
tlie  Lord,  one  young  bullock, 
one  ram,  and  seven  lambs  of  the 
first  year  without  blemish  : 

3  And  their  meat-offering 
shall  he  of  flour  mingled  with 
oil,  three  tenth  deals  for  a  bul- 
lock, and  two  tenth  deals  for  a 
ram, 

4  And  one  tenth  deal  for 
one  lamb,  throughout  the  seven 
lambs ; 

5  And  one  kid  of  the  goats 


as  servile  work  was  concerned,  all 
which  was  strictly  prohibited.  One  of 
its  principal  features  was  its  being 
ushered  in  with  the  blowing  of  trum- 
pets, which  took  place  all  over  the  land, 
and  of  which  we  have  given  a  full  ac- 
count in  the  Note  on  Lev.  23  :  24.  The 
special  design  and  import  of  the  blow- 
ing of  trumpets  on  this  occasion,  not 
being  stated  in  Scripture,  has  given 
rise  to  numerous  conjectures  with  the 
Jewish  and  other  expositors,  which  we 
cannot  afford  space  to  recount.  It  may 
perhaps  be  sufficient  to  suggest  that  the 
day,  being  new-year's  day,  was  cele- 
brated by  the  blowing  of  trumpets  for 
much  the  same  reason  that  that  day  is 
celebrated  in  modern  times  by  the  ring- 
ing of  bells,  firing  of  ordnance,  large 
and  small,  and  various  other  noises,  as 
if  simply  to  usher  in  the  day  with 
tokens  of  public  rejoicing.  The  sound 
of  the  trumpets  may  have  served  at  the 
same  time  as  a  shadow  of  the  future 
preaching  of  good  and  joyful  news  of 
the  Gospel,  for  we  think  it  beyond 
question  that  the  general  typical  pur- 
port of  trumpet-sounding,  under  the 
old  econoqay,  was  evangelization. 

Vs.  2-6.    Ye  shall  offer  a  biimt-offer- 
ing,  etc.    As  the  Feast  of  Trumpets  fell 


for  a  sin-offering,  to  make  an 
atonement  for  you  : 

6  Beside  the  *  burnt-offering 
of  the  month,  and  his  meal- 
offering,  and  '  the  daily  burnt- 
offering,  and  his  me^t-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  ac- 
cording '^  unto  their  manner,  for 
a  sweet  savour,  a  sacrifice  made 
by  fire  unto  the  Lord. 

7  And  '  ye  shall  have  on  the 
tenth  day  of  this  seventh  month 


ftc.28.  n.        cc. -iS  3.  Heb.  10.  1.        (ic.  15.  11, 
Ezras.  4.     1  Cor.  14.40.  c  Lev.  In.  29      -^B. 


in  with  the  New  Moon  sacrifice,  ap- 
pointed ch.  28  :  11, 12,  and  a  large  offer- 
ing was  prescribed  for  that  occasion, 
but  one  bullock  is  now  ordered  to  be 
killed.  But  as  two  were  to  be  slain  at 
every  new  moon,  there  were,  of  course, 
three  to  be  sacrificed  at  the  Trumpet 
Festival,  added  to  which  were  two  rams 
and  fourteen  lambs  for  burnt-offerings, 
and  two  goats  for  a  sin-offering,  be- 
sides the  two  lambs  for  the  daily  obla- 
tion. The  tenor  of  the  command  sug- 
gests that  stated  ordinary  religious  ex- 
ercises are  not  to  be  superseded  by  ex- 
traordinary. Our  private  devotions 
cannot  well  be  set  aside  by  an  increase 
of  public  services,  whether  on  the  Sab- 
bath or  at  other  times.  Let  not  the 
morning  or  the  evening  sacrifice  be  in- 
termitted.  T[  According  unto  their 

manner.  Heb.  "According  to  their 
judgment."  That  is,  according  to 
their  prescribed  order  and  regular  ob- 
servance— a  frequent  sense  of  the  orig- 
inal word  for  "judgment." 

Offerings  for  the  Day  of  Atonement. 

Vs.  7-11.   Ye  shall  have  on  the  tenth 

{day)  of  this  seventh  month,  etc.     This 

was  the  day  of  atonement,  as  fixed  by 

Lev.  23  :  27,  "  Also  on  the  tenth  day  of 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTEK  XXIX. 


435 


an  holy  convocation ;  and  ye 
shall  afflict  -'  your  souls  :  ye  shall 
not  do  any  work  {herein: 

8  But  ye  shall  offer  a  burnt- 
offering  unto  the  Lord  for  a 
sweet  savour  ;  one  young  bul- 
lock, one  ram,  and  seven  lambs 
of  the  first  year ;  they  •'  shall  be 
unto  you  without  blemish. 

9  And  their  meat-offering 
shall  he  of  flour  mingled  with 
oil,  three  tenth  deals  to  a  bul- 
lock, and  two  tenth  deals  to  one 
ram, 

10  A  several  tenth  deal  for 
one  lamb,  throughout  the  seven 
lambs : 

11  One  kid  of  the  goats  for 
a  sin-offering,  beside  the  ^  sin-  i 
offering  of  atonement,  and  the  ! 
continual  burnt-oflering,  and  the  I 
meat-offering  of  it,  and  their  \ 
drink-offerings. 

12  And  '  on  the  fifteenth  day 
of  the  seventh  month  ye  shall 

/  P3.  Ho.  13.  fa.  55.  5.  g  c.  9S.  19.  h  Lev. 

16.  3,  etc.  1  Lev.  23.  34.  Deut.  16.  13.  Ezek.  45.  i5. 

this  seventh  month  there  shall  be  a  day  ! 
of  atonement :  it  shall  be  an  holy  con-  I 
vocation  unto  you ;  and  ye  shall  afflict 
your  souls,  and  offer  an  offering  made 
by   fire   unto   the   Lord."     The  whole 
round  of  ceremonies  connected  with  the 
observance  of  this  institute  will  be  found 
detailed  at  length  in  the  elaborate  Notes 
on  Lev.  16  :  5-34.     It  was  to  be  a  day  of  j 
special  humiliation,  fasting,  and  prayer, 
hence  called.  Acts  27  :  9,  by  way  of  em- 
inence "the  fast."     It  was  a  season  for  ; 
"  afflicting  their  souls,"  that  is,  doing  , 
violence  to  their  sensual  nature  by  fast-  I 
ing  and  abstinence,  which,  when  right-  j 
ly  observed,  tends  to  develope  the  in-  i 
ward  graces  of  the  spirit,  and  bring  the  ' 
entire  man  into  a  better  state. \  0ns 


have  an  holy  convocation ;  ye 
shall  do  no  servile  work,  and 
ye  shall  keep  a  feast  unto  the 
Lord  seven  days : 

13  And  *  ye  shall  offer  a 
burnt-offering,  a  sacrifice  made 
by  fire,  of  a  sweet  savour  unto 
the  Lord  ;  thirteen  young  bul- 
locks, two  rams,  and  fourteen 
lambs  of  the  first  year  ;  they 
shall  be  without  blemish  : 

14  And  their  meat-offering 
shall  he  of  flour  miogled  with 
oil,  three  tenth  deals  unto  every 
bullock  of  the  thirteen  bullocks, 
two  tenth  deals  to  each  ram  of 
the  two  rams, 

15  And  a  several  tenth  deal 
to  each  lamb  of  the  fourteen 
lambs ; 

16  And  one  kid  of  the  goats 
for  a  sin-offering,  beside  the 
continual  burnt-offering,  his 
meat-offering,  and  his  drink- 
offering. 

k  Ezra  3.  4. 

Tcid  of  the  goats  {for)  a  sin-offering,  etc. 
This,  it  appears,  was  beside  the  "  sin- 
offering  of  the  atonement,"  and  implied 
that  even  in  our  humiliation  and  re- 
pentance so  many  defects  and  infirmi- 
ties mingle,  that  we  have  need  of  that 
virtue  which  was  signified  by  the  sin- 
offering  to  make  them  acceptable.  *'  We 
have  need,"  says  Henry,  "  of  an  interest 
in  a  sacrifice  to  expiate  the  guilt  even 
of  that  part  of  our  holy  things.  Though 
we  must  not  repent  that  we  have  re- 
pented, yet  we  must  repent  that  we 
have  not  repented  better." 

Offering  for  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles. 
Vs.  12-34.  On  the  fifteenth  day  of  the 
seventh  month,  etc.     On  this  day  com- 


436 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


17  And  on  the  second  day 
ye  shall  offer  twelve  young  bul- 
locks, two  rams,  fourteen  lambs 
of  the  first  year,  without   spot: 

18  And  their  meat-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according  to 
their  number,  after  the  manner'. 

19  And  one  kid  of  the  goats 
for  a  sin-offering ;  beside  the 
continual  burnt-offering,  and  the 
meat-offering  thereof,  and  their 
drink-offerings. 

20  And  on  the  third  day 
eleven  bullocks,  two  rams,  four- 
teen lambs  of  the  first  year  with- 
out blemish ; 

21  And  their  meat-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according  to 
their  number,  after  the  manner: 

22  And  one  goat  for  a  sin- 
offering  ;  beside  the  continual 
burnt-offering,  and  his  meat- 
offering, and  his  drink-offering '". 

23  And  on  the  fourth  day  ten 
bullocks,  two  rams,  and  fourteen 
lambs  of  the  first  year  without 
blemish : 

24  Their  meat-offering,  and 


I  ver.  3,4,9,10. 
16.4.  Joel.  1.9,  VA. 


c.  15.  12.     2S.  7,  14. 


menced  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  or 
Booths,  commemorative  of  their  sojourn 
in  the  wilderness.  It  was  held  at  a 
season  of  the  year  when  they  had  gath- 
ered in  their  corn  and  wine,  and  had 
seen  the  blessing  of  God  in  all  their  in- 
crease, and  in  all  the  works  of  their 
hands,  Deut.  161  13,  15,  and  when  their 
hearts,  unlarged  by  a  grateful  sense  of 
the  div.ne  mercies,  would  prompt  a 


their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according  to 
their  number,  after  the  manner  : 

25  And  one  kid  of  the  goats 
for  a  sin-offering;  beside  the 
continual  burnt-offering,  his 
meat-offering,  and  his  drink- 
offering. 

26  And  on  the  fifth  day  nine 
bullocks,  two  rams,  and  fourteen 
lambs  of  the  first  year  without 
spot : 

27  And  their  meat-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according  to 
their  number,  alter  the  manner : 

28  And  one  goat  for  a  sin- 
offering  ;  beside  the  continual 
burnt-offering,  and  his  meat- 
offering, and  his  drink-offering. 

29  And  on  the  sixth  day 
eight  bullocks,  two  rams,  and 
fourteen  lambs  of  the  first  year 
without  blemish : 

30  And  their  meat-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according 
to  their  number,  after  the  man- 
ner: 

31  And  one  goat  for  a  sin- 
offering  ;    beside  the    continual 

more  liberal  bestowment  of  offerings 
for  the  Lord's  altar.  On  other  festivals 
tioo  bullocks  sufficed ;  but  here  are  no 
less  than  thirteen  prescribed;  and  so 
they  continued  to  be  offered  seven  days 
successively,  decreasing  by  one  bullock 
every  day,  till  on  the  seventh  day  only 
seven  were  offered,  which  in  all  made 
seventy  bullocks.  The  rams  also  were 
in  double  the  usual  proportion.     This 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


437 


"burnt-offering,    his    meat-offer- 
ing, and  his  drink-offering. 

82  And  on  the  seventh  day 
seven  bullocks,  two  rams,  and 
fourteen  lambs  of  the  first  year, 
without  blemish : 

33  And  their  meat-offering, 
and  their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullocks,  for  the  rams,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  he  according  to 
their  number,  after  the  manner  : 

34  And  one  goat  for  a  sin- 
offering  ;  beside  the  continual 
burnt-offering,  his  meat-offering, 
and  his  drink-offering. 

35  On  the   eighth  "  day  ye 


was  intrinsically  a  heavy  draft  upon 
the  resources  of  the  people,  but  easier 
to  be  borne  at  this  season  than  any 
other ;  for  it  was  now  a  time  of  leisure 
and  plenty ;  their  barns  being  full ; 
their  presses  bursting  forth  with  new 
wine ;  and  their  hearts  overflowing  with 
joy  and  thankfulness  towards  the  Di- 
vine Donor  for  all  the  blessings  of  the 
hai'vest.  On  the  reasons  of  this  daily 
diminution  of  the  number  of  the  bul- 
locks, Calvin  remarks :  "  I  confess  it 
is  not  clear  to  me;  and  it  is  better 
to  confess  my  ignorance  than  by  too 
subtle  speculations  to  vanish  into  mere 
smoke."  But  in  regard  to  this  point 
the  suggestion  of  Scott  is  worthy  of 
consideration :  "  The  decrease  of  the 
number  of  bullocks  sacrificed  on  the 
several  days  of  the  feast,  until  on  the 
last  and  great  day  only  one  was  offered, 
is  the  most  observable  circumstance  in 
this  law.  The  reason  is  not  evident, 
unless  it  be  intimated  that  the  Mosaic 
institution  would  gradually  wax  old, 
and  at  length  vanish  away  when  the 
promised  Messiah  came."  To  this  we 
are  disposed  to   add  the  explanation 


shall  have  a  solemn  assembly ; 
ye  shall  do  no  servile  work 
therein  : 

36  But  ye  shall  offer  a  burnt- 
offeriog,  a  sacrifice  made  by  fire, 
of  a  sweet  savour  unto  the  Lord  ; 
one  bullock,  one  ram,  seven  lambs 
of  the  first  year  without  blemish : 

37  Their  meat-offering,  and 
their  drink-offerings,  for  the 
bullock,  for  the  ram,  and  for 
the  lambs,  shall  be  according  to 
their  number,  after  the  manner: 

38  And  one  goat  fo?^  a  sin- 
offering;  beside  the  continual 
burnt-offering,  and  his  meat-of- 
fering, and  his  drink-offering. 

proposed  by  Ainsworth : — *'  By  this 
diminishing  of  one  bullock  every  day, 
the  Holy  Ghost  might  teach  their  duty 
to  grow  in  grace  and  increase  in  sancti- 
fication  ;  that  their  sins  decreasing,  the 
number  of  their  sacrifices  (whereby 
atonement  was  made  for  their  sins) 
should  also  decrease  daily." 

Vs.  35-38.  On,  the  eighth  day  ye  shall 
have  a  solemn  assembly.  The  eighth 
and  last  day,  though  the  crown  of  all 
the  rest,  and  called  by  the  evangelist, 
John  7  :  37,  "  the  last  day,  that  great 
day  of  the  feast,"  and  notwithstanding 
it  was  to  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  Sab- 
bath, on  the  score  of  strict  abstinence 
from  labor  and  the  performance  of 
solemn  religious  duties,  was  yet  distin- 
guished by  a  less  number  of  sacrifices 
than  any  of  the  preceding,  viz.,  one 
bullock,  one  ram,  seven  lambs,  with 
the  kid  for  a  sin-offering ;  as  if  the  de- 
sign were  to  impress  the  minds  of  his 
people  with  a  conviction,  that  it  was 
not  by  a  multitude  of  sacrifices  that  the 
!  blessings  of  eternal  life  were  to  be  se- 
j  cured,  and  that  eventually  these  shad- 
I  owy  rites  would  come  to  an  end,  while 


438 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1452. 


39  These  things  ye  shall  do 
unto  the  Lord  in  your  set  "feasts, 
beside  your  vows^,  and  your 
freewill-offerings,  for  your  burnt- 
offerings,  and  for  your  meat-offer- 
ings, and  for  your  drink-offerings, 
and  for  your  peace-offerings. 

40  And  Moses  told  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  according  to 
all  that  the  Lord  commanded 
Moses. 


o  Lev.  23.  '2,  etr.  1  Chr. 
3.  5.  Neh.  10.  3a.  Is.  1.  \i. 
22.  21, -23.  Deut.  12.  6. 


2  Cbr.  31.  3.  Ezra 
p  Lev.  7.  11,  16. 


something  far  more  substantial  and 
durable  would  come  in  their  place.  It 
was  on  this  occasion,  also,  that  the 
Saviour  called  the  people  from  their 
carnal  observances,  and  bade  them 
come  unto  him  that  they  might  drink 
the  waters  of  eternal  life.  John  7  :  37. 
V.  39.  Beside  your  vows,  etc.  The 
preceding  commands  covered  the  gen- 
eral ground  of  the  duty  of  the  people 
as  a  body,  but  room  was  still  to  be  left 
for  the  operation  of  private  devotedness 
and  generosity  in  the  way  of  glorifying 
God  by  vows,  free-will  offerings,  etc.,  as 
their  spirits  might  move  them.  On  the 
distinction  between  vows  and  volun- 
tary oflferings,  see  Note  on  Lev.  7  :  16. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

General  Instruction  in  regard  to  the 
Obligation  of  Vows  and  Oaths. 
V.  1.  Moses  spake  unto  the  heads  of 
the  tribes,  etc.  It  is  easily  conceivable 
that  under  the  influence  of  the  fervent 
zeal  inspired  by  the  festivals  enjoined 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  there  would 
be  prompted  many  of  those  voluntary 
gifts  and  services  which  are  alluded  to 
ch.  29  :  30.  In  regard  to  such  votive 
offerings,  Moses  is  here  commanded  to 
impart  instruction  to  the  mass  of  the 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

AND  Moses  spake  uuto  the 
heads  "  of  the  tribes  con- 
cerning the  children  of  Israel, 
saying,  This  is  the  thing  which 
the  Lord  hath  commanded, 

2  If  a  man  vow  *  a  vow  unto 
the  Lord,  or  swear  "  an  oath  to 
bind  his  soul  with  a  bond ;  he 
shall   not   break   his   word,  he 

ft  c.  \.  4-16.  b  Lev.  27.  2.  Deut.  23.  21.  Jiidpr.  11. 
35,  36.  Ps.  15.  4.  Kcc.  5.  4.  c  Lev.  5.  4.  Matt.  5.  33. 
14.  1-9.  Acts  23.  14. 


people  through  their  appointed  head- 
men or  chiefs,  who  are  variously  denom- 
inated "  the  heads  of  the  people,"  "  the 
chief  of  all  the  people,"  ''  the  princes  of 
Israel,  the  princes  of  all  the  tribes," 
"  the  elders  of  Israel,"  "  the  council, 
the  princes  and  elders,"  etc.  Some 
have  supposed  that  a  particular  case 
of  doubt  relative  to  this  subject  had 
been  propounded  to  Moses,  and  that  in 
answering  it  he  took  occasion  to  deliver 
the  rules,  contained  in  this  chapter,  cov- 
ering substantially  the  whole  ground, 
and  serving  as  a  directory  to  the  nation 
in  all  the  various  cases  that  might  oc- 
cur in  future  ages.  On  the  subject  of 
vows,  see  Notes  on  Lev.  27  :  2-18. 

V.  2.  If  a  man  vow  a  vow  unto  the 
Lord,  etc.  "  Vow"  is  represented  by  a 
Hebrew  word  (neder)  which  signifies  to 
promise,  and  may  therefore  be  defined  as 
a  religious  promise  made  to  God,  either 
of  a  positive  kind,  whereby  a  person 
engages  to  do  or  perform  something; 
or  negative,  whereby  he  binds  himself 
to  abstain  from  doing  or  performing 
something.  Here  it  is  implied  that  if  a 
man  of  mature  years,  being  wholly  at 
his  own  disposal,  shall  assume  the  re- 
sponsibility of  a  voluntary  vow,  wheth- 
er it  be  a  simple  promise  made  to  the 
Lord,  or  a  vow  confirmed  by  the  solem- 
nity of  an  oath,  he  is  to  deem  himself 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


439 


shall  do  '^  according  to  all  that 
proceedeth  out  of  his  mouth. 


d  Job  '.'•?.  27.    Ps.  22.  25. 
14,  18.  .\ah.  1.  15. 


50.14.      66.13,14.     116. 


sacredly  bound  to  keep  his  word,  and 
to  "  do  according  to  all  that  proceedeth 
out  of  his  mouth."  So  also,  Deut.  23  : 
21,  "  When  thou  shalt  vow  a  vow  unto 
thy  God,  thou  shalt  not  slack  to  pay  it." 
The  principle  of  the  precept  is  other- 
wise well  expressed,  "  It  is  better  not 
to  vow  than  to  vow  and  not  to  pay."  It 
is  assumed,  however,  that  the  object 
vowed  is  in  itself  lawful,  for  a  vow  by 
which  one  engages  to  do  what  is  intrin- 
sically wrong  cannot  properly  bind  the 
conscience.  Such  was  the  vow  of  Herod 
to  the  daughter  of  Herodias,  and  such 
the  vow  ot  the  forty  men,  Acts  23  :  21, 
who  had  "  bound  themselves  with  an 
oath  that  they  would  neither  eat  nor 

drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul." 

T[  Shall  not  break  his  word.  Heb.  "  Shall 
profane  his  word."  That  is,  shall  not, 
by  violating  it,  show  a  disregard  of  its 
sacred  binding  character,  but  shall  re- 
ligiously and  scrupulously  observe  it. 
A  similar  phraseology  occurs  in  regard 
to  the  covenant,  Ps.  55:  20,  "He  hath 
broken  (Heb.  profaned)  his  covenant." 
The  sanctity  of  a  vow  arises  from  its 
"binding  the  soul  with  a  bond."  It 
has  a  peculiar  force  from  its  voluntary 
nature,  inasmuch  as  it  was  not  bind- 
ing before  it  was  assumed.  Take,  for 
instance,  the  case  of  the  temperance 
pledge.  A  man  may  conceive  that 
total  abstinence  is  not  in  itself  abso- 
lutely and  universally  obligatory,  and 
yet  if  he  has  once  "  taken  the  pledge," 
he  is  solemnly  bound  to  keep  it,  and 
could  not  break  it  without  undermining 
the  very  foundations  of  morality  in  his 
own  soul.  The  greatest  caution  and 
circumspection  should  be  observed  in 
making  vows,   but  when    made  they 


3  If  a  woman  also  vow  a  vow 
unto  the  Lord,  and  bind  her- 
self by  a  bond,  being  in  her 
father's  house  in  her  youth ; 


should  be  held  sacred  when  lawful,  no 
matter  at  what  inconvenience.  It  is 
mentioned  as  one  of  the  traits  of  a 
good  man,  Ps.  15  :  4,  that  "  he  sweareth 
to  his  own  hurt,  and  changeth  not." 

^  All  that  proceedeth  out  of  his 

mouth.  It  would  seem  to  have  been 
essential  to  the  validity  of  a  vow  that 
it  should  be  actually  uttered  with  the 
mouth,  and  not  merely  made  in  the 
heart.  Thus,  Ps.  66  :  13,  14,  "  I  will  go 
into  thy  house  with  burnt-offerings ;  I 
will  pay  thee  my  vows,  which  my  lips 
have  uttered,  and  my  mouth  hath 
spoken  when  I  was  in  trouble."  If  a 
person  merely  made  a  vow  in  his 
heart,  without  letting  it  pass  his  lips, 
it  would  have  been  apt  to  be  regarded 
as  only  a  resolution  to  vow,  and  not  a 
vow  itself  This  would  have  tended  to 
beget  great  anxiety  in  conscientious 
people,  inasmuch  as  if  a  vow  made  in 
the  heart  were  valid,  it  would  often  be 
difficult  to  determine  whether  what  was 
thought  of  was  a  bare  intention  or  a 
genuine  vow.  It  would  appear,  there- 
fore, that  here,  just  as  in  a  civil  con- 
tract with  our  neighbor,  words,  uttered 
words,  were  necessary  to  prevent  all 
uncertainty  and  make  the  vow  accept- 
able as  such. 

V.  3.  If  a  woman  also  vow  a  vow  unto 
the  Lo7'd,  etc.  The  case  is  evidently 
that  of  a  woman  who  is  under  authority, 
and  not  entirely  at  her  own  disposal. 
The  law*  here  is,  that  the  vows  of  such 
shall  not  stand  if  disallowed  by  those 
under  whose  authority  she  is.  By  anal- 
og}'^  the  same  rule  is  no  doubt  to  be 
extended  to  the  case  of  minors  and  ser- 
vants, who  have  no  just  right  to  will 
away  or  dispose  of  what  does  not  prop- 


440 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


4  And  her  father  hear  her 
vow,  and  her  bond  wherewith 
she  hath  bound  her  soul,  and 
her  father  shall  hold  his  peace 
at  her  ;  then  all  her  vows  shall 
stand,  and  every  bond  where- 
with she  hath  bound  her  soul 
shall  stand. 

5  But  if  her  father  disallow 
her  in  the  day  that  he  heareth ; 
not  any  of  her  vows,  or  of  her 
bonds,  wherewith  she  hath 
bound  her  soul,  shall  stand : 
and  the  Lord  shall  forgive  her, 
because  her  father  disallowed 
her. 

eily  belong  to  them.  Young  women, 
while  abiding  at  home  vmder  the  pa- 
rental roof,  were  especially  interdicted 
these  rash  vows,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
law  would  seem  to  strike  at  the  prac- 
tice in  Catholic  countries,  of  young  fe- 
males devoting  themselves,  by  volun- 
tary vows,  to  a  life  of  seclusion  and 
celibacy;  and  also  at  all  the  arts  of 
priests  and  others  to  inveigle  them  into 
this  suri-ender. 

V.  4.  And  her  father  hear  her  now, 
etc.  This  states  a  case  where  her  vow 
shall  stand.  Though  the  father  may 
not  by  words  reprove  the  course  of  his 
daughter,  yet  if  he  is  cognizant  of  it, 
and  keeps  silence,  he  virtually  consents 
to  it,  and  her  conscivnce  therefore  re- 
mains bound.  We  gather,  as  a  fair  in- 
ference from  this,  that  any  one  having 
the  power  to  check  an  evil  in  its  bud, 
and  neglecting  to  do  it,  is  really  charge- 
able with  it.  His  connivance  is  a  kind 
of  tacit  approbation. 

V.  5.  If  her  father  disallmo  her  in  the 
day  that  he  heareth.  That  is,  whether 
on  the  day  that  she  vowed,  or  whether 
on  some  subsequent  day,  when  it  first 
came  to  his  ears.  His  disallowance  was 
to  vacate  her  vow,  and  if  her  conscience 


6  And  if  she  had  at  all  an 
husband,  when  she  vowed,  or 
uttered  aught  out  of  her  lips, 
wherewith  she  bound  her  soul ; 

7  And  her  husband  heard  it^ 
and  held  his  peace  at  her  in  the 
day  that  he  heard  it;  then  her 
vows  shall  stand,  and  her  bonds 
wherewith  she  bound  her  soul 
shall  stand. 

8  But  if  her  husband'' dii-al- 
lowed  her  on  the  day  that  he 
heard  it;  then  he  shall  make 
her  vow  which  she  vowed,  and 
that  which  she  uttered  with  her 

f  Gen.  3.  16.     1  Cr.  7.  4.     14.  34.   Eph.  5.  2-2, -M. 

were  made  uneasy  on  that  account,  she 
was  to  know  that  the  Lord  would  for- 
give her  sinful  rashness  in  vowing,  or 
dispense  her  from  the  obligation  of  her 
vow.  There  is  great  homage  ordained 
here  to  the  rightful  authority  of  those 
who  should  bear  rule  over  a  household. 
But  a  more  important  remark  is  that 
of  Calvin  on  the  passage : — "  The  ex- 
pression is  remarkable,  '  And  the  Lord 
shall  forgive  her,'  whereby  Moses  gen- 
tly reproves  the  foolish  thoughtlessness 
of  the  girl ;  and  soon  afterwards  the 
same  thing  is  spoken  of  married  women. 
And  surely  their  rashness  is  worthy 
of  reprehension,  if,  unmindful  of  their 
condition,  they,  as  it  were,  shake  oil' 
the  yoke,  and  hastily  commit  them- 
selves. God  therefore  hints  that  they 
are  not  without  blame;  but  lest  they 
should  be  tormented  by  secret  remorse, 
He  removes  every  scruple,  declaring 
that  He  will  forgive,  if  the  performance 
of  the  vow  shall  have  been  prevented 
in  any  other  quarter." 

Vs.  6-8.  If  she  had  at  all  an  husband. 
This  brings  up  the  case  of  married 
women,  who  are  forbidden  to  assume 
upon  them  a  vow  of  any  importance 
without  their  husband's  consent.     His 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


441 


lips,  wherewith  she  bound  her 
soul,  of  none  effect :  and  the 
Lord  shall  forgive  her. 

9  But  every  vow  of  a  widow, 
and  of  her  that  is  divorced, 
wherewith  they  have  bound 
their  souls,  shall  stand  against 
her. 

10  And  if  she  vowed  in  her 
husband's  house,  or  bound  her 
soul  by  a  bond  with  an  oath  ; 

11  And  her  husband  heard 
it,  and  held  his  peace  at  her, 
and  disallowed  her  not  ;  then 
all  her  vows  shall  stand,  and 
every  vow  wherewith  she  bound 
her  soul  shall  stand. 


concurrence  with  it  at  the  outset  shall 
render  it  obligatory  and  irreversible 
on  her  part,  while  his  refusal  shall  make 

it  null  and  void. T[  On  the  day  that 

he  heard  {it).  Arab.  "  On  whatsoever 
day  he  shall  at  length  have  heard 
of  it." 

V.  9.  Every  vow  of  a  toidoic,  etc. 
This  is  another  instance  of  the  applica- 
tion of  the  law  to  persons  who  are  at 
their  own  disposal,  and  can  act  in  the 
premises  as  they  please.  The  vows  of 
widows  and  parties  divorced  were  to 
stand  good  against  them. 

Vs.  10-13.  If  she  vowed  in,  her  hus- 
band^s  house,  etc.  As  this  cannot  well 
be  supposed  a  bare  repetition  of  the 
law  given  vs.  6-8,  the  probability  is, 
that  it  contemplates  the  case  of  widows 
and  wives  divorced.  That  is  to  say,  if 
the  vow  of  such  widow  or  divorced  wife 
were  made  during  the  husband's  life, 
but  not  then  performed,  the  obligation 
to  fulfil  in  her  widowhood  or  state  of 
divorcenrent  shall  depend  upon  his  con- 
sent to  it  or  refusal  of  it  at  the  first 
making,  when  she  was  under  his  power 
and  authority.    His  voice  in  these  cases 

19* 


12  But  if  her  husband  hath 
utterly  made  them  void  on  t'le 
day  he  heard  them;  then  what- 
soever proceedeth  out  of  her 
lips  concerning  her  vows,  or 
concerning  the  bond  of  her  soul, 
shall  not  stand ;  her  husband 
•^  hath  made  them  void,  and  the 
Lord  ^  shall  forgive  her. 

13  Every  vow  and  every 
binding  oath  to  afflict  the  soul, 
her  husband  may  establish  it, 
or  her  husband  may  make  it 
void. 

14  But  if  her  husband  alto- 
gether hold    his  peace  at   her. 


/I  Cor.  11. 


5.     c.  15.  25,  2S. 


binds  or  looses  the  wife.  Married  wo- 
men might  be  sometimes  very  forward 
to  make  large  vows  of  what  they  would 
do  if  ever  they  again  became  free,  and 
yet  being  free  might  make  light  of  per- 
forming their  vows  on  the  plea  that 
they  were  uttered  when  they  were  un- 
der the  power  of  their  husbands.  To 
prevent  this,  the  present  law  seems 
added,  enacting  that  in  case  a  woman 
vowed  in  her  husband's  house,  and  he 
held  his  peace  (v.  11),  then  all  her  vows 
should  stand,  even  after  his  death,  or 
after  she  is  made  free  by  divorce.  An- 
other supposition  is,  that  the  widow  or 
divorced  woman  may  have  returned  to 
her  father's  house  (Lev.  22  :  13),  and 
he,  supposing  himself  to  have  recovered 
his  original  power  over  her,  might  pre- 
sume to  disannul  her  vows,  as  though 
she  had  been  married.  The  present  in- 
junction would  guard  against  such  a 
contingency.  The  dependence  of  vs. 
10-13  upon  V.  9,  seems  strongly  to  con- 
firm this  interpretation. 

Vs.  14,  15.  If  her  husband  altogether 
hold  his  peace,  etc.  The  husband  was 
to  have  it  in  his  power  to  "  establish  or 


443 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


from  day  to  day  ;  then  he  estab- 
lisheth  all  her  vows,  or  all  her 
bonds,  which  are  upon  her  :  he 
confirmeth  them,  because  he 
held  his  peace  at  her  in  the  day 
that  he  heard  them. 

15  But  if  he  shall  any  ways 
make  them  void,  after  that  he 
hath  heard  them  ;  then  he  shall 
bear  her  iniquity. 

16  These  are  the  statutes 
which  the  Lord  commanded 
Moses  between  a  man  and  his 


make  void "  the  vows  of  his  wife,  but 
in  case  of  his  tacit  or  explicit  consent 
to  the  religious  vow  of  his  wife — and  so 
in  like  manner  of  the  father  towards  his 
daughter — once  freely  given  at  the  first 
making  of  the  vow,  should  give  it  sanc- 
tion and  make  it  irreversible.  He,  in 
fact,  thus  made  the  vow  his  own,  and 
was  not  at  liberty  to  retract  it.  His  si- 
lence at  the  time  was  to  be  fairly  inter- 
pi-eted  as  consent,  and  if  he  attempted 
to  recall  that  consent,  or  to  hinder  the 
due  performance  of  the  vow,  then  he 
was  "to  bear  her  iniquity,"  that  is,  the 
Lord  would  punish  Jiim,  not  her,  for  a 
gross  breach  of  faith.  "Hence  we 
learn,"  says  Jarchi,  "  that  he  which  is 
a  cause  of  scandal  or  offence  unto  his 
neighbor,  shall  come  in  his  stead  into 
all  punishments." 

V.  16.  These  {are)  the  statutes  which 
the  Lord  commanded  Moses,  etc.  That 
is,  these  statutes  were  ordained  for  the 
pi'eservation  of  order,  for  the  good  of 
families,  for  the  peace  and  tranquillity 
of  all  parties.  It  is  altogether  probable 
that  some  differences  had  arisen  in  fam- 
ilies in  regard  to  these  matters,  and 
that  the  immediate  aim  of  the  laws  here 
enacted  was  to  settle  the  power  of  hus- 
bands over  their  wives,  and  of  parents 
over  their  children,  while  they  were 
young  and  abode  in  the  family. 


wife;  between  the  father  and 
his  daughter,  being  yet  in  her 
youth  in  her  father's  house. 


A 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

ND   the    Lord   spake   unto 

Moses,  saying, 
2  Avenge "  the  children  of  Is- 
rael of  the  Midianites :    after- 
ward  shalt    thou    be   gathered 
*  unto  thy  people. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


TJie  War 


Midianites. 


V.  1.  The  Lord  spahe  unto  Moses,  etc. 
The  command  had  before  been  given, 
ch.  25  :  17,  that  Israel  should  "  vex  the 
Midianites,  and  smite  them,"  but  for 
some  reason  the  execution  of  the  com- 
mand was  then  deferred  for  a  season, 
or  the  writer  has  not  followed  the  pre- 
cise order  of  events,  as  the  various 
orders  relative  to  numbering  the  peo- 
ple, declaring  the  law  of  female  inheri- 
tance, appointing  Joshua  as  Moses'  suc- 
cessor, prescribing  the  sacrifices,  etc., 
intervene  between  the  issuing  of  the 
command  for  the  invasion  of  Midian 
and  its  accomplishment.  But  nothing 
is  more  usual  than  such  breaks  and 
translocations  in  the  sacred  narrative, 
and  as  all  the  facts  intended  are  really 
recorded,  it  is  not  of  so  much  moment 
that  the  precise  order  of  the  facts 
should  be  punctiliously  observed. 

V.  2.  Avenge  the  children  of  Israel 
of  the  Midianites.  Heb.  "  Avenge  the 
vengeance  of  the  children  of  Israel ;"  a 
Hebraistic  form  of  expression,  carry- 
ing with  it  a  peculiar  emphasis.  Gr. 
"  Avenge  the  cause  of  the  children  of 
Israel  on  the  Midianites."  Vulg.  "  Re- 
venge first  the  children  of  Israel  on  the 


B.  C.  1452. 


CHAPTEPw  XXXI. 


443 


3  And  Moses  spake  unto  the 
people,  saying,  Arm  some  of 
yourselves  unto  the  war,  and 
let  them  go  against  the  Midian- 

Midianites."  The  people  of  Israel  were 
not  hereby  commanded  to  enter  upon 
this  work  with  vindictive  feelings,  but 
as  the  instruments  of  a  just  retribution 
upon  a  guilty  race  who  had  incurred 
the  divine  displeasure  by  "the  wiles 
wherewith  they  had  beguiled  Israel  in 
the  matter  of  Peor,"  ch.  25  :  18.  By 
the  wicked  advice  of  Baalam,  and  with 
an  express  and  diabolical  intention  of 
depriving  them  of  Jehovah's  protec- 
tion, they  had  attempted  to  seduce  the 
Israelites  to  idolatry  and  its  obscene 
orgies.  The  consequence  was  that 
24,000  of  the  chosen  people  fell  vic- 
tims to  their  own  temerity.  But  were 
they  thus  to  be  punished,  and  should 
the  prime  instigators  of  the  horrible 
wickedness  escape  with  impunity  ?  By 
no  means.  The  Lord  accordingly  here 
ordains  vengeance  to  be  executed  upon 
the  transgressors.  He  does  it,  as  the 
Lord  supreme,  to  whom  vengeance  and 
recompense  belong,  and  who  would  not 
have  men  aveuge  themselves.  It  is 
therefore  a  measure  which  cannot  be 
brought  into  precedent  as  justifying  a 
similar  war  without  a  like  commission, 
for  the  Hebrews  in  this  matter  were 
merely  the  executioners  of  a  judicial 
sentence.  This  event  the  Lord  deter- 
mined should  be  brought  about  prior 
to  the  death  of  Moses,  that  he  might 
have,  as  it  were,  a  last  token  of  the  di- 
vine care  for  the  welfare  of  his  people. 
This  he  was  to  witness  and  then  be 
"  gathered  unto  his  people."  There  is 
nothing  said  in  this  connection  of  the 
Moabites,  for  the  reason,  doubtless,  that 
the  Midiauites  had  entertained  Balaam 
after  his  departure  from  Balak,  and 
that  they  had  been  chief  in  concocting 
the  conspiracy  which  had  occasioned 


ites,  and    avenge   the   Lord  of 
Midian. 

4  Of  every  tribe  a  thousand, 
throuo-hout    all    the    tribes    of 


so  much  disaster  to  Israel,  and  which 
was  now  about  to  recoil  upon  them- 
selves. Add  to  this,  that  in  the  present 
sparing  of  Moab  regard  was  probably 
had  to  the  memory  of  Lot,  the  founder 
of  their  race ;  although  at  a  subsequent 
period  they  also  paid  the  penalty  of 

their  offences. •[[  Gathered  unto  thy 

people.  See  Note  ch.  20 :  24.  Gen.  25 :  8, 
"God  sometimes  removes  useful  men 
when  we  think  they  could  ill  be  spared ; 
but  this  ought  to  satisfy  us,  that  they 
are  never  removed  till  they  have  done 
the  work  which  was  appointed  them." 
— Henry. 

V.  3.  Avenge  the  Lord  of  Midian. 
The  whole  clause,  literally  rendered 
from  the  Hebrew,  reads  thus  :  "And  let 
them  be  against  (or  upon)  Midian  to 
render (or  give)  the  vengeance  of  Je- 
hovah upon  Midian."  The  phrase  "  giv- 
ing vengeance "  is  parallel  in  the  Gr. 
of  2  Thess.  1:8,"  Taking  (Gr.  giving) 
tengeance  upon  all  them  that  know  not 
God,  etc."  The  reader  will  observe 
that  whereas  God  says,  v.  2,  "Avenge 
the  children  of  Israel  of  the  Midianites," 
here  Moses  sa^'s,  "  Avenge  the  Lord  of 
Midian,"  implying  that  while  the  Lord 
marks  his  tender  concern  for  the  wel- 
fare of  his  people,  they,  on  the  other 
hand,  show  a  paramount  concern  for 
the  glory  of  their  God  ;  to  that  they  will 
be  prompted  to  subordinate  every  in- 
terest of  their  own.  Jarchi :  "  He  who 
arrays  himself  against  Israel  is  regard- 
ed the  same  as  if  he  arrayed  himself 
against  the  Lord." 

V.  4.  Of  every  tribe  a  thousand. 
Twelve  thousand  in  all,  comparatively 
a  small  force  to  contend  with  a  whole 
nation,  the  multitudes  of  which  may  be 
inferred  from  the  abundance  of  spoils 


444 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


Israel,   shall   ye   send    to    the 
war. 

5  So  there  were  delivered  out 
of  the  thousands  of  Israel,  a 
thousand  of  every  tribe,  twelve 
thousand  armed  for  war. 

6  And  Moses  sent  them  to 
the  war,  a  thousand  of  every 
tribe,  them  and  Phinehas  the 
son  of  Eleazar  the  priest,  to  the 
war,  with  the  holy  instruments, 


and  the  trumpets  to  "  blow,   in 
his  hand. 

7  And  they  warred  against 
the  Midianites,  as  the  Lord 
commanded  Moses  ;  and  "^  they 
slew  all  the  males. 

8  And '  they  slew  the  kings 
of  Midian,  beside  the  rest  of 
them  that  were  slain ;  namely^ 


taken,  and  from  the  slaughter  of  five 
kings  who  fell  on  this  occasion,  v.  8. 
An  hundred  thousand  fighting  men 
would  have  been  but  a  sixth  part  of  the 
disposable  force  which  might  have  been 
employed  in  this  enterprise  had  infinite 
wisdom  seen  fit,  but  as  the  Most  High 
determined  that  the  glory  should  not  be 
referred  to  the  number  of  those  engaged 
in  achieving  the  victory,  he  no  doubt 
prescribed  to  Moses  the  amount  of  men 
to  be  detailed  for  the  service,  and  these 
were  to  be  taken  in  equal  proportion 
from  all  the  tribes,  that  one  tribe  might 
not  vaunt  itself  over  another  in  view  of 
the  result,  but  that  all  the  glory  might 
be  ascribed  to  the  Lord  alone.  "  There 
is  no  restraint  to  the  Lord  to  save  by 
many  or  by  few."    1  Sam.  14  :  6. 

V.  6.  A7id  Phinehas  the  son  of  Eleazar 
the  priest.  The  capacity  in  which  Phine- 
has was  to  go  was  not,  we  presimie, 
that  of  general  or  leader  of  the  expedi- 
tion, which  would  more  naturally  de- 
volve on  Joshua,  but  as  a  general  en- 
courager  of  the  host,  and  especially  as 
overseer  of  the  Levites,  to  whose  care 
was  intrusted  "the  holy  instruments 
and  the  trumpets,"  which  latter  were 
always  to  be  blown  upon  occasions  like 
the  present,  when  war  was  to  be  en- 
gaged in.  Yet  the  precise  import  of 
"  holy  instruments  (Heb.  instruments 
or  vessels  of  holiness),"  in  this  connec- 
tion, it  is  not  easy  to  determine.    Some 


d  Dent.  20.  13.  Jufl;^.  21 .  11      1  K. 

e  Juah.  13.  -n,  11. 


have  understood  the  ark  of  the  cov- 
enant and  its  appurtenances,  and  some 
the  Urim  and  Thummim  ;  but  the  prob- 
able construction,  we  think,  is  that  of 
Le  Clerc,  who  would  translate  "and" 
by  "  even,"  and  have  instruments  stand 
in  apposition  with  trumpets  /  "  with 
the  holy  instruments  even  the  trumpets 
to  blow,  etc."  This,  as  we  have  often 
remarked  before,  is  a  very  usual  sense 
of  the  Heb.  word  for  "and."  As  to 
the  suggestion  of  Spencer  and  others, 
founded  upon  the  Chald.  version,  that 
the  Urim  and  Thummim  were  included 
in  the  instruments,  this  is  less  likely 
from  the  fact,  that  these  articles,  with 
the  Golden  Plate  or  Pectoral,  were 
properly  in  the  hands  of  Eleazar  the 
High  Priest  and  not  of  Phinehas,  oh. 
27  :  21.  20  :  26. 

V.  8.  Slew  the  hings  qf  Midian.  The 
title  "kings"  is  doubtless  here  to  be 
taken  in  quite  a  limited  sense.  In  the 
parallel  passage.  Josh.  13  :  21,  they  are 
called  "dukes  of  Sihon,"  importing  the 
same  as  vassals  or  tributaries.  After 
the  death  of  Sihon  they  probably  rose 
somewhat  in  the  scale  of  dignity  and 
were  thence  called  "kings,"  but  the 
true  idea  is  that  of  petty  chieftains. 
One  of  the  five,  viz.,  Zur,  was  the  father 
of   Cozbi,   the    Midianitess,   killed   by 

Phinehas,  ch.  25  :  15. H  Balaam  alsOy 

the  son  of  Beor,  they  slew  with  the  sword. 
However  this  miserable  man  may  have 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


445 


Evi,  and  Rekeni,  and  Zur,  and 
Hur,  and  Reba,  five  kings  of 
Midian  :  Balaam  also,  the  son 
of  Beor,  thej  slew  with  the 
sword. 

9  And  the  children  of  Israel 
took  all  the  women  of  Midian 
captives,  and  their  little  ones, 
and  took  the  spoil  of  all  their 
cattle,  and  all  their  flocks,  and 
all  their  goods. 

10  And  they  '  burnt  all  their 
cities  wherein  they  dwelt,  and 

/  Josh.  6.24.  Uev.  18.8. 

found  his  way  into  the  ranks  of  the 
Midianites,  yet  here  he  is,  and  here  a 
condign  punishment  meets  him.  Hav- 
ing virtually  taken  the  sword  by  being 
instrumental  in  bringing  Midian  into 
armed  hostility  against  Israel,  he  per- 
ishes by  the  sword.  The  language  of 
Ezekiel,  ch.  32  :  28,  finds  in  him  a  fit 
application  :  "  Yea,  thou  shalt  be  broken 
in  the  midst  of  the  uncircumcised,  and 
shalt  lie  with  them  that  are  slain  with 
the  sword."  He  falls  in  the  judgment 
which  he  has  provoked,  and  leaves  his 
name  as  "  a  by-word  and  a  hissing"  to 
all  future  generations.  We  wind  up  all 
further  allusions  to  him  in  the  follow- 
ing remarks  of  Mr.  Kitto  :  "  According 
to  the  view  which  we  take  of  Balaam's 
character,  it  is  not  so  peculiar  as  it 
seems.  Separated  from  the  external 
accidents  of  time,  of  country,  and  posi- 
tion— we  may  go  into  the  streets,  and 
find  a  Balaam  in  every  third  man  we 
meet.  He  belonged  to  that  still  numer- 
ous class  who  theoretically  know  God, 
and  who  actually  do  fear  him — but  the 
love  and  fear  of  whom  are  not  the  gov- 
erning and  regulating  principles  of 
their  minds.  They  are  convinced,  but 
not  converted.  They  can  prize  and 
strongly  desire  the  privileges  of  God's 


all    their    goodly    castles,  with 
fire. 

i       11  And    they  took    all    the 
I  spoil  -"  and  all  the  prey,  both  of 
I  men  and  of  beasts. 
1       12    And    they    brought    the 
!  captives,  and  the  prey,  and  the 
'  spoil,  unto  Moses  and  Eleazar 
I  the  priest,  and  unto  the  congre- 
gation of  the  children  of  Israel, 
unto  the  camp  at  the  plains  ^  of 
Moab,    which    are   by    Jordan 
near  Jericho. 

g  Deut.  iO.  14.  Josh.  8.  2.  A  c.  -.'2.  1. 


elect — they  long  to  "  die  the  death  of 
the  righteous,"  but  are  unwilling  to  live 
their  life.  They  would  serve  God ;  but 
they  must  serve  mammon  also ;  and  in 
the  strife  between  the  two  contending 
influences,  their  lives  are  made  bitter 
and  their  deaths  perilous." 

V.  9.  Tooh  the  spoil  of  all  tJieir  cat- 
tle, etc.  Rather,  Heb.  "  took  as  spoil," 
i.  e.,  plundered,  pillaged,  "  all  their  cat- 
tle, and  all  their  flocks,  etc."  "  Taking 
the  spoil  of  cattle,  flocks,  etc.,"  is  not  a 
very  intelligible  English  phrase. 

V.  10.  Burnt  all  their  cities,  etc.  The 
destruction  of  these  places  would  de- 
prive the  Israelites  of  all  plea  for  tak- 
ing possession  of  them  as  a  kind  of 
nestling-places  where  they  could  abide, 
instead  of  encountering  the  hardship  of 
conquering  Canaan. 

V.  11.  Took  all  the  spoil  and  all  the 
prey.  The  former  implies  such  things 
pertaining  to  men  and  women  as  were 
usually  taken  in  war,  as  garments,  gold, 
silver,  provisions,  etc.,  while  the  latter 
is  applied  more  especially  to  beasts  and 
cattle.  These,  together  with  the  cap- 
tive women,  were  brought  to  the  rulers 
and  the  congregation  to  learn  what  dis- 
posal should  be  made  of  them  by  divine 
direction. 


446 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


13  And  Moses  and  Eleazar 
the  priest,  and  all  the  princes 
of  the  congregation,  went  forth 
to  meet  them  without  the  camp. 

14  And  Moses  was  wroth  with 
the  ofl&cers  of  the  host,  ivith  the 
captains  over  thousands,  and 
captains  over  hundreds,  which 
came  from  the  battle. 

15  And  Moses  said  unto 
them,  Have  ye  saved  all  the 
women '  alive  ? 


Deut.  20.  13.    1  Sam.  15. 


V.  13.  Went  forth  to  meet  them  tvith- 
out  the  camp.  Somewhat  as  Melchise- 
dek,  king  and  priest,  went  forth  to  meet 
Abraham  after  the  slaughter  of  the 
kings,  Gen.  14 :  18-14,  so  does  Moses, 
the  "king  in  Jeshurun,"  Eleazar  the 
priest,  and  the  princes  now  go  forth 
to  meet  Abraham's  children  returning 
from  the  slaughter  of  the  kings  of  Mid- 
ian.  The  object  was  to  congratulate 
the  host  upon  its  victory,  and  to  make 
the  triumphal  procession  more  im- 
posing. They  were  to  do  this  "  with- 
out the  camp,"  inasmuch  as  they  had 
become  polluted  by  shedding  blood  and 
coming  in  contact  with  dead  bodies, 
and  must  therefore  undergo  a  process 
of  purification  before  they  could  be  re- 
ceived into  the  camp,  v.  19,  20.  ch.  5  : 
2,  3.  19  :  11-13. 

Vs.  14^17.  Moses  was  wroth  with  the 
officers  of  the  host.  Heb.  al  peJcude  he- 
hdyil,  with  the  visitors  of  the  force. 
Gr.  "With  the  bishops  of  the  host." 
These,  however,  are  immediately  ex- 
plained as  the  captains  of  the  thousands 
and  hundreds  which  came  from  the  bat- 
tle. The  wrath  of  Moses  on  this  occa- 
sion was  not  excited  by  any  provoca- 
tion that  was  personal  to  himself.  In 
his  own  cause  he  was  uniformly  meek 
and  gentle ;  but  when  the  Lord's  honor 
or  glory  was  at  stake,  he  was  filled  with 


16  Behold,  these  *  caused  the 
children  of  Israel,  through  the 
counsel '  of  Balaam,  to  commit 
trespass  against  the  Lord  in  the 
matter  of  Peor,  and  there  was  a 
plague  among"' the  congregation 
of  the  Lord. 

17  Now  therefore  "  kill  every 
male  among  the  little  ones,  and 
kill  every  woman  that  hath 
known  man  by  lying  with  him. 


k  c.  25. 
I  c.  25.  9 


;2  Pet.  2.  15.  Rev.  2.  14. 
;i  Judsr.  21.  11. 


a  holy  zeal  which  passed  easily  into  in- 
dignation towards  the  offenders.  The 
occasion  of  his  anger  now  was  the 
sparing  the  females  instead  of  putting 
them  to  death.  We  do  not,  indeed, 
read  that  an  express  command  had 
been  given  them  to  this  effect,  but  it 
was  doubtless  implied  in  the  general 
order  to  avenge  Israel  of  the  Midian- 
ites ;  for  as  the  women  had  been  the 
principal  instruments  of  seducing  the 
people  into  sin  in  the  worship  of  Peor, 
it  was  fair  to  infer  that  they  were  not 
to  be  spared.  "  God  had  put  to  death 
the  adulterers  of  Israel  by  the  plague, 
and  now  it  was  fit  that  the  adulteresses 
of  Midian,  especially  since  they  had 
been  the  tempters,  should  be  put  to 
death  by  the  sword." — Henri/.  The 
sentence  passed  was  no  doubt  severe 
in  the  extreme  and  abhorrent  to  our 
benevolent  feelings,  but  God  is  the  su- 
preme arbiter  of  the  lot  of  all  men,  and 
may  remove  them  out  of  the  world  in 
any  manner  that  he  sees  fit.  If  this  is 
done  by  pestilence  or  earthquake,  by 
shipwreck,  famine,  in  deadly  battle, 
wasting  disease,  or  old  age,  no  one 
complains.  Why  should  there  be  com- 
plaint if,  in  the  capacity  of  supreme 
judge  and  governor,  he  expressly  orders 
a  portion  of  his  creatures  to  be  put  to 
death  for  crimes  committed  which  can- 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


447 


18  But  all  the  women-chil- 
dren, that  have  not  known  a 
man  by  lying  with  him,  keep 
alive  for  yourselves. 

19  And  do  ye  abide  without 
the  camp  seven  days :  whoso- 
ever "  hath  killed  any  person, 
and  whosoever  hath  touched  any 


*c.  5.  2.     19.  11,  etc. 


not  but  be  admitted  in  the  circum- 
stances to  be  worthy  of  death  ?  Is  he 
to  be  any  more  accused  of  harshness 
than  if  they  were  taken  away  in  what 
is  termed  "the  course  of  nature,"  in 
which  we  are  equally  bound  to  recog- 
nize a  providential  agency?  It  is  to 
be  remembered  that  in  all  probability 
these  very  women,  some  or  all  of  them, 
had  been  concerned  in  the  abomination 
of  Peor,  and  that  if  they  were  spared 
alive  the  same  revolting  and  criminal 
scenes  would  be  in  danger  of  being  en- 
acted over  again,  and  thus  a  new  plague 
or  judgment  inflicted  upon  the  people. 
To  an  eye  that  could  take  in  the  whole 
from  the  end  to  the  beginning,  it  would 
undoubtedly  appear  that  this  was  a 
procedure  of  kindness  and  mercy  rather 
than  of  cruelty,  and  the  confession  ex- 
torted, "Just  and  true  are  all  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  saints." 

V.  18.  But  all  the  ivomen-cMldren, 
etc.  The  policy  which  originated  this 
order  contemplated,  we  may  presume, 
the  rearing  up  of  these  Midianitish 
girls  and  maidens,  either  to  be  disposed 
of  by  sale  to  other  nations,  to  be  em- 
ployed as  servants,  or,  in  case  they  be- 
came proselytes,  to  marry  them  as  or- 
dained, Deut.  21 :  11-14.  The  Jewish 
writers  have  many  conceits  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  discrimination 
here  spoken  of  was  to  be  made,  but  it 
is  sufficient  to  suggest  that  the  age 
alone  would  be  a  sufficient  criterion, 
and  there  was  probably  no  other. 


slain,  purify  hoth  yourselves  and 
your  captives  on  the  third  day, 
and  on  the  seventh  day. 

20  And  purify  all  your  rai- 
ment, and  all  that  is  made  of 
skins,  and  all  work  of  goats'  hair^ 
and  all  things  made  of  wood. 

21  And  Eleazar  the  priest 
said  unto  the  men  of  war  which 

Ys.  19,  20;  Yourselves  and  your  cap- 
tives. As  we  cannot  well  suppose  that 
the  heathen  nations  would  contract  de- 
filement from  the  dead,  or  otherwise 
become  subject  to  legal  uncleanness, 
the  obligation  to  be  purified  on  this  oc- 
casion arose  from  their  having  come  so 
fully  into  the  possession  of  the  Israelites 
as  to  constitute,  as  it  were,  a  part  of 
them.  Accordingly  Jarchi  here  re- 
marks :  " '  Yourselves  and  your  cap- 
tivity;' not  that  heathens  do  receive 
uncleanness,  and  need  to  be  sprinkled ; 
but  as  you,  the  children  of  the  cov- 
enant, so  your  captives  also  which 
come  into  the  covenant,  and  are  un- 
clean, have  need  to  be  sprinkled." 

'^  All  that  is  made  of  skins,  etc.  Trav- 
ellers inform  us  that  among  the  com- 
mon furniture  of  the  Arabs  at  the  pres- 
ent day  are  hair  sacks,  and  trunks,  and 
baskets  covered  with  skins,  great  wood- 
en bowls,  hand-mills,  and  pitchers.  It 
is  to  articles  of  this  kind,  which  were 
doubtless  in  use  among  the  ancient  Is- 
raelites, that  the  injunction  in  the  pres- 
ent passage  refers.  They  were  all  to  be 
cleansed  in  water. 

Ys.  21-24.  This  is  the  ordinance  of 
the  law,  etc.  This  order  was  given  by 
Eleazar,  the  high-priest,  to  the  people, 
but  it  may  be  supposed  that  it  was  first 
communicated  to  him  by  Moses.  It  was 
to  be  henceforth  a  standing  law  to  the 
Israelitish  soldiery,  that  all  who  had 
I  been  in  a  battle,  whether  they  had 
j  actually  slain  an  enemy  and  touched 


448 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


went  to  the  battle,  This  is  the 
ordinance  of  the  law  which  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses; 

22  Only  the  gold,  and  the 
silver,  the  brass,  the  iron,  the 
tin,  and  the  lead, 

23  Every  thing  that  may 
abide  the  fire,  ye  shall  make  it 
go  through  the  fire,  and  it  shall 
be  clean ;  nevertheless  it  shall 
be  purified^  with  the  water  of 
separation :  and  all  that  abideth 
not  the  fire  ye  shall  make  go 
through  the  water. 

24  And  ^  ye  shall  wash  your 
clothes  on  the  seventh  day,  and 
ye  shall  be  clean,  and  afterward 
ye  shall  come  into  the  camp. 

25  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying. 


p  c.  19.  9,  n. 


q  Lev.  11.  25. 


his  body  or  not,  should  be  obliged  thus 
to  purify  themselves ;  and  moreover, 
that  all  kind  of  spoil  which  would  en- 
dure the  fire,  as  hard  metals,  gold,  sil- 
ver, etc.,  should  be  cleansed  by  fire, 
and  then  sprinkled  with  the  purifica- 
tion water  (ch.  19:1,  2,  etc.);  while 
such  things  as  could  be  washed  with 
water  should  undergo  that  process. 

The  Law  of  the  Division  of  the  Sj)oil. 

Vs.  25-27.  Take  the  sum  of  the  prey, 
etc.  Ileb.  "  The  head  of  the  prey."  See 
Note  on  ch.  1 :  2.  The  soldiery  having 
been  thus  commanded  to  cleanse  them- 
selves preparatory  to  re-entering  the 
camp,  an  order  is  now  given  relative  to 
an  equitable  division  of  the  spoil.  Of 
this  the  whole  amount  was  to  be  di- 
vided into  two  equal  parts,  one  of  which 
was  to  be  distributed  among  the  12,000 
who  had  been  engaged  in  the  expedi- 
tion ;  the  other  half  among  the  rest  of 


26  Take  the  sum  of  the  prey 
that  was  taken,  hoth  of  man  and 
of  beast,  thou,  and  Eleazar  the 
priest,  and  the  chief  fathers  of 
the  congregation ; 

27  And  divide  ''  the  prey  into 
two  parts;  between  them  that 
took  the  war  upon  them,  who 
went  out  to  battle,  and  between 
all  the  congregation : 

28  And  levy  a  tribute  "  unto 
the  Lord  of  the  men  of  war 
which  went  out  to  battle  :  one 
'  soul  of  five  hundred,  hoth  of 
the  persons,  and  of  the  beeves, 
and  of  the  asses,  and  of  the 
sheep : 

29  Take  it  of  their  half,  and 
give  it  unto  Eleazar  the  priest, 

r  Jcsh.  2-2.  8.  1  Sam.  30.  24.  Ps.  68.  12.  s  Gen. 
14.  20.  Joah.  6.  19.  2  Sam.  8.  11,  12.  Prov.  3.  9,  10. 
t  ver.  30.  41.    c.  18.  26. 

the  Israelites,  as  being  all  concerned  in 
the  common  cause.  David,  we  find,  at 
a  later  period  enacted  a  similar  law,  al- 
though under  somewhat  different  cir- 
cumstances. 1  Sam.  30  :  24,  25,  "  For 
who  will  hearken  unto  you  in  this  mat- 
ter? but  as  his  part  is  that  goeth  down 
to  the  battle,  so  shall  his  part  be  that 
tarrieth  by  the  stuff:  they  shall  part 
alike.  And  it  was  so  from  that  day  for- 
ward, that  he  made  it  a  statute  and  an 
ordinance  for  Israel  unto  this  day," 
To  prevent  all  partial  dealing,  the  dis- 
tribution was  committed  to  the  man- 
agement of  the  heads  of  the  several 
tribes  in  concert  with  the  high-priest. 
Vs.  28,  29.  And  levy  a  tribute,  etc. 
This  was  another  feature  of  the  divi- 
sion. Out  of  the  half  that  fell  to  the  lot 
of  the  soldiers  was  to  be  deducted  a  five 
hundredth  part  of  every  kind  of  spoil, 
as  an  offering  to  God,  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  him  as  sovereign  owner  of  all, 
and  the  author  of  all  their  success ;  and 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


449 


for   an   heave  offering  of  the 
Lord. 

30  And  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael's half,  thou  shalt  take  "  one 
portion  of  fifty,  of  the  persons, 
of  the  beeves,  of  the  asses,  and 
of  the  flocks,  of  all  manner  of 
beasts,  and  give  "  them  unto  the 
Levites,  which  "'  keep  the  charge 
of  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord. 

31  And  Moses  and  Eleazar 
the  priest  did  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses. 

32  And  the  booty,  heing  the 
rest  of  the  prey  "which  the  men 
of  war  had  caught,  was  six  hun- 
dred thousand  and  seventy  thou- 
sand and  five  thousand  sheep, 

33  And  threescore  and  twelve 
thousand  beeves, 

34  And  threescore  and  one 
thousand  asses, 

35  And  thirty  and  two  thou- 
sand persons  in  all,  of  women 
that  had  not  known  man  by 
lying  with  him. 

36  And  the  half,  ivhich  ivas 
the  portion  of  them  that  went 


this  was  to  be  presented  as  an  heave- 
offering  to  the  priests. 

Vs.  30,  31.  Of  the  children  of  Israel's 
half,  etc.  In  like  manner,  out  of  the 
half  belonging  to  the  whole  body  of  the 
people,  who  had  not  shared  in  the  dan- 
gers and  hardships  of  the  war,  a  much 
larger  proportion  was  to  be  deducted 
fi-om  each  article  of  spoil,  viz.,  a  fiftieth 
part  to  be  presented  to  the  Levites,  the 
other  branch  of  the  ministry,  as  a  re- 
ligious acknowledgment  of  the  same 
purport  with  the  preceding.  In  this  it 
was  designed  that  whatever  the  Lord's 
ministers  had  for  their  maintenance  in 


out  to  war,  was  in  number  three 
hundred  thousand  and  seven  and 
thirty  thousand  and  five  hundred 
sheep  : 

37  And  the  Lord's  tribute  of 
the  sheep  was  six  hundred  and 
threescore  and  fifteen. 

38  And  the  beeves  were  thirty 
and  six  thousand  ;  of  which  the 
Lord's  tribute  ivas  threescore 
and  twelve. 

39  And  the  asses  ivere  thirty 
thousand  and  five  hundred ;  of 
which  the  Lord's  tribute  ivas 
threescore  and  one. 

40  And  the  persons  were  six- 
teen thousand ;  of  which  the 
Lord's  tribute  was  thirty  and 
two  persons. 

41  And  Moses  gave  the  trib- 
ute, ivhich  was  the  Lord's  heave- 
offering,  unto  Eleazar  the  priest; 
as-'the  Lord  commanded  Mo- 
ses. 

42  And  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael's half,  which  Moses  divided 
from  the  men  that  warred, 

43  (Now  the  half  that  x^er- 


his  service  should  be  given  to  them  in 
such  a  manner  as  if  it  were  offered  to 
himself.  The  far  greater  number  of  the 
Levites  made  it  proper  that  in  the  par- 
tition their  portion  should  be  much 
greater  than  that  of  the  priests.  The 
Levites  had  one  part  in  fifty,  the  priests 
one  in  five  hundred,  equivalent  to  a 
tithe,  according  to  the  rule  laid  down 
ch.  18 :  21-28. 

Vs.  32-47.  The  booty,  {being)  the  rest 
of  the  prey,  etc.  That  is,  deducting  the 
"  spoils,"  strictly  so  called,  the  clothes, 
armor,  and  valuables  of  the  enemy,  to- 
gether with  the  movables  and  money, 


450 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


tained  unto  the  congregation 
was  three  hundred  thousand  and 
thirty  thousand  and  seven  thou- 
sand and  five  hundred  sheep, 

44  And  thirty  and  six  thou- 
sand beeves, 

45  And  thirty  thousand  asses 
and  five  hundred, 

46  And  sixteen  thousand  per- 
sons;) 

47  Even  "  of  the  children  of 
Israel's  half,  Moses  took  one  por- 
tion of  fifty,  both  of  man  and  of 
beast,  and  gave  them  unto  the 
Levites,  which  kept  the  charge 
of  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord  ; 
as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses. 


48  And  the  officers  which 
were  over  thousands  of  the  host, 
the  captains  of  thousands,  and 
captains  of  hundreds,  came  near 
unto  Moses  : 

49  And  they  said  unto  Moses, 
Thy   servants   have    taken  the 

I  sum  of  the  men  of  war  which 
I  are  under  our  charge,  and  there 
I  lacketh  not  one  man  of  us. 

50  We  have  therefore  brought 
\  an  oblation  for  the  Lord,  what 

every  man  hath  gotten,  of  jew- 
els of  gold,  chains,  and  bracelets, 
;  rings,  ear-rings,  and  tablets,  to 
I  make  '  an    atonement   for   our 
I  souls  before  the  Lord. 


which  were  not  divided  in  common, 
but  belonged  individually  to  the  cap- 
tors ;  also  whatever  persons  had  been 
slain  since  their  return,  and  whatever 


Sheep,    675,000 
Beeves,    72,000 
Asses, 
Persons,  32,000. 


j  The  soldiers,  337, 

(  The  people,    337. 

(  The  soldiers,    36, 

I  The  people,      36. 

61  000         J  '^^^  soldiers,    30. 

'       ■  ■  ■  ■  (  The  people,      30, 

The  soldiers,    16, 

The  people,      16 


Vs.  48-50.  TJie  officers  wJdch  were  over 
the  thousands,  etc.  The  officers,  upon 
their  return  from  the  war,  made  a  mus- 
ter of  the  soldiery  to  see  what  numbers 
they  had  lost,  and  found,  to  their  joy 
and  surprise,  that  not  a  single  man  was 
missing  of  the  whole  twelve  thousand  ! 
This  was  probabl)'^  a  victory  without  a 
parallel  in  all  history,  and  could  never 
have  been  accomplished  without  the 
Lord's  special  intervention.  This  sig- 
nal token  of  the  Lord's  favor  would 
tend  to  minister  encouragement  and 
confidence  to  them  in  all  future  emer- 
gencies, and  they  seem  to  have  been 


cattle  may  have  been  killed  for  eating 
on  the  way ;  the  rest  or  residue,  which 
was  to  be  divided,  amounted  to  totals 
as  follows : 

500 ;  therefrom  to  the  Lord. . .  675. 

500;  therefrom  to  the  Levites.  6,750. 

000 ;  therefrom  to  the  Lord. . .  72. 

000 ;  therefrom  to  the  Levites.  720. 

500 ;  therefrom  to  the  Lord. . .  61. 

500 ;  therefrom  to  the  Levites.  610. 

000 ;  therefrom  to  the  Lord. ...  32. 

,000 ;  therefrom  to  the  Levites.  320. 

sensible  of  their  obligations  from  the 
feelings  now  evinced ;  for  they  unani- 
mously resolved,  out  of  the  spoil  which 
they  had  taken,  such  as  gold,  jewels, 
bracelets,  etc.,  which  they  were  not  re- 
quired to  divide  with  the  congregation, 
to  make  a  free-will  offering  to  the  Lord, 
for  the  service  of  the  Tabernacle.  So 
in  aftertimes  both  the  Tabernacle  and 
the  Temple  were  enriched  with  the 
spoils  taken  from  the  enemies  of  Israel. 
2  Sam.  8:11,12.  1  Chron.  26  :  26,  27. 
"  We  should  never  take  any  thing  to 
ourselves  in  war  or  trade,  which  we 
cannot  in  faith  consecrate  a  part  of  to 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


451 


51  And  Moses  and  Eleazar 

the  priest  took  the  gold  of  them, 
even  all  wrought  jewels. 

52  And  all  the  gold  of  the 
offering  that  they  offered  up  to 
the  Lord,  of  the  captains  of 
thousands,  and  of  the  captains  of 
hundreds,  was  sixteen  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  shekels. 

53  [For  the  men  of  war  had 
"  taken  spoil,  every  man  for  him- 
self.) 

54  And  Moses  and  Eleazar 
the  priest  took  the  gold  of  the 
captains  of  thousands  and  of 
hundreds,  and  brought  it  into 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, for  *  a  memorial  for  the 
children  of  Israel  before  the 
Lord. 


God,  who  "  hates  robbery  for  burnt- 
offering;"  but  when  God  has  remarka- 
bly preserved  and  succeeded  us,  he  ex- 
pects we  should  make  some  particular 
return  of  gratitude  to  him." — Henry. 

Tf  To  make  an  atonement  for  our 

souls.  That  is,  to  make  an  acknowledg- 
ment to  God  for  the  preservation  of 
their  lives ;  as  also  perhaps  to  offer  a 
kind  of  expiation  for  sparing  the  women 
and  whatever  other  miscarriages  they 
may  have  been  guilty  of  in  the  conduct 
of  the  war. 

Vs.  51-54.  Moses  and  Eleazar  the  priest 
took  the  gold,  etc.  In  doing  which  we 
may  well  suppose  they  commended  the 
piety  and  gratitude  of  the  offerers.  The 
oblation  was  delivered  to  be  employed 
in  the  service  for  which  it  was  intend- 
ed. It  amounted  to  a  vast  sum,  that  is 
to  say,  16,750  shekels,  which,  reduced 
to  our  coin,  would  fall  little  short  of 
$140,000.  The  offering  was  henceforth 
laid  up  in  the  Tabernacle  as  a  monu- 


CHAPTER   XXXIL 

VrOW  the  children  of  Reuben, 
1^  and  the  children  of  Gad, 
had  a  very  great  multitude  of 
cattle  :  and  when  they  saw  the 
land  of  Jazer  ",  and  the  land  of 
Grilead*,  that,  behold,  the  place 
was  a  place  '  for  cattle  ; 

2  The  children  of  Gad  and  the 
children  of  Reuben,  came  and 
spake  unto  Moses,  and  to  Eleazar 
the  priest,  and  unto  the  princes 
of  the  congregation,  saying, 

3  Ataroth,  and  Dibon,'',  and 
Jazer,  and  Nimrah',  and  Hesh- 
bon-',  and  Elealeh,  and  Shebam^, 
and  Nebo,  and  Beon^, 

a  c.  21.  ■  2.  ver.  35  Jaazer.  Josh.  13.  25.  2  Sam. 
24.5.18.16.8,9.  A  Jer.  50.  19.Mic.  7.  4.  c  Gen. 
13.  2.  5.    47.  4.        d  Is.  15.  2,  4.  e  ver.  36.     Be.lh- 

nimrah.  /  Jndg.  11  26.  ^  ver.  38.  SAi6/«aA. 

h  ver.  3^.   Baa^-nieon. 

meut  both  of  the  singular  mercy  of  God 
in  the  preservation  of  the  army  in  this 
war,  and  of  the  pious  gratitude  of  those 
who  had  been  its  principal  conductors. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Rmben  and  Gad  request  an  Inheritance 
on  the  East  of  Jordan. 

Vs.  1-5.  The  children  of  Bevhen  and 
the  children  of  Gad  had  a  very  great 
multitude  of  cattle,  etc.  A  large  por- 
tion of  the  territory  recently  taken  from 
the  two  Amorite  kings,  Sihon  and  Og, 
was  distinguished  for  the  fertility  of  its 
soil  and  its  adaptedness  to  the  purpose 
of  breeding  and  grazing  cattle.  This 
fact  gave  this  region  peculiar  attrac- 
tions in  the  eyes  of  Reuben  and  Gad, 
who,  of  all  the  tribes,  had  the  greatest 
abundance  of  stock,  and  were  most  de- 
voted to  its  cultivation.     The  greater 


452 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


4  Even  the  country 'which  the 
Lord  smote  before  the  congrega- 
tion of  Israel,  is  a  land  for  cattle, 
and  thy  servants  have  cattle : 


t  c.  'il.  24,  34. 


part  of  this  territory  is  in  modern  times 
called  the  "Belka,"  and  the  Bedouins 
say  of  it,  "  Thou  canst  not  find  a  coun- 
try like  the  Belka."  Buckingham  bears 
the  strongest  testimony  to  the  pictur- 
esque beauty,  the  fine  climate,  and  exu- 
berant fertility  of  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try east  of  the  Jordan,  and  seems  to 
have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  it  far 
superior  to  any  part  of  the  country  west 
of  the  Jordan,  through  which  he  had 
travelled.  —  {Travels  among  the  Aral 
Tribes,  p.  141.)  The  heads  of  these 
tribes,  therefore,  came  to  Moses  and 
Eleazar,  preferring  a  petition  that  this 
region,  so  well  adapted  to  their  favorite 
pursuit,  might  be  conferred  upon  them 
instead  of  their  being  required  to  pass 
over  the  river  and  receive  their  allot- 
ment with  their  brethren  within  the 
bounds  of  Canaan.  Their  motives  in 
making  this  proposition,  though  they 
appeared  at  first  somewhat  questiona- 
ble to  Moses,  yet  were  subsequently  so 
explained  as  to  remove,  in  great  meas- 
ure, his  anxiety,  and  to  redound  to 
the  credit  of  their  fealty  and  fidelity. 
At  the  same  time,  it  is  not  improbable 
that  there  was  a  larger  admixture  of 
worldly  prompting  in  the  request  than 
they  themselves  imagined.  The  lot 
that  befell  these  tribes  in  a  subsequent 
age,  1  Chron.  5  :  25.  2  Kings,  15  :  29, 
gives  great  countenance  to  the  follow- 
ing pithy  but  quaint  remarks  of  the  old 
commentator  Ness  on  the  passage  : — 
"  'Tis  not  at  all  unlikely  that  these  two 
tribes  were  too  much  engaged  in  their 
affections  to  that  portion  of  land,  as 
Lot's  mind  was  too  much  set  upon  the 
plains  of  Sodom;  for  as  he  was  soon 


5  Wherefore,  said  they,  if  we 
have  found  grace  in  thy  sight, 
let  this  land  be  given  unto  thy 
servants  for  a  possession,  and 
bring  us  not  over  Jordan. 


after  carried  away  captive  by  the  four 
kings,  so  those  here  are  noted  to  have 
been  the  first  that  were  carried  away 
captive  out  of  this  very  land  who  were 
the  first  of  all  the  tribes  that  had  this 
land  assigned  to  them  for  their  inheri- 
tance :  strong  affections  cause  strong 
afflictions ;  if  we  love  over-much,  we 
shall  be  sure  to  grieve  over-much. 
When  God  sees  us  set  upon  it  to  have 
this  or  that,  have  it  we  may,  but  with 
an  after-reckoning  that  may  dissvveeten 
it  with  a  witness."  There  is  nothing 
here  said  of  Manasseh,  though  it  ap- 
pears, from  V.  33,  that  half  that  tribe 
were  included  in  the  assignment. — Of 
Jazer,  see  ch.  21  :  32,  with  Note. — The 
land  of  Gilead  (Gr.  Galaad)  was  famous 
not  only  for  its  rich  pasturage,  but  also 
for  its  aromatic  gums,  from  which  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  balsams  were  made,  al- 
luded to  in  Scripture  as  the  "  balm  of 

Gilead." T[  A  place  for  cattle.     A 

place  favorable  to  the  rearing  and  feed- 
ing of  cattle,  that  is,  of  flocks  and  herds. 
Wherefore  when  the  Lord  promises  to 
feed  his  people  with  spiritual  food,  h^ 
draws  the  imagery  from  the  feeding  of 
cattle  in  these  fertile  regions.  Mic.  7  : 
14,  "  Feed  thy  people  with  thy  rod,  the 
flock  of  thine  heritage,  which  dwell  sol- 
itarily in  the  wood,  in  the  midst  of 
Carmel :  let  them  feed  in  Bashan  and 
Gilead,  as  in  the  days  of  old."  Jer. 
50  :  19,  "  And  I  will  bring  Israel  again 
to  his  habitation,  and  he  shall  feed  on 
Carmel  and  Bashan,  and  his  soul  shall 
be  satisfied  upon  mount  Ephraim  and 
Gilead."  As  to  the  various  localities 
mentioned  in  this  connection,  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  refer  the  reader  to  Kitto's 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


453 


6  And  Moses  said  unto  the 
children  of  Grad,  and  to  the 
chiLiren  of  Reuben,  Shall  your 
brethren  go  to  war,  and  shall  ye 
sit  here  ? 

7  And  wherefore  discourage 
ye  the  heart  of  the  children  of 
Israel  from  going  over  into  the 
land  which  the  Lord  hath  given 
them  ? 

8  Thus  did  your  fathers,  when 
*  I  sent  them  from  Kadesh-bar- 

j  nea  to  see  the  land. 

I  9  For  when  they  went  up  un- 
to the  valley  of  Eshcol,  and  saw 
the  land,  they  discouraged  the 
heart  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
that  they  should  not  go  into  the 
land  which  the  Lord  had  given 
them. 

;      10    And  '  the   Lord's   anger 

I  was  kindled  the  same  time,  and 
he  sware,  saying, 

11  Surely  none  of  the  men 
that  came  up  out  of  Egypt_,  from 

I  twenty  years  old   and  upward, 


*  c.  13.  3--26.  Deut.  1.  ■2-2. 
Deut.  1.  as. 


I  c.  14.  11,29. 


t  edition  of  the  Bible,  where  all  the  ac- 
'  cessible  information  respecting  them  is 

embodied. 1[  The  country  wMcTi  the 

Lord  smote  hefore  the  congregation.  Im- 
plj'ing,  perhaps,  that  the  Lord  had 
caused  it  to  be  smitten  or  subjugated, 
in  order  that  it  might  be  taken  as  a  pos- 
session and  deemed  a  part  of  the  prom- 
-ised  land  though  not  within  the  Jor- 
j  dan.  This  construction  was  not  unnat- 
\  ural,  for  the  country  had  previously  be- 
■  longed  to  Sihon,  king  of  the  Amorites, 
I  and  the  land  of  the  Amorites  was  prom- 
j  ised  to  Abraham,  Gen.  15  :  16,  21. 
!  Vs.  6-15.  Shall  your  brethren  go  to 
war,  and  sJmU  ye  sit  Tiere  ?  It  cannot 
be  denied  that  there  was  ground  for 


shall  see  the  land  which  I  sware 
unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and 
unto  Jacob ;  because  "  they  have 
not  wholly  followed  me  ; 

12  Save  Caleb  the  son  of 
Jephunneh  the  Kenezite,  and 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun ;  for  they 
have  wholly  followed  the  Lord. 

13  And  the  Lord's  anger  was 
kindled  against  Israel,  and  he 
made  them  "  wander  in  the  wil- 
derness forty  years,  until "  all  the 
generation  that  had  done  evil  in 
the  sight  of  the  Lord  was  con- 
sumed. 

14  And,  behold,  ye  are  risen 
up  in  your  fathers'  stead,  an  in- 
crease ^  of  sinful  men,  to  aug- 
ment ■'  yet  the  fierce  anger  of  the 
Lord  toward  Israel. 

15  For  if '  ye  turn  away  from 
after  him,  he  will  yet  again 
leave  *  them  in  the  wilderness, 
and  ye  shall  destroy  all  this 
people. 

m  c.  14.  24,30.  Josh.  14.  8,  9.  n  c.  14.  33-35. 

o  c.  26.  64,  65.  1  C  .r.  10.  5.  Heb.  3.  16-19.  p  Ps. 
IS.  57.  J  Xeb.  13.  18.  Is.  K5.  6,  7.  r  Deut.  30.  17. 
Josh.  2-2.  16,  18.     2  Chr.  7.  19.     15.  2.  -i  c.  14.  35. 


Moses'  suspicions.  The  request  ap- 
peared to  proceed  from  selfishness, 
worldliness,  and  unbelief  It  looked  as 
if  they  were  willing  to  let  their  brethren 
go  and  fight  their  way  among  the  Ca- 
naanites,  and  get  possession  of  what- 
ever they  could;  but  as  to  the  land 
which  was  already  subdued,  and  which 
was  of  the  richest  quality,  that  they 
would  fain  have  allotted  to  themselves 
without  any  further  trouble.  The  land 
moreover  was  not  within  the  precincts 
of  Canaan  proper,  and  to  settle  down  so 
far  from  the  house  of  God  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  religion  seemed  to  argue  a 
culpable  indifference  to  their  spiritual 
as  compared  with  their  temporal  wel- 


454 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


16  And  they  came  near  unto 
him,  and  said,  We  will  build 
sheep-folds  here  for  our  cattle, 
and  cities  for  our  little  ones  ; 

17  But  we '  ourselves  will  go 
ready  armed  before  the  children 
of  Israel,  until  we  have  brought 
them  unto  their  place  :  and  our 
little  ones  shall  dwell  in  the 
fenced  cities,  because  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land. 

18  We  "will  not  return  unto 
our  houses,  until  the  children  of 
Israel  have  inherited  every  man 
his  inheritance : 

19  For  we  will  not  inherit 
with  them  on  yonder  side  Jor- 
dan, or  forward ;  because  "  our 
inheritance  is  fallen  to  us  on 
this  side  Jordan  eastward. 


t  Josh.  4.  12,  13.  u  Jusb.  22.  4. 

Josh.  13.  S. 


fare.  Again,  it  had  the  air  of  shrinking 
from  the  toils  and  dangers,  and  the 
sanguinary  scenes  which  might  have 
to  be  encountered  in  conquering  the 
land  of  the  Canaanites.  Such  was  the 
construction  which  Moses  was  led  to 
put  upon  the  proposed  measure,  and 
which  drew  from  him  an  earnest  re- 
monstrance. He  set  before  them  what 
he  conceived  to  be  the  pernicious  ten- 
dency of  their  example;  that  it  was 
calculated  to  discourage  the  rest  of 
their  brethren ;  and  then  reminds  them 
that  they  would  thereby  be  acting  the 
part  of  their  predecessors  the  spies, 
who  had  so  grievously  disheartened  the 
congregation  by  their  fears,  and  had 
thereby  excited  the  divine  displeasure 
to  that  degree,  that  that  generation,  for 
their  mutinous  and  distrustful  spirit, 
were  excluded  from  the  land  of  prom- 
ise. He  exhorts  them,  therefore,  to  be- 
ware of  the  same  spirit  lest  the  same 
disastrous  consequences  should  ensue, 


20  And ""  Moses  said  unto 
them.  If  ye  will  do  this  thing, 
if  ye  will  go  armed  before  the 
Lord  to  war, 

21  And  will  go  all  of  you 
armed  over  Jordan  before  the 
Lord,  until  he  hath  driven  out 
his  enemies  from  before  him, 

22  And  the  land  be  subdued 
"^  before  the  Lord  ;  then  after- 
ward ^  ye  shall  return,  and  be 
guiltless  before  the  Lord,  and 
before  Israel ;  and  this  land  shall 
be  your  possession  before  the 
Lord. 

23  But  if  ye  will  not  do  so, 
behold,  ye  have  sinned  against 
the  Lord  :  and  be  sure  your  sin 
'  will  find  you  out. 

w  Deut.  3.  18,  etc.         Josh.  1.  14.  etc.  4.  U,  13. 

I  Jnsh.  IS.  1.  V  Josh.  22.  4,  9.  z  Gen.  4.  7. 

44.  16.     Ps.  90.  8.     "139.  11.    I'rov.  13.  21.     Is.  59.  12. 
1  Cor.  4.  5. 


and  the  people  be  left  to  perish  in  the 
wilderness. 

Vs.  16-27.  Thei/  came  near  unto  Mm, 
and  said,  etc.  The  two  tribes  in  ques- 
tion, speaking  through  their  appoint- 
ed organs,  neither  acknowledge  nor 
deny  the  charge  now  made,  nor  do 
they  evince  a  disposition  to  take  the 
least  offence  at  it.  On  the  contrary, 
with  a  view  to  give  the  utmost  satis- 
faction to  Moses,  they  voluntarily  en- 
gaged to  accompany  their  brethren  in 
arms,  and  even  to  go  before  them  to 
battle,  continuing  with  them  till  the 
whole  land  should  be  subdued,  and 
every  tribe  be  put  in  possession  of  its 
destined  inheritance.  This  was  fair 
and  equitable ;  and  Moses  readily  ac- 
quiesced in  the  proposal,  warning  them, 
however,  that  if  ever  they  should  re- 
cede from  their  purpose,  and  violate 
their  engagement,  "  their  sin  should 
surely  find  them  out,"  and  be  visited 
upon  them.    In  considering  the  proffer 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


455 


24  Build  "  you  cities  for  your 
little  ones,  and  folds  for  your 
sheep  ;  and  do  that  which  hath 
proceeded  out  of  your  mouth. 

25  And  the  children  of  Gad, 
and  the  children  of  Reuben, 
spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Thy 
*  servants  will  do  as  my  lord 
commandeth. 

26  Our  little  ones,  our  wives, 
our  flocks,  and  all  our  cattle, 
shall  be  there  in  the  cities  of 
Gilead ; 

27  But '  thy  servants  will 
pass  over,  every  man  armed  for 
war,  before  the  Lord  to  battle, 
as  my  lord  saith. 

28  So  concerning  them  Mo- 
ses commanded  Eleazar  the 
priest,  and  Joshua  the  son  of 
Nun,  and  the  chief  fathers  of 
the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael: 

a  rer.  16,  34,  etc.      b  Josh.  1,  13,  14.      c  John  4,  li. 

of  these  tribes  it  is  not  necessary  to  sup- 
pose that  the  whole  even  of  their  fight- 
ing men  were  to  be  included  in  it.  It 
would  be  necessary  that  a  portion  of 
them  should  remain  behind  to  till  the 
ground  and  to  guard  the  flocks,  chil- 
dren, and  women.  Accordingly  we 
read  that  only  about  40,000  of  the  two 
tribes  and  a  half  went  over  armed, 
whereas  their  whole  number  was  about 

100,000. ^  On,  yonder  side  Jordan, 

or  forward.  That  is,  we  will  not  in- 
herit with  them  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  Jordan,  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
river,  nor  yet  further  on,  or  further  in- 
land, in  the  more  central  regions  of  the 
country. T[  If  ye  will  go  armed  he- 
fore  the  Lord.  That  is,  before  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant,  the  special  symbol  of 
the  Lord's  presence.  The  three  tribes 
of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  Simeon,  marched 


29  And  ^  Moses  said  unto 
them.  If  the  children  of  Gad, 
and  the  children  of  Reuben, 
will  pass  with  you  over  Jordan, 
every  man  armed  to  battle,  be- 
fore the  LoED,  and  the  land 
shall  be  subdued  before  you, 
then  ye  shall  give  them  the 
land  of  Gilead  for  a  possession. 

30  But  if  they  will  not  pass 
over  with  you  armed,  they  shall 
have  possessions  among  you  in 
the  land  of  Canaan. 

31  And  the  children  of  Gad, 
and  the  children  of  Reuben,  an- 
swered, saying.  As  the  Lord 
hath  said  unto  thy  servants,  so 
will  we  do. 

32  We  will  pass  over  armed 
before  the  Lord  into  the  land 
of  Canaan,  that  the  possession 
of  our  inheritance  on  this  side 
Jordan  may  he  outs. 


immediately  before  the  Sanctuary,  ch. 
2  :  10, 14.  10  :  18,  so  that  Moses  requires 
of  them  only  to  occupy  their  usual 
place  when  they  went  to  war  against 

the  Canaanites. ^  Tour  sin  will  find 

you  out.  That  is,  the  punishment  of 
your  sin  will  sooner  or  later  overtake 
you.  Gr.  "Ye  shall  know  your  sins, 
when  evils  fall  upon  you." 

Vs.  28-33.  Concerning  them  Moses 
commanded,  etc.  The  measure  was  not, 
therefore,  actually  carried  out  in  Moses' 
lifetime,  but  was  left  in  charge  to 
Eleazar  and  Joshua,  and  the  fathers  of 
the  tribes,  to  be  accomplished  for  them 
in  case  they  adhered  faithfully  to  the 

terms  of  their  engagement. \  Shall 

give  them  the  land  of  Gilead,  etc.*  This 
appears  to  have  been  the  name  given 
in  a  broad  sense  to  the  whole  country 
east  of  the  Jordan. ^  But  if  they 


456 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


33  And  *  Moses  gave  unto 
them,  even  to  the  children  of 
Grad,  and  to  the  children  of 
Reuben,  and  unto  half  the  tribe 
of  Manasseh  the  son  of  Joseph, 
■f  the  kingdom  of  Sihon  king  of 
the  A.morites,  and  the  kingdom 
of  Og  king  of  Bashan,  the  land, 
with  the  cities  thereof  in  the 
coasts,  even  the  cities  of  the 
country  round  about. 

34  And  the  children  of  Gad 
built  Dibon^,  and  Ataroth,  and 
Aroer  ^, 

e  Deut.  3.  1'2-17.  29.  8.  Josh.  12.  6.  f  c,  21.  24,  33. 
g  c.  Vi.  45,  46.  A  Dent.  2.  36. 

will  not  pass,  etc.  Then  you  shall  com- 
pel them  so  to  do,  and  assign  them, 
according  to  lot,  their  portion  in  the 
land  of  Canaan.  Gr.  "  Then  you  shall 
drive  before  you  their  cattle,  and 
wives,  and  possessions,  into  the  laud 
of  Canaan ;  and  they  shall  have,  etc." 

T[  Moses  gave  unto  them,  etc.     That 

is,  gave  prospectively  ;  indicated  a  pur- 
pose to  give,  just  as  the  Lord  is  said 
to  have  given  the  land  of  Canaan  to 
his  people  before  they  had  taken  pos- 
session of  it. 

Vs.  34—42.  And  the  children  of  Gad 
huilt  Dibon,  etc.  That  is,  repaired,  re- 
newed, fortified — a  frequent  sense  of 

the  original  rendered  "to  build." 

Tf  (  Their  names  being  changed.)  When 
they  had  rebuilt  and  fortified  certain 
cities  they  changed  the  old  names  by 
which  they  were  known  and  gave  them 
new  ones.  The  design  of  this  was  to 
break  up  all  idolatrous  associations, 
and  efface  its  relics  from  among  the 
chosen  people.  Thus  Nebo  and  Baal- 
meon^for  instance,  were  the  names  of 
idol  gods  worshipped  among  the  former 
inhabitants,  as  Isaiah  says,  ch.  41  :  G, 
<'Bel  boweth  down,  and  Nebo  stoop- 
eth,"  and  these  names  were  to  be  abol- 


35  And  Atroth,  Shopham, 
and  '  Jaazer,  and  Jogbchah, 

36  And  Beth-nimrah  *,  and 
Beth-haran,  fenced  ''  cities ;  and 
folds  for  sheep. 

37  And  the  children  of  Reu- 
ben built  Heshbon '",  and  Elea- 
leh,  and  Kirjathaim, 

38  And  Nebo",  and  Baal-me- 
on ",  (their  names  being  changed,) 
aud  Shibmah  :  and  gave  other 
^  names  unto  the  cities  which 
they  builded. 

39  And  the  children  of  Ma- 


i  ver.  1.  3.  Jaier,        k  ver.  3.  Nhnrah. 
OTC.  21.  21.         n  18.46.1.  «  c. 'Ji.  41. 

Ex.  23.  13.  Josh.  23.  7. 


I  ver 
p  ve 


ished  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of 
the  law,  Ex,  23  :  13,  "  Make  no  mention 
of  the  names  of  other  gods,  neither  let 
it  be  heard  out  of  thy  mouth."  This, 
however,  does  not  prevent  but  that  the 
Scriptures  should  occasionally  call  these 
places  b}'  their  old  names.  So  Sol. 
Jarchi,  "  They  were  idolatrous  names, 
and  the  Amorites  had  called  their  cities 
by  the  names  of  their  idols;  but  the 
sous  of  Reuben  turned  their  name  to 
other  names."  Thus  Nobah  took  Ke- 
nath,  V.  42,  and  subsequently  called  it 

by  his  own  name. 1[  The  children 

of  Machir,  the  son  of  Manasseh,  went  to 
Gilead  and  took  it,  etc.  Or,  Heb.  "  Had 
gone,"  alluding  to  some  time  previous, 
while  they  were  invading  the  territory  of 
the  Amorites.  The  clause  is,  perhaps, 
here  inserted  to  show  the  reason  why 
Moses  gave  this  part  of  the  land  to  the 
tribe  of  Manasseh,  to  wit,  because  they 
had  formerly  won  it  by  their  swords, 

T[  Moses  gave  Gilead  unto  Machir. 

That  is,  to  the  family  or  posterity  of 
Machir,  for  Machir  himself,  being  the 
son  of  Manasseh,  must  have  been  long 

dead. T[  The  villages  thereof     Heb, 

"  The  daughters  thereof;"  on  which 
phraseology  see  Note  on  ch.  21 :  25, 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 


457 


chir,  the  son  of  Manasseh,  went 
to  Gilead,  and  took  it,  and  dis- 
possessed the  Amorite  which 
was  in  it. 

40  And  Moses  gave  Gilead'' 
unto  Machir  the  son  of  Manas- 
seh ;  and  he  dwelt  therein. 

41  And  Jair,  the  son  of  Ma- 
nasseh, went  and  took  the  small 

q  Josh.  13.  29-31. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Journeying s  of  the  Cliildren  of  Israel. 
The  present  chapter  is  mainly  de- 
voted to  an  account  of  the  various 
stages  and  stations,  the  encampments 
and  removals,  of  the  children  of  Israel 
on  their  march  through  the  wilderness, 
embracing  the  time  from  their  depart- 
ure from  Egypt  to  their  entrance  into 
Canaan.  This  was  intrinsically  a  very 
memorable  part  of  their  history,  and 
divine  wisdom  saw  fit  that  Moses  should 
write  and  transmit  to  posterity  a  jour- 
nal of  their  extraordinary  travels.  In 
executing  this  order  he  recapitulates 
the  principal  stopping-places  on  their 
long  journey,  amounting  to  forty-two 
in  number,  occasionally  reciting  the  im- 
portant events  that  occurred  here  and 
there  at  different  points  in  their  pro- 
gress. Many  of  these  stations  can  now 
be  determined  with  sufficient  accuracy ; 
others  cannot.  The  route  from  Egypt 
to  Sinai  is  well  defined,  so  also,  for  the 
most  part,  is  that  from  Mount  Hor, 
where  Aaron  died,  to  the  banks  of  the 
Jordan,  where  they  crossed  into  Ca- 
naan. But  the  intermediate  stages  be- 
tween these  extremes  are  exceedingly 
difficult  to  be  identified,  as  this  part  of 
their  course  lay  through  the  wilder  and 
more  trackless  portion  of  the  desert,  in 
which  they  were  no  doubt  led  back  and 
forth,  crossing  and  re-crossing  their 
20 


towns  thereof,  and  called  them 
Havoth-jair '. 

42  And  Nobah  went  and  took 
Kenath,  and  the  villages  thereof, 
and  called  it  Nobah,  after  his 
own  name. 

CHAPTER   XXXIIL 

THESE  are  the  journeys  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  which 

r  Jiidg.  1(1.4. 


path,  as  the  prospects  of  water  and 
pasturage  dictated,  though  they  never 
moved  independent  of  the  guiding  pil- 
lar. It  was,  perhaps,  designed  that 
their  route  should  be  thus  mazy  and 
labyrinthian,  in  order  to  represent  more 
adequately  those  early  stages  of  relig- 
ious experience  in  which  the  soul  is  led, 
like  the  blind,  by  a  way  which  it  knows 
not.  While  the  principles  of  the  re- 
generate or  spiritual  life  are  slowly 
forming  into  a  definite  order,  the  ex- 
perience is  somewhat  confused  and 
chaotic,  and  the  soul's  progress  ap- 
pears to  be  now  onward  and  now  retro- 
grade, though  it  is  still,  on  the  whole, 
holding  on  its  way  to  the  heavenly  Ca- 
naan. This  way  becomes  clearer  and 
clearer  as  the  end  of  the  course  is 
neared,  till  at  length  the  weary  pilgrim 
is  planted  in  the  land  of  promise. 

There  are  doubtless  many  points  of 
useful  annotation  in  the  chapter  before 
us,  but  as  these  points  are  principally 
topographical,  and  as  they  are  treated 
at  length  in  various  commentaries,  bib- 
lical cyclopedias,  and  books  of  travels, 
and  as  our  proposed  limits  will  not  al- 
low the  requisite  enlargement  for  dwell- 
ing upon  all  the  questions  in  detail,  we 
shall  waive  all  extended  discussion,  re- 
serving our  contracted  remaining  space 
for  remarks  and  expositions  which  will 
not  so  easily  be  found  elsewhere. 

V.  1.  TJiese  are  the  journeys,  etc.  Heb. 
"The  removings,   or    breakings-up ;" 


458 


NUMBEES. 


[B.  C.  1452. 


went  forth  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt  with  their  armies,  under 
the  hand  of  Moses  and  Aaron. 

2  And  Moses  wrote  their  go- 
ings out  according  to  their  jour- 
neys, by  the  commandment  of 
the  Lord  :  and  these  are  their 
journeys  according  to  their  go- 
ings out. 

3  And  they  departed  '^  from 
Rameses  in  the  first  month,  on 
the  fifteenth  *  day  of  the  first 
month  :  on  the  morrow  after  the 
passover,  the  children  of  Israel 
went  out  with  "  an  high  hand  in 
the  sight  of  all  the  Egyptians. 

4  (For  the  Egyptians  buried 
all  iheir  first-born,  which ''  the 
Lord  had  smitten  among  them  : 

a  Ex.  12.37.    J  Ex.  13.  4.    c  Ex.  14.  8.    <?  Ex.  12.  29. 

i.  e.,  in  their  migrations  from  place  to 
place  at  the  indications  of  the  divine 
signal.  These  movements  were  typical 
of  the  then  unsettled  state  of  the  church, 
as  whatever  holds  good  of  the  individ- 
ual of  the  church  holds  good  also  of  the 
church  in  its  collective  capacity.  This 
ambulatory  state  of  the  church  under 
Moses  or  the  Law,  is  strikingly  con- 
trasted by  the  prophet  Isaiah  with  its 
settled  and  abiding  condition  under 
Christ  or  the  Gospel,  where  "  we  which 
have  believed  do  enter  into  rest." 
"Look  upon  Zion,  the  city  of  our  so- 
lemnities :  thine  eyes  shall  see  Jerusa- 
lem a  quiet  habitation,  a  tabernacle  that 
shall  not  be  taken  down ;  not  one  of  the 
stakes  thereof  shall  ever  be  removed, 
neither  shall  any  of  the  cords  thereof 
be  broken."    Is.  33  :  20. 

V,  2.  By  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord.  This  may  refer  either  to  the 
writing  by  Moses,  or  to  the  journeyings 
by  the  people,  which  were  directed  by 
the  Lord  hiir,self.    The  accentuation  of 


upon  their  gods  *  also  the  Lord  i 
executed  judgments.) 

5  And  the  children  of  Israel 
removed  from  ■'  Rameses,  and 
pitched  in  Succoth. 

6  And  ^  they  departed  from 
Succoth,  and  pitched  in  Etham, 
which  is  in  the  edge  of  the  wil- 
derness. 

7  And  ^  they  removed  from 
Etham,  and  turned  again  unto 
Pi-hahiroth,  which  is  before 
Baal-zephon  :  and  they  pitched 
before  Migdol. 

8  And  they  departed  from 
before  Pi-hahiroth,  and  passed 
•'through  the  midst  of  the  sea 
into  the   wilderness,   and  went 

eEx.  12.  li.    18.  11.  Is.  19.  1.  Rev.  12.  7-9.        /Ex. 
12.  37.  9  Ex.  13.  -20.  k  Ex.  14.  2,  9.         t  Ex. 

14.  22.     15.  22,  -JS. 


the  Hebrew  favors  rather  the  latter 
construction,  though  in  all  probability 
Moses  was  prompted  also  by  a  divine 
suggestion  to  keep  a  diary  or  journal, 
in  which  were  to  be  inserted  the  various  \ 
stations  at  which  they  encamped,  and  . 
all  the  memorable  occurrences  of  their 
way. 

V.  4.  For  the  Egyptians  buried  all  ' 
{their)  first-horn,  etc.  The  Egyptians 
would  naturally  be  thrown  into  the  ut- 
most consternation  by  the  death  of 
their  first-born,  and  this,  together  with  \ 
the  duty  of  embalming  and  burying  ; 
their  dead,  would  so  occupy  and  absorb 
them  that  it  would  effectually  prevent 
their  pursuing  the  Israelites.  They  had 
leisure,  therefore,  to  depart  with  every 
thing  belonging  to  them.  In  what  pre- 
cise manner  the  divine  judgment  was 
visited  upon  the  gods  of  Egypt,  we  are 
not  informed.  Being  probably  idols, 
they  may  have  been  broken  to  pieces 
like  Dagon  before  the  ark. 

Vs.  5-15.  And  the  children  of  Israel 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


459 


three  days'  journey  in  the  wil- 
derness of  Etham,  and  pitched 
in  Marah. 

9  And  they  removed  from 
Marah,  and  came  ^  unto  Elim  : 
and  in  Elim  were  twelve  fount- 
ains of  water,  and  threescore  and 
ten  palm-trees ;  and  they  pitched 
there. 

10  And  they  removed  from 
Elim,  and  encamped  by  the  Red 
Sea. 

1 1  And  '  they  removed  from 
the  Red  Sea,  and  encamped  in 
the  wilderness  of  Sin. 

12  And  they  took  their  jour- 
Qey  out  of  the  wilderness  of  Sin, 
and  encamped  in  Dophkah. 

13  And  they  departed  from 
Dophkah,  and  encamped  in 
Alush. 

14  And  they  removed  from 
Alush,  and  encamped  '"  at  Re- 
phidim,  where  was  no  water  for 
bhe  people  to  drink. 

15  And  they  departed  from 
Rephidim,  and  pitched  in  the 
svilderness  "  of  Sinai. 

16  And  they  removed  from 
the  desert  of  Smai,  and  pitched 
it  Kibroth-hattaavah ". 

17  And  they  departed  from 
Kibroth-hattaavah,  and  ^'  en- 
camped at  Hazeroth. 

18  And  they  departed  from 
Eazeroth,  and  pitched  in  Rith- 
nah  ■'. 


k  Ex.  15. 
Ex.  16.1 
c.  li.  16. 


17.  1. 


19  And  they  departed  from 
Rithmah,  and  pitched  at  Rim- 
mon-parez. 

20  And  they  departed  from 
Rimmon-parez,  and  pitched  in 
Libuah. 

121  And  they  removed  from 
Libnah,  and  pitched  at  Rissah. 

22  And  they  journeyed  from 
Rissah,  and  pitched  in  Kehe- 
lathah. 

23  And  they  went  from  Ke- 
helathah,  and  pitched  in  mount 
Shapher. 

24  And  they  removed  from 
mount  Shapher,  and  encamped 
in  Haradah. 

25  And  they  removed  from 
Haradah,  and  pitched  in  Makhe- 
loth. 

26  And  they  removed  from 
Makheloth,  and  encamped  at 
Tahath. 

27  And  they  departed  from 
Tahath,  and  pitched  at  Tarah. 

28  And  they  removed  from 
Tarah,  and  pitched  in  Mithcah. 

29  And  they  went  from  Mith- 
cah, and  pitched  in  Hashmonah. 

30  And  they  departed  from 
Hashmonah,  and  encamped  at 
Moseroth '. 

31  And  they  departed  from 
Moseroth,  and  pitched  in  Bene- 
jaakan. 

32  And  they  removed  from 
Bene-jaakan ',  and  encamped  at 
Hor-hao-ido-ad  \ 


\emovcd,  etc.   For  an  account  of  all  these 
Places,  see  the  Notes  on  the  parallel 
jiistory  in  Exodus,  chs.  13-17. 
;  Vs.  16-49.    They  removed  from  the 
tesert  of  Sinai,  etc.     The  various  ques- 


tions pertaining  to  the  localities  here 
mentioned  will  be  found  ably  and  am- 
ply discussed  in  Kitto's  Notes  on  this 
chapter,  and  to  them  we  refer  the 
reader. 


460 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452 


33  And  they  went  from  Hor- 
hagidgad,  and  pitched  in  Jot- 
bathah  ". 

84  And  they  removed  from 
Jotbathah,  and  encamped  at 
Ebronah. 

35  And  they  departed  from 
Ebronah,  and  "  encamped  at 
Ezion-gaber. 

36  And  they  removed  from 
Ezion-gaber,  and  pitched  in  the 
wilderness  '"  of  Zin,  which  is 
Kadesh. 

37  And ''  they  removed  from 
Kadesh,  and  pitched  in  mount 
Hor,  in  the  edge  of  the  land  of 
Edom. 

38  And  "  Aaron  the  priest 
went  up  into  mount  Hor,  at  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord,  and 
died  there,  in  the  fortieth  year 
after  the  children  of  Israel  were 
come  out  of  the  laud  of  Egypt, 
in  the  first  day  of  the  fifth  month. 

39  And  Aaron  was  an  hun- 
dred and  twenty  and  three  years 
old  when  he  died  in  mount  Hor. 

40  And  king  Arad '  the  Ca- 
naanite,  which  dwelt  in  the  south 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  heard  of 
the  coming  of  the  children  of 
Israel. 


«  Deut.  in.  7.  Jolbath. 
i26.  Enim-geber.     1  K.  'ii.  48. 
X  c.  -JO.  '22,  '23,     i\.  4.  y  c. 

3-2.  50.  z  c.  21.  1,  etc. 


A  Charge  respecting  the  Treatment  of 
the  Inhabitants  of  Canaan. 

Vs.  50-56.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  etc.  The  isolation  of  the  children 
of  Israel  hitherto  in  the  wilderness  had 
doubtless  preserved  them  from  the  in- 
fection of  idolatry,  but  as  they  were 
now  about  to  be  ushered  into  Canaan, 


41  And  they  departed  from 
mount  Hor '',  and  pitched  in  Zal- 
monah. 

42  And  they  departed  from 
Zalmonah,  and  pitched  in  Punon 

43  And  they  departed  froii 
Punon,  and  pitched  in  Oboth ''. 

44  And  they  departed  from 
Oboth,  and  pitched  in  Ije-aba- 
rim  %  in  the  border  of  Moab. 

45  And  they  departed  from 
lim,  and  pitched  in  Dibon- 
gad  '^. 

46  And  they  removed  from 
Dibon-gad,  and  encamped  vl 
Almou-diblathaim  \ 

47  And  they  removed  froir 
Almon-diblathaim,  and^  pitcheC' 
in  the  mountains  of  Abarim,  be- 
fore Nebo. 

48  And  they  departed  fron 
the  mountains  of  Abarim,  anc 
^  pitched  in  the  plains  of  Moab. 
by  Jordan  near  Jericho. 

49  And  they  pitched  by  Jon 
dan,  from  Beth-jesimoth  ever; 
unto  Abel-shittim  in  ^  the  plainii 
of  Moab. 

50  And  the  Lord  spake  untc 
Moses  in  the  plains  of  Moal 
by  Jordan   near  Jericho,  say) 

a  c. '21.4.  6  c.  21.  10.  c  c.  21.  !1.  dc.Zi. 
e  Jer.  '1%.  4-2.  Ez«k.  6.  14.  /  Deut.  32.  49.  g  c.  '22 
k  c.  '25.  1.  Josh.  '2.  1. 


where  they  would  come  in  contact  witlt 
the  evil  in  its  most  tempting  forms,  thi 
Most  High  sees  fit  to  give  them  a  solemn 
charge  respecting  the  utter  extirpatioi 
of  the  nations,  from  the  danger  tha; 
was  to  be  apprehended.  Looking  upo> 
themselves  as  the  instruments  of  a  jus 
Providence  in  punishing  in  these  na 
tions  a  long  career  of  iniquity  and  vie 
of  the  most  aggravated  type,  they  wer 


B.  0.  1452.] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


461 


51  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them, 
When  '  ye  are  passed  over  Jor- 
dan, into  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan; 

52  Then  *  ye  shall  drive  out 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
from  before  you,  and  destroy 
all  their  pictures,  and  destroy 
all  their  molten  images,  and 
quite  pluck  down  all  their  high 
places. 

53  And  ye  shall  dispossess 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land, 
and  dwell  therein  :  for  I  have 
given  you  the  land  to  possess 
it. 

54  And 'ye  shall  divide  the 
land  by  lot  for  an  inheritance 
among  your  families ;  and  to  the 


t  Deut.  9.  1.  Josh.  3.  17. 
84,  13.   Deut.  7.  2,  5.      I'i.  3. 
/  c.  -26.  53-00. 


k  Ex.  23,  -24,  33. 
Josh.  11.11.  Judg.  2. -2. 


to  engage  with  the  utmost  zeal  in  in- 
vading and  expelling  them,  nor  to  cease 
from  the  attempt  till  sooner  or  later 
they  had  driven  and  rooted  them  all 
out,  destroying  all  their  idols,  pic- 
tures (painted  images),  statues,  altars, 
groves,  chapels,  and  every  other  relic  of 
their  idolatrous  worship,  sweeping  the 
whole  country,  as  it  were,  clean  of  its 
abominations,  and  thus  to  render  it  a 
fit  habitation  for  a  nation  of  devout 
worshippers  of  the  true  God.  As  the 
land  became  thus  gradually  conquered 
and  fell  into  the  possession  of  the  vic- 
tors, it  was  to  be  equitably  divided 
among  the  tribes  according  to  the  di- 
rections before  given  (ch.  26).  Finally, 
they  were  informed  and  assured  that 
in  case  they  failed  in  executing  this 
order,  and  through  sloth,  cowardice  or 
negligence,  ceased  to  inflict  upon  the 
devoted  nations  the  judgments  de- 
nounced, they  would  be  made  to  feel 


more  ye  shall  give  the  more  in- 
heritance, and  to  the  fewer  ye 
shall  give  the  less  iuheritauce : 
every  man's  inheritance  shall 
be  in  the  place  where  his  lot 
falleth  ;  according  to  the  tribes 
of  your  fathers  ye  shall  in- 
herit. 

55  Buf^if  ye  will  not  drive 
out  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
from  before  you ;  then  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  those  which 
ye  let  remain  of  them  shall  be 
pricks  in  your  eyes,  and  thorns 
in  your  sides,  and  shall  vex  you 
in  the  land  wherein  ye  dwell. 

56  Moreover,  it  shall  come 
to  pass,  that  I  shall  do  unto 
you,  as  I  thought  to  do  unto 
them. 


m  Ex.  23.  33.    Josh.  23.  12,  13.    Judg.  1.  21-36.  Ps. 
106.  34-36.  Ezek.  28.  24. 


the  sad  effects  of  their  remissness  in 
the  corruption  of  their  manners,  in  the 
curse  of  slavery  and  captivity  brought 
upon  them  by  the  very  people  they 
should  have  destroyed,  and  in  all  kinds 
of  plagues  and  infestations  which  should 
justly  follow  such  gross  disobedience 
to  the  divine  mandates.  "The  right- 
eous God  would  turn  that  wheel  upon 
the  Israelites  which  was  to  have  crush- 
ed the  Canaanites.  *I  shall  do  unto 
you  as  I  thought  to  do  unto  them.'  It 
was  intended  that  the  Canaanites  should 
be  dispossessed;  but  if  the  Israelites 
fell  in  with  them  and  learned  their  ways, 
t?ie?/  should  be  dispossessed,  for  God's 
displeasure  would  justly  be  greater 
against  them  than  against  the  Canaan- 
ites themselves.  Let  us  hear  this  and 
fear.  If  we  do  not  drive  sin  out,  sin 
will  drive  us  out;  if  we  be  not  the 
death  of  our  lusts,  our  lusts  will  be  the 
death  of  our  souls." — Henry. 


462 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0. 1452. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

AND  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mo- 
ses, saying, 
2  Command  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  say  unto  them,  When 
ye  come  into  the  land  of  Canaan, 
(this  is  the  land  that  shall  fall 
unto  you  for  an  inheritance,  even 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 

T/ie  boundaries  of  the  Zand  of  Canaan 


Y.  1.  The  Lord  having  in  the  pre- 
vious chapter  given  the  Israelites  a 
strict  charge  respecting  their  treat- 
ment of  the  conquered  nations,  pro- 
ceeds in  the  present  to  fix  and  deter- 
mine the  boundaries  of  the  land  prom- 
ised ages  before  to  Abraham  and  his 
seed.  This  measure  would  distinctly 
inform  them  to  what  extent  they  were 
to  go  in  possessing  themselves  of  the 
territory  of  the  Canaanites,  without  en- 
croaching upon  ground  to  which  they 
had  no  title.  It  would,  moreover,  tend 
to  encourage  them  in  their  invasion  of 
the  land,  and  to  aid  them  essentially 
in  the  subsequent  distribution  of  it. 
There  is  but  little  difficulty  in  follow- 
ing the  general  outline  of  the  bounda- 
ries, though  the  southern  is  somewhat 
complicated.  But  a  good  map  of  Ca- 
naan will  afford  more  assistance  to  the 
reader  than  the  most  minute  verbal  de- 
scription. To  such  a  map  we  shall, 
therefore,  refer  the  biblical  student,  re- 
serving to  ourselves  only  such  occa- 
sional remarks  as  the  incidentals  of  the 
text  may  suggest. 

V.  2.  This  is  the  land  that  shall  fall 
unto  you.  That  is,  by  lot  or  by  line,  as 
is  evident  from  the  parallel  phrase- 
ology, Ps.  78 :  65,  "  And  divided  them 
an  inheritance  by  line."    Heb.  "  Made 


the  land  of  Canaan,  with  the 
coasts  thereof,) 

3  Then "  your  south  quarter  I 
shall  be  from  the  wilderness  of  |! 
Zin,  along  by  the  coast  of  Edom; 
and  your  south  border  shall  be 
the  outmost    coast  of  the  salt 
sea  *  eastward. 

a  Josh.  15.  1,  etc.  Ezek.  47.  13,  etc.      6  Gen.  14. 3. 


them  fall  by  inheritance  of  line."  So- 
also,  Ps.  16:6,  "  The  lines  are  fallen 
unto  me  in  pleasant  places;  yea,  I 
have  a  goodly  heritage."  So  John  17  : 
6,    "And    there    fell    ten  portions  to 

Manasseh ;"  i.  e.,  Heb.  "  ten  lines." 

T[  {Even)  the  land  of  Canaan  with  the 
coasts  thereof.  That  is,  with  the  bor- 
ders thereof;  or,  Heb.  according  to  the 
borders  thereof.  There  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  any  special  reason 
for  enclosing  a  part  of  this  verse  in  a 
parenthesis,  especially  if  it  be  rendered, 
as  the  original  will  admit,  "  Say  unto 
them  that  ye  are  coming  into  or  about 
entering  the  land  of  Canaan ;  this  (i.  e., 
the  country  about  to  be  described)  is 
the  fand  that  is  to  fall  to  you  as  an  in- 
heritance, even  the  land  of  Canaan  ac- 
cording to  its  boundaries ;"  by  which  is 
meant  the  boundaries  just  about  to  be 
defined. 

V.  3.  Tour  south  quarter  shall  ie, 
etc.  Here  commences  the  southern 
line  of  boundary.  The  order  of  pro- 
ceeding is  from  east  to  west  for  the 
southern  line;  from  the  south  to  the 
north  for  the  western;  from  the  west 
to  the  east  for  the  north  ;  and  from  the 
north  to  the  south  for  the  east.  *'  The 
outmost  coast  of  the  salt  sea  (the  Dead 
Sea)  eastward,"  is  equivalent  to  the 
extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea,  implying 
that  the  boundary  line  should  begin  at 
the  extreme  easterly  corner  of  that 
body  of  water  and  thence  run  mainly 
eastward  to  the  Mediterranean,  though 


B.  C.  1452.] 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 


463 


4  And  your  border  shall  turn 
from  the  south  to  the  ascent  of 
Akrabbim,  and  pass  on  to  Zin  : 
and  the  going  forth  thereof  shall 
be  from  the  south  to '  Kadesh- 
barnea,  and  shall  go  on  to  Hazar- 
addar,  and  pass  on  to  Azmon. 

5  And  the  border  shall  feteJi 
a  compass  from  Azmon  unto  the 
river  of  Egypt  '^^  and  the  goings 
out  of  it  shall  be  at  the  sea. 

6  And  as   for   the  western 


d  Gen.  15.  IS.     1  K.  S.  65. 


still,  as  it  afterwards  appears,  bvavery 
circuitous  route. 

Ys.  4,  5.  Your  border  shall  turn,  from 
the  south,  etc.  Heb.  minnegeb,  \\t.from 
tilt  south,  but  implying  here  and  else- 
where southivardly  or  in,  a  southern 
direction.  The  line  commencing  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea 
seems  to  have  extended  some  way  in  a 
southerly  direction,  so  as  to  embrace 
Kadesh-barnea,  and  thence  to  have 
veered  to  the  west  till  it  fell  in  with 
the  "  river  of  Egypt,"  doubtless  at  its 
mouth,  whence  it  terminated  in  the 
Great  or  Mediterranean  Sea,  But  it  is 
difficult  to  identify  the  stream  called 
"the  river  of  Egypt,"  whether  it  were 
the  Nile  or  a  smaller  stream  falling  into 
the  Mediterranean  near  Gaza.  We  in- 
cline strongly  to  the  former  opinion  for 
the  reasons  given  in  the  Xote  on  Gen. 
15  :  18,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 
According  to  this  view  the  southern 
boundary  of  Canaan  extended  from  the 
extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea  to  the  east- 
ern or  Pelusiac  branch  of  the  Xile.  We 
know  not,  indeed,  that  the  actual  pos- 
sessions of  the  Israelites  ever  embraced 
the  whole  of  this  region,  but  it  was  cov- 
ered by  the  terms  of  the  divine  dona- 
tion, and  they  would  have  been  fully 
authorized  to  enter  upon  it. *\\  The 


border,  you  shall  even  have  the 
great  sea  for  a  border  :  this  shall 
be  your  west  border. 

7  And  this  shall  be  your  north 
border  :  from  the  great  sea  ye 
shall  point  out  for  you  mount 
'Hor: 

8  From  mount  Hor  ye  shall 
point  out  your  border  unto  the 
entrance  of  Hamath-^ :  and  the 
goings  forth  of  the  border  shall 
be  to  ^  Zedad  : 


g  Kz-^k.  47. 


/  c.  13.  21 


K   14.  25.  Ezek.  4: 


accent  of  Akrabbim.  Heb.  maaleh  ak- 
rabbim, the  hill  of  scorpions,  supposed 
to  be  so  called  from  the  abundance  of 

scorpions  found  there. •[  From  the 

south  to  Kadesh-barnea.  That  is,  south- 
erly to  Kadesh-barnea,  as  above.  The 
position  of  Hazar-addar  and  Azmon  is 
unknown. 

Y.  6.  The  great  sea  for  a  border. 
The  Mediterranean  ;  so  called  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  Sea  of  Tiberias  and 
the  Dead  Sea,  which,  though  called 
"  seas,"  were  in  fact  but  a  larger  kind 
of  lakes. 

Y.  7.  Mount  Hor.  Not  the  Mount 
Hor  where  Aaron  died,  which  lay  to 
the  south  of  Canaan  towards  Edom, 
while  this  was  situated  in  the  opposite 
direction  to  the  north,  forming  proba- 
bly a  conspicuous  peak  in  the  Lebanon 
chain.  The  original  is  hor  hahar,  lit. 
Eor  the  mountmn,  or  Eor  the  mount- 
ainous range,  implying  some  emi- 
nent or  lofty  elevation  to  the  north  of 
Canaan,  and  which  we  can  nowhere 
else  look  for  than  in  the  range  of  Anti- 
Libanus. 

Y.  8.  JJnto  th^  entrance  of  Eamath. 
The  defile  or  pass  in  the  mountains  at 
Hamath,  by  which  entrance  was  gen- 
erally made  from  the  north  into  the 
land  of  Canaan. 


464 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1452. 


9  And  tlie  border  shall  go  on 
to  ZiphroD,  and  tbe  goings  out 
of  it  shall  be  at  Hazar-enan  ^' : 
this  shall  be  your  north  border. 

10  And  ye  shall  point  out 
your  east  border  from  Hazar- 
enan  to  Shcpham  : 

11  And  the  coast  shall  go 
down  from  Shepham  to  Riblah ', 
on  the  east  side  of  Ain  ;  and  the 
border  shall  descend,  and  shall 
reach  unto  the  side  of  the  sea 
of  Ghinneretli  ^'  eastward. 

12  And  the  border  shall  go 
down  to  Jordan,  and  the  goings 
out  of  it  shall  be  at  the  salt  sea : 
this  shall  be  your  land,  w^ith  the 
coasts  thereof  round  about. 

13  And    Moses   commanded 

k  Ezek.  47.  17.  i  2  K.  2S.  ;;3.  Jer.  39.  5,  G. 

k  Deut.  3.  n.  Josh.  11.  '2.     1'.).  35.  Luke  5.  1. 

Vs.  9-12.  TJie  border  sMll  go  to 
Ziphron,  etc.  For  the  remaining  boun- 
daries of  the  land  we  refer  the  reader 
to  the  maps  and  the  biblical  gazetteers 
which  are  now  generally  available,  and 
which,  with  the  Notes  of  Mr.  Kitto,  will 

afford    all    desirable    information. 

T[  And  the  coast  shall  go  down  from 
Shepham  to  Biblah,  on  the  east  of 
Ain.  "  Ain  "  signifies  a  fountain,  and 
the  hypothesis  of  Boothroyd,  Geddes, 
and  others,  that  this  was  the  fountain 
or  source  of  the  Jordan,  is,  we  think, 
ver}^  probable.  We  are  inclined  also  to 
adopt  Geddes'  rendering  of  the  first 
clause  of  the  verse.  "  And  from  Shepham 
to  Riblah,  the  boundary  shall  descend  to 
the  east  side  of  the  source  (of  the  Jor- 
dan)."  T[  Unto  the  side  of  the  sea  of 

Chinnereth  eastward.  The  sea  of  Chin- 
nereth  is  the  lake  of  Gennesaret,  or 
sea  of  Tiberias.  The  "eastward"  in 
this  connection  is  probably  equivalent 

to  "  to  the  eastern  side  or  shore." 

T[  TJie  border  shall  go  down  to  Jordan. 


the  children  of  Israel,  saying, 
This  is  the  laud  which  ye  shall 
inherit  by  lot ',  which  the  Lord 
commanded  to  give  unto  the  nine 
tribes,  and  to  the  half  tribe  : 

14  For  '"  the  tribe  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Reuben  according  to  tlie 
house  of  their  fathers,  and  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Grad  ac- 
cording to  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  have  received  iheir  in- 
heritance ;  and  half  the  tribe 
of  Manasseh  have  received  their 
inheritance  : 

15  The  two  tribes  and  the 
half  tribe  have  received  their 
inheritance  on  this  side  Jordan 
near  Jericho  eastward,  toward 
the  sun-rising. 


I  ver.  1.  Josh.  14.  2. 


Boothroyd  renders  this  verse  far  prefer- 
ably thus:  "And  the  boundary  shall 
go  along  the  Jordan  (downwards),  and 
its  termination  shall  be  at  the  salt  sea; 
this  shall  be  your  land  with  its  sur- 
rounding boundaries."  The  determina- 
tion of  the  sense  in  all  this  chapter,  so 
far  as  it  treats  of  the  boundaries  of  the 
promised  land,  depends  very  much 
upon  the  genuine  meaning  of  the  pre- 
positions employed,  and  this  has  been 
much  more  satisfactorily  settled  by  the 
labors  of  modern  critics  and  commen- 
tators than  it  could  have  been  in  the 
state  in  which  Hebrew  exegesis  was  at 
the  time  our  present  English  transla- 
tion was  made. 

Vs.  13-15.  TJiis  is  the  land  which  ye 
shall  inherit,  etc.  The  several  bounda- 
ries of  the  land  having  been  thus  de- 
fined, the  Lord  now  repeats  that  this  is 
the  land  promised  centuries  ago  to 
faithful  Abraham,  and  which  his  pos- 
terity were  to  inherit  by  lot.  As  the 
two  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad  and  the 


B.C.  1451.] 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


465 


16  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

17  These  are  the  names  of 
the  men  which  shall  divide  the 
land  unto  you ;  "^  Eleazar  the 
priest,  and  Joshua  the  son  of 
Nun. 

18  And  ye  shall  take  one 
prince  "  of  every  tribe,  to  divide 
the  land  by  inheritance. 

19  And  the  names  of  the  men 
are  these  :  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
Caleb  the  son  of  Jephunneh. 

20  And  of  the  tribe  of  the 
children  of  Simeon,  Shemuel  the 
son  of  Ammihud. 

21  Of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin, 
Elidad  the  son  of  Chislon. 

22  And  the  prince  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Dan, 
Bukki  the  son  of  Jogli. 

23  The  prince  of  the  children 
of  JosejDh,  for  the  tribe  of  the 
children  of  Manasseh,  Hanniel 
the  son  of  Ephod. 

24  And   the   prince   of  the 

n  Josh.  14.1.    19.  51.  o  c.  1.  4-16. 

half  tribe  of  Manasseh  had  already  re- 
ceived their  portion  on  the  other  side 
the  Jordan,  only  nine  tribes  and  a  half 
remained  to  be  provided  for,  and  how 
this  was  done  we  are  informed  in  the 
verses  immediately  following. 

Vs.  17-29.  Hiese  are  the  names  oftTie 
vieii,  etc.  That  the  division  of  the  land 
might  be  more  solemn,  orderly  and 
authoritative,  the  Lord  here  commands 
that  the  management  of  it  should  be  in- 
trusted to  the  hands  of  Eleazar,  the 
high-priest,  Joshua,  the  general-in- 
chief,  and  a  prince,  i.  e.,  a  principal 
officer  or  sheihk,  chosen  out  of  each 
tribe  as  its  representative  in  the  trans- 
action.   It  is  observable  that  the  tribes 

20* 


tribe  of  the  children  of  Ephraim, 
Kemuel  the  son  of  Shiphtan. 

25  And  the  prince  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Zebulun, 
Elizaphan  the  son  of  Parnach. 

26  And  the  prince  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Issachar, 
Paltiel  the  son  of  Azzan. 

27  And  the  prince  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Asher, 
Ahihud  the  son  of  Shelomi. 

28  And  the  prince  of  the 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Naph- 
tali,  Pedahel  the  son  of  Ammi- 
hud. 

29  These  p  are  they  whom  the 
Lord  commanded  to  divide  the 
inheritance  unto  the  children  of 
Israel  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 

AND  the  Lord  spake  unto  Mo- 
ses in  the  plains  of  Moab, 
by  Jordan  near  Jericho,  saying, 
2  Command  "  the  children  of 

p  ver.  18.  a  Jtsh.  14.  3,  4.     21.  2,  etc.  Ezek. 

45.  l.eto.    48.  8,  etc. 

are  nowhere  else  enumerated  in  the  or- 
der in  which  they  here  occur,  but  as 
it  is  precisely  the  order  in  which  their 
allotments  fell  to  them  in  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  land,  the  order  was  no  doubt 
prescribed  with  reference  to  this  fact. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Levitical  Cities  appointed. 

V.  2.  Command  the  children  of  Israel 
that  therj  give  unto  the  Levites,  etc.  As 
the  Levites  were  formed  into  a  distinct 
body  from  the  rest  of  the  nation,  hav- 
ing no  inheritance  of  fields  or  farms  as- 


466 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1451. 


Israel,  that  they  give  unto  the 
Levites,  of  the  inheritance  of 
their  possession,  cities  to  dwell 
in  ;  and  ye  shall  give  also  unto 
the  Levites  suburbs  for  the  ci- 
ties round  about  them. 

3  And  the  cities  shall  they 

signed  them,  the  Lord  here  orders  that 
provision  should  be  made  for  their 
dwelling  in  fixed  residences  in  towns 
with  such  a  portion  of  gx'ound,  under 
the  name  of  "  suburbs,"  as  would  serve 
them  at  least  for  the  subsistence  of  their 
flocks  and  herds,  even  if  their  tithes 
were  sufficient  to  support  themselves 
and  their  families.  But  apart  from  all 
considerations  of  support,  the  ordinance 
was  a  very  beneficent  one,  as  their  dis- 
persion through  the  several  tribes,  in- 
stead of  being  congregated  at  one  place, 
would  tend  to  a  more  equal  diffusion  of 
the  salutary  influences  which  their  or- 
der was  calculated  to  exert  upon  the 
people  at  large.  The  patriarch's  pro- 
phecy, Gen.  49  :  7,  "I  will  divide  them 
in  Jacob,  and  scatter  them  in  Israel," 
was  thus  turned  to  a  blessing,  as  every 
city  in  which  they  dwelt  would  be  a 
focal  centre  of  instruction,  a  school 
or  university,  where  the  Law  would  be 
studied  and  taught,  and  where  the 
morals  of  the  Levites  themselves  would 
be  better  preserved  than  if  they  were 
indiscriminately  mixed  with  the  mass 
of  the  population.  *'  These  cities,  there- 
fore," as  Calvin  remarks,  "were  like 
lamps,  shining  into  the  very  furthest 
corners  of  the  land.  They  were  also 
like  watch-towers,  in  which  they  might 
keep  guard,  so  as  to  drive  away  im- 
piety from  the  borders  of  the  holy 
land.  Hence  was  the  light  of  heavenly 
docti'ine  diffused;  hence  was  the  seed 
of  life  scattered ;  hence  were  the  exam- 
ples to  be  sought  of  holiness  and  uni- 
versal integrity."    Moses  was  accord- 


have  to  dwell  in  ;  and  the  sub- 
urbs of  them  shall  be  for  their 
cattle,  and  for  their  goods,  and 
for  all  their  beasts. 

4  And   the  suburbs  *  of  the 
cities,  which  ye  shall  give  unto 

h  2  Chr.  11.  14. 


ingly  directed  in  the  distribution  of  the 
land  to  set  apart  forty-eight  cities,  each 
with  a  sufficient  space  of  suburb  for 
necessary  grazing-ground  for  the  hab- 
itations of  the  Levites,  which  cities 
were  to  be  contributed  by  the  several 
tribes  in  proportion  to  the  extent  of 

their  respective  districts. 1[  Suburbs. 

Heb.  migrosh,  from  the  root  gdrash,  sig- 
nifying to  drive  out,  cast  out,  expel,  etc. 
Hence  the  noun  has  the  import  of  some 
place  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  city 
whither  rubbish  was  cast  out,  or  cattle 
driven,  or,  as  others  suppose,  a  place 
excluded  from  the  precincts  of  the  city. 
Chald.  "A  breathing-space."  The  Gr. 
has,  in  this  connection,  three  several 
renderings  of  the  Heb.  term :  ^roasteia, 
lying  lefore  the  city ;  apTiorismatay 
separated  from  the  city ;  and  liomora^ 
confines  or  limits.  The  English  word 
"  suburbs  "  probably  comes  as  near  to 
an  exact  rendering  as  any  single  term 
that  can  be  found,  yet  it  is  probable  it 
would  not  have  conveyed  precisely  the 
same  idea  to  the  mind  of  an  Israelite 
with  their  own  Hebrew  term. 

V.  3.  For  their  goods.  Heb.  reku- 
sham,  their  acquisitions,  possessions,  sub- 
stance, sometimes  applied  to  cattle,  but 
understood  by  some  of  the  elder  com- 
mentators to  denote  stables,  outhouses, 
or  storehouses,  for  laying  up  the  food 
on  which  the  cattle  were  to  be  sub- 
sisted. If  this  be  not  the  import,  the 
distinction  intended  between  this  and 
the  other  two  terms  is  not  obvious. 

V.  4.  A  thousand  cubits  round  about. 
The  mention  of  two  thousand  cubits  iu 


B.  C.  1451.] 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


467 


the  Levites,  shall  reach  from 
the  wall  of  the  city  and  outward, 
a  thousand  cubits  round  about. 
5  And  ye  shall  measure  from 
without  the  city  on  the  east  side 
two  thousand  cubits,  and  on  the 
south  side  two  thousand  cubits, 


the  next  verse  creates  some  difficulty  in 
the  construction  of  this  passage.  The 
simplest  solution  seems  to  be  that  of 
Rosenmuller,  viz.,  that  the  1000  cubits 


and  on  the  west  side  two  thou- 
sand cubits,  and  on  the  north 
side  two  thousand  cubits ;  and 
the  city  shall  he  in  the  midst : 
this  shall  be  to  them  the  suburbs 
of  the  cities. 

6  And  among  the  cities  which 


was  measured  outward  at  right  angles 
to  the  wall  of  the  city,  while  the  2000  de- 
notes the  outside  measurement  parallel 
to  the  wall,  as  in  the  subjoined  diagram : 
NORTH. 


2000 

cubits. 

i 

g       1000  cubits. 

1 

1000  cubits.        1 

CITY 

1 

! 

1 

2000 

cubits. 

SOUTH. 


We  incline  to  this  solution  from  the 
fact  that  the  latter  measurement  of  2000 
cubits  was  to  be  made  witlwut  (Heb. 
miJiootz)  the  city,  which  was  undoubt- 
edly in  some  way  different  from  the 
preceding.  It  is  proper,  however,  to 
state  that  the  Jewish  authorities  gen- 
erally accord  with  Maimonides,  who 
says,  *<The  suburbs  of  the  cities  are 
expressed  in  the  Law  to  be  3000  cubits 
on  every  side  from  the  wall  of  the  city 
and  outwards.    The  first  thousand  cu- 


bits are  the  suburbs,  and  the  2000  which 
they  measured  without  the  suburbs 
were  for  fields  and  vineyards."  After 
all,  we  must  leave  the  point  encom- 
passed with  some  degree  of  uncertainty. 

Six  of  the  LeDitical  Cities  appointed  for 
Cities  of  Befugv. 
Vs.  6-8.  Among  tJie  cities  wMch  ye 
shall  give,  etc.  Out  of  the  whole  num- 
ber of  forty-eight  cities  which  were 
thus  to  be  appropriated  to  the  Levites 


468 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1451. 


ye  shall  give  unto  the  Levites, 
there  shall  he  six  cities '  for  ref- 
uge, which  ye  shall  appoint  for 
the  man-slayer,  that  he  may  flee 
thither:  and  to  them  ye  shall 
add  forty  and  two  cities. 

7  So  all  the  cities  which  ye 
shall  give  to  the  Levites  shall  he 
forty  and  eight  '^  cities :  them 
shall  ye  give  with  their  suburbs. 

8  And  the  cities  which  ye 
shall  give  shall  he  of  the  pos- 
session *  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael :  from  ^  them  that  have 
many  ye  shall  give  many ;  but 
from  them  that  have  few  ye 
shall  give  few  :  every  one  shall 
give  of  his  cities  unto  the  Le- 

c  ver.  13,  14.  Deut.  4.  41-43.   Josh.  20.  2,  9.     21.  3, 
13,  etc.  Ps.  62.  7,  8.  Heb.  6.  18.  d  Jofih.  21,  41. 

e  Josh.  21.  3.  /  c.  26.  54. 


(under  whom  the  priests  are  included), 
six  were  to  be  set  apart  as  cities  of 
refuge  or  asylums,  to  which  any  per- 
son who  had  accidentally,  or  by  chance- 
medley,  killed  another,  might  immedi- 
ately repair,  and  take  sanctuary  in  the 

manner  just  about  to  be  described. 

T[  Cities  for  reftige.  Heb.  miklat,  of 
gafhering,  or  retention,  because  the 
man-slayer  was  there  gatJiered  or  de- 
tained. Gr.  "A  place  of  flight  and  ex- 
ile." Chald.  **A  place  of  deliverance 
and  preservation."  These  cities  were 
to  be  assigned  out  of  the  portions  of 
the  several  tribes,  more  out  of  some, 
and  fewer  out  of  others,  according  to 
the  extent  of  the  territory  allotted  to 
each. 

General  Law  respecting  Homicide. 

Vs.  9-14.  The  Lord  spake  unto  Moses, 
saying,  etc.  As  the  law  here  given  was 
one  fraught  with  most  important  con- 
sequences to  the  parties  concerned  and 
to  the  welfare  of  the  nation  at  large,  it 


vites  according  to  his   inherit- 
ance which  he  inheriteth. 

9  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses,  saying, 

10  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them, 
"When  ^  ye  be  come  over  Jordan 
into  the  land  of  Canaan ; 

11  Then  '^  ye  shall  appoint 
you  cities  to  be  cities  of  refuge 
for  you ;  that  the  slayer  may 
flee  thither,  which  killeth  any 
person  at  unawares. 

12  And  they  shall  be  unto 
you  cities  for  refuge  from  the 
avenger';  that  the  man-slayer 
die  not,  until  he  stand  before  the 
congregation  in  judgment. 


q  Deut.  19.  2.  Josh,  20.  2. 
t  Deut.  19.  6.  Josh.  20.  3-6. 


is  enounced  with  minute  particularity 
that  it  might  be  distinctly  understood. 

Tf  At  unawares.    Heb.  Mshgagah, 

ly  error,  i.  e.,  ignorantly,  unadvisedly, 
unintentionally.  See  Note  on  Josh. 
20 :  3. T[  For  refuge  from  the  aven- 
ger. That  is,  from  the  avenger  of  blood, 
the  next  of  kin,  or  the  Goel,  as  he  is 
termed  in  the  East,  where  the  institu- 
tion of  blood-revenge  has  always  been 
rigorously  observed.  Of  this  law  of 
Goelism  we  have  already  treated  at 
some  length  in  the  Notes  on  Gen.  9  :  5. 
Josh.  20  :  3,  to  which  we  refer  the 
reader,  as  also  to  what  will  be  said 
further  upon  it  in  our  remarks  on  Deut. 

19:4r-13. ly  Until  lie  stand  lefore 

the  congregation  in  judgment.  The  man 
who  had  been  guilty  of  involuntary 
homicide  was  to  flee  to  the  nearest  city 
of  refuge,  where  his  case  was  stated  to 
the  elders  at  the  gates  or  entrance  to 
the  city.  He  was  then  received  and  re- 
tained there  till  sent  for  and  taken  home 
to  the  place  where  the  act  was  commit- 


B.  0.  1451.] 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


469 


13  And  of  these  cities  wMcli 
ye  shall  give,  six  ^  cities  shall  ye 
hare  for  refuge. 

14  Ye  shall  give  three  '  cities 
on  this  side  Jordan,  and  three 
cities  shall  ye  give  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  which  shall  be  cities 
of  refuge. 

15  These  six  cities  shall  be  a 
refuge  hoih  for  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  for  the  stranger  "*, 
and  for  the  sojourner  among 
them  ;  that  every  one  that  kill- 
eth  any  person  unawares  may 
flee  thither. 

16  And  "  if  he  smite  him  with 
an  instrument  of  iron  so  that 
he  die,  he  is  a  murderer  :  the 
murderer  shall  surely  be  put  to 
death. 

k  ver.  6.        I  Deut.  4.  41.  Josh.  'iO.  8.        m  c.  15.  16. 
Lev.  24.  22.  n  Ex.  21.  1'2-14.  Lev.  24.  11.  Deut. 

19.  11,  12. 


ted,  and  there  it  was  that  he  "  stood 
before  the  congregation."  If  found 
worthy  of  death  upon  his  trial,  he  was 
delivered  over  to  the  avenger  of  blood 
to  be  put  to  death ;  if  otherwise,  he  was 
returned  to  the  city  of  refuge,  where  he 
lived  in  a  kind  of  durance  and  exile 
until  the  death  of  the  high-priest,  when 
he  was  fully  released  and  permitted  to 
live  where  he  pleased. 

Y.  15.  These  six,  cities  shall  le  a  ref- 
<uge,  etc.  The  privileges  of  this  insti- 
tution were  to  be  extended  equally  to 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  Holy  Land, 
whether  Israelites  or  proselytes  in 
whole  or  in  part,  in  fine,  to  all  who 
were  not  absolute  heathen  and  idol- 
aters. These  six  cities  are  specified  in 
Josh.  20,  and  an  inspection  of  the  map 
will  show  how  wisely  those  places  were 
chosen  so  as  to  make  a  city  of  refuge 
easy  of  access  from  all  parts  of  the  land. 
The  roads  leading  to  these  cities  were 


17  And  if  he  smite  him  with 
throwing  a  stone,  wherewith  he 
may  die,  and  he  die,  he  is  a 
murderer  :  the  murderer  shall 
surely  be  put  to  death. 

18  Ov  if  he  smite  him  with 
an  hand- weapon  of  wood,  where- 
with he  may  die,  and  he  die,  he 
is  a  murderer:  the  murderer 
shall  surely  be  put  to  death. 

19  The  "  reveoger  of  blood 
himself  shall  slay  the  murderer  : 
when  he  meeteth  him,  he  shall 
slay  him. 

20  But  if  he  thrust  him  of 
hatred  p^  or  hurl  at  him  by  lay- 
ing ?  of  wait,  that  he  die ; 

21  Or  in  enmity  smite  him 
with  his  hand,  that  he  die ;  he 
that  smote  him  shall  surely  be 

0  ver.  21  24,  27.  Deut.  19.  6,  12.  Josh.  20.  3,  5. 
p  Gen.  4.  5,  8.  2  Sam.  3.  27.  20.  10.  IK.  2.  31,  32. 
Prov.  26.  24.  q  Ex.  51.  14.  Deut.  19.  11. 

to  be  kept  in  good  repair ;  no  hillock 
was  left,  no  river  or  stream  was  allowed 
over  which  there  was  not  a  bridge; 
the  road  was  to  be  at  least  two-and- 
thirty  cubits  broad,  and  every  kind  of 
obstruction  was  to  be  removed  that 
might  hurt  his  foot  or  hinder  his  speed. 
At  every  turning  or  branching  of  roads, 
posts  were  erected  bearing  the  words, 
Refuge  !  Refuge  !  to  guide  the  fugitive 
in  his  flight ;  so  benign  and  considerate 
was  the  provision  made  for  the  benefit  of 
the  accidental  slayer  of  his  fellow-man. 

Discriminations  of  Manslaughter  and 
Murder. 
Vs.  16-23.  And  if  he  smite  Mm,  etc. 
The  main  distinctions  here  made  by 
the  law  between  manslavghter  and 
murder,  and  which  the  judges  were 
especially  to  regard  in  deciding  upon 
the  cases  that  came  before  them,  were 
the  following :  If  the  slayer  appeared 


470 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1451. 


put  to  death  ;  for  he  is,  a  mur- 
derer :  the  revenger  of  blood 
shall  slay  the  murderer  when  he 
meeteth  him. 

22  But  if  he  thrust  him  sud- 
denly without  enmity,  or  have 
cast  upon  him  any  thing  with- 
out laying  of  wait, 

23  Or  with  any  stone,  where- 
with a  man  may  die,  seeing  liinrh 
not,  and  cast  it  upon  him  that 
he  die,  and  was  not  his  enemy, 
neither  sought  his  harm  ; 

24  Then  the  congregation  *" 
shall  judge  between  the  slayer 
and  the  revenger  of  blood  ac- 
cording to  these  judgments ; 


12.  Josh.  20.  6. 


to  have  struck  the  person  slain  with 
an  unlawful  and  unsizable  weapon,  ob- 
viously suflBcient  to  cause  death  by  a 
single  blow,  as  a  sword,  crowbar,  huge 
club,  or  a  great  stone,  etc.,  it  was  to  be 
looked  upon  as  a  design  upon  life,  and 
to  be  adjudged  wilful  murder.  In  all 
such  cases  the  nearest  relation  of  the 
person  slain  might  kill  the  murderer 
wherever  he  met  him,  nor  should  his 
flying  to  a  city  of  refuge  be  of  any  avail 
to  him.  So  again,  in  like  manner,  any 
other  mode  of  taking  life  by  violent 
means,  as  by  a  forcible  thrust,  push  or 
stroke,  evidently  prompted  by  a  spirit 
of  enmity  and  with  malice  prepense, 
was  to  be  adjudged  murder,  and  to  re- 
main unrelieved  by  the  provisions  of  the 
present  law.  But  if,  on  the  contrary, 
the  outrage  were  apparently  committed 
in  a  sudden  fit  of  passion,  without 
premeditation  or  antecedent  threat, 
grudge  or  malice,  then  it  was  to  be 
pronounced  mere  manslaughter,  and 
the  righteous  judgment  of  the  congre- 
gation was  to  absolve  the  slayer  from 
the  guilt  of  blood. 


25  And  the  congregation  shall 
deliver  the  slayer  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  revenger  of  blood,  and  the 
congregation  shall  restore  him 
to  the  city  of  his  refuge,  whither 
he  was  fled  :  and  he  shall  abide 
in  it  unto  the  death  of  the  high 
priest  which  was  anointed  *  with 
the  holy  oil. 

26  But  if  the  slayer  shall  at 
any  time  come  without  the  bor- 
der of  the  city  of  his  refuge, 
whither  he  was  fled  ; 

27  And  the  revenger  of  blood 
find  him  without  the  border.s  of 
the  city  of  his  refuge,  and  the 
revenger  of  blood  kill  the  slay- 


s  Ex.  29.  7.  Lev.  21.  10. 


V.  25.  The  congregation  shall  ^ 
etc.  After  trial  and  acquittal  the  invol- 
untary man-slayer  was  sent  back  to  the 
city  of  refuge  to  which  he  had  betaken 
himself,  and  was  there  to  live  retired 
without  stirring  out  of  the  place  till  the 
death  of  the  then  living  high-priest. 
There  was  doubtless  a  degree  of  sever- 
ity in  this  enactment,  considering  that 
the  man  had  -been  pronounced  guiltless, 
but  it  would  naturally  have  the  effect 
of  a  warning  to  all  men,  lest  by  heed- 
lessness or  negligence  they  should  en- 
danger the  life  of  a  fellow-being.  More- 
over, the  retirement  and  absence  of  the 
slayer  would  tend  to  soften  the  resent- 
ments of  near  relations  and  friends,  and 
prevent  the  execution  of  revenge. 

Vs.  26-28.  If  the  slayer  shall  at  any 
time,  etc.  If  through  impatience  of  con- 
finement, or  other  cause,  he  should  ven- 
ture beyond  the  prescribed  limits,  and 
the  relations  of  the  deceased  should  then 
find  him,  they  might  put  him  to  death 
without  being  answerable  for  murder, 
though  still  in  the  sight  of  God  he  might 
not  be  accounted  guiltless  as  having 


B.  C.  1451.] 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


471 


er ;    he  shall  not  be  guilty  of 
blood ; 

28  Because  he  should  have  re- 
mained in  the  city  of  his  refuge 
until  the  death  of  the  high  priest: 
but  after  the  death  of  the  high 
priest  the  slayer  shall  return  into 
the  land  of  his  possession. 

29  So  these  things  shall  be 
for  a  statute  of  *  judgment  unto 
you,  throughout  your  genera- 
tions, in  all  your  dwellings. 

30  Whoso  killeth  any  person, 
the  murderer  shall  be  put  to 
death  by  the  mouth  of  witness- 
es "  :  but  one  witness  shall  not 
testify  against  any  person  io 
cause  him  io  die. 

31  Moreover,  ye  shall  take 
no  satisfaction  for  the  life  of  a 


t  c.  27. 11.  u  Deut.  17.  6.     19.  15.  Mat.  18.  16. 

2  Cor.  13.  1.  Heb.  10.  28. 


slain  an  innocent  man.  This  enact- 
ment goes  on  the  supposition  that  the 
man  was  accessory  to  his  own  death, 
which  he  might  have  avoided  bj  keep- 
ing within  the  bounds  set  for  him. 
"He  should  have  remained  in  the  city 
of  his  refuge." — Jarchi. 

V.  30.  By  tTie  mouth  of  witnesses. 
No  evidence  should  be  sufficient  to  con- 
vict a  man  of  wilful  murder  but  that  of 
living,  competent,  and  sufficient  wit- 
nesses, of  which  there  should  always  be 
at  least  two  ;  it  being  unreasonable  to 
put  a  man's  life  to  hazard  solely  on 
what  might  be  the  prejudice,  passion, 
ignorance,  or  caprice  of  a  single  person. 
See  Deut.  17  :  6.  19  :  15. 

y.  31.  Te  shall  take  no  satisfaction 
for  the  life  of  a  murderer.  A  murder- 
er once  legally  convicted  shall  be  inca- 
pable of  pardon.  Neither  interest  nor 
influence  of  any  kind  was  to  be  avail- 
able to  the  purchase  of  his  life. 


murderer,  which  is  guilty  of 
death;  but  he  shall  be  surely 
put  to  death. 

32  And  ye  shall  take  no  sat- 
isfaction for  him  that  is  fled  to 
the  city  of  his  refuge,  that  he 
should  come  again  to  dwell  in 
the  land,  until  the  death  of  the 
priest. 

33  So  ye  shall  not  pollute  the 
land  wherein  ye  are  ;  for  blood 
it  "  defileth  the  land  :  and  the 
land  cannot  be  cleansed  of  the 
blood  that  is  shed  therein,  but 
""  by  the  blood  of  him  that  shed  it. 

3-i  Defile  not  *  therefore  the 
land  which  ye  shall  inhabit, 
wherein  I  dwell :  for  I  •"  the  Lord 
dwell  among  the  children  of  Is- 
rael. 

i>  2  K.  24.  4.  Ps.  106.  3?.  Mic.  4.  11.  Mat.  23.  31-35. 
w  Gen.  9.  6.         x  Lev.  IS.  25.  Deut.  21.  23.  »Ex. 

29.  45,  46.     1  K.  6.  13.     2  Cor.  6.  16. 


Y.  32.  Te  shall  take  no  satisfaction 
for  him  that  is  fled,  etc.  In  like  manner, 
the  person  guilty  of  manslaughter  shall 
not  be  able  by  the  proffer  of  any  sum, 
even  of  his  whole  estate,  to  buy  off"  his 
confinement  to  the  city  of  refuge  till 
the  death  of  the  high  priest. 

Vs.  33,  34.  So  ye  shall  not  pollute 
the  land  loherein  ye  are.  Murder  being 
the  highest  of  all  injuries  against  human 
society  and  against  God,  in  whose  image 
man  is  created,  it  is  but  just  in  itself 
that  life  should  pay  for  life,  and  so 
therefore  it  is  the  will  of  God  to  have 
it.  Accordingly,  were  any  Israelite, 
but  especially  judges  and  magistrates, 
through  a  mistaken  leniency  or  a  cul- 
pable remissness,  to  fail  in  the  execu- 
tion of  so  important  a  law,  the  failure 
would  be  sure  to  bring  a  polluting  stain 
upon  the  whole  land,  for  the  defilement 
of  blood  can  only  be  cleansed  by  the 
blood  of  him  who  has  shed  it.     If, 


472 


NUMBERS. 


[B.  0.  1451. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

AND  the  chief  fathers  of  the 
families  of  the  children  of 
Gilead  ",  the  son  of  Machir,  the 
son  of  Manasseh,  of  the  families 
of  the  sons  of  Joseph,  came  near, 
and  spake  before  Moses,  and  be- 
fore the  princes,  the  chief  fathers 
of  the  children  of  Israel : 

2  And  thej  said.  The  Lord 
*  commanded  my  lord   to  give 


therefore,  they  would  preserve  the  sanc- 
tity of  that  holy  land  which  the  Lord 
had  consecrated  by  the  symbols  of  his 
special  presence,  let  them  guard  with 
the  most  sacred  solicitude  against  con- 
tracting the  guilt  of  disobedience  in 
addition  to  the  guilt  of  the  shedding  of 
blood. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Law  regulating  tJie  Inheritance  of 
Daughters. 

V.  1.  And  the  chief  fathers,  etc. 
Heb.  "  The  heads  of  the  fathers."  Gr. 
"  The. princes."  The  regulation  here  re- 
corded was  consequent  upon  the  case 
mentioned  ch.  27,  where  we  read  of  a 
special  provision  made  for  the  female 
branch  of  the  family  of  Zelophehad, 
who  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Manasseh, 
the  son  of  Joseph,  but  to  that  half  of 
it  which  was  to  settle  on  the  western 
instead  of  the  eastern  side  of  the  Jor- 
dan. Moses  had  indeed  secured  them 
an  ample  inheritance  among  their 
brethren,  but  some  of  the  heads  of  that 
family,  foreseeing  a  great  inconvenience 
likely  to  result  in  the  case  of  the  mar- 
riage of  these  women,  came  before  Mo- 
ses with  a  new  petition  bearing  upon 


the  land  for  an  inheritance  by 
lot  to  the  children  of  Israel : 
and  '  my  lord  was  commanded 
by  the  Lord  to  give  the  inherit- 
ance of  Zelophehad  our  brother 
unto  his  daughters. 

3  And  if  they  be  married  to 
any  of  the  sons  of  the  other 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
then  shall  their  inheritance  be 
taken  from  the  inheritance  of 
our   fathers,    and  shall  be  put 


the  point  ot  the  apprehended  grievance. 
While  gratefully  acknowledging  the 
provision  kindly  made  for  them  by 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  they 
represent  that  in  case  these  female 
heirs  should  marry  into  other  tribes, 
the  inheritances  accruing  to  them  would 
of  course  be  alienated  from  their  own 
tribe,  and  be  transferred  to  that  into 
which  they  married.  This  would  ap- 
pear to  be  contrary  to  the  divine  ar- 
rangement, by  which  a  certain  portion 
of  territory  was  assigned  by  lot  to  each 
tribe,  and  this  would  of  course  be  dimin- 
ished to  the  extent  of  whatever  was 
taken  out  of  it.  This  is  now  to  be 
guarded  against.  Should  it  be  object- 
ed that  this  is  a  case  which  the  divine  ' 
omniscience  would  have  been  expected 
to  have  foreseen  and  provided  for  with- 
out being  previously  applied  to  for  the 
purpose,  we  deem  it  a  sufficient  reply 
to  say,  that  he  evidently  preferred  that 
his  people  should  learn  his  will  on  many 
points  only  as  the  emergencies  arose 
which  prompted  them  to  consult  him. 
On  this  head  we  subscribe  to  the  very 
appropriate  remarks  of  Calvin  : — "  God 
designedly  withheld  his  decisions  vmtil 
they  naturally  arose  out  of  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case.  He  allowed  him- 
self to  be  interrogated  familiarly  in  re- 
gard to  doubtful  points  of  no  primary 


13.0.  1451.] 


CHAPTER  XXXYI. 


473 


to  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe 
whereunto  they  are  received : 
so  shall  it  be  taken  from  the  lot 
of  our  inheritance. 

4  And  when  the  jubilee'^  of 
the  children  of  Israel  shall  be, 
then  shall  their  inheritance  be 
put  unto  the  inheritance  of  the 
tribe  whereunto  they  are  re- 
ceived :  so  shall  their  inheritance 
be  taken  away  from  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  tribe  of  our  fathers. 

5  And  Moses  commanded  the 
children  of  Israel,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  saying, 
The  tribe  of  the  sons  of  Joseph 
hath  said '  well. 


d  Lev.  25.  10,  etc. 


importance,  in  order  that  posterity- 
might  recognize  his  reply  as  a  proof  of 
his  fatherly  indulgence.  Meanwhile  let 
us  bear  in  mind  that  if  heavenly  things 
are  the  subject  of  as  much  anxiety  to 
us  as  earthly  things  were  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Manasseh,  the  rule  that  we 
should  observe  will  always  be  made 
clear  to  us." 

V.  4.  And  wTien  the  jubilee  of  the 
children,  of  Israel  shall  he,  etc.  The 
jubilee  was  an  institution  returning 
every  fifty  years,  when  all  manner  of 
alienated  inheritances  returned  to  the 
original  possessors.  But  it  is  here  in- 
timated that  this  will  not  remedy  the 
difficulty,  since  the  inheritances  would 
go  by  the  rights  of  marriage  into  anoth- 
er tribe,  and  just  so  much  would  be  with- 
drawn from  the  portion  of  the  tribe  of 
Manasseh  as  the  daughters  of  Manasseh 
should  take  away  with  them.  This 
they  regarded  as  a  prospective  injury 
for  which  they  feel  that  they  ought  to 
have  some  redress 

V.  5.  The  tribe  of  the  sons  of  Joseph 
have  said  well.    Moses  admits  the  va- 


6  This  is  the  thing  which  the 
Lord  doth  command  concerning 
the  daughters  of  Zelophehad, 
saying,  Let  them  marry  to  whom 
they  think  best ;  only  -^  to  the 
family  of  the  tribe  of  their 
father  shall  they  marry. 

7  So  shall  not  the  inheritance 
of  the  children  of  Israel  remove 
from  tribe  to  tribe ;  for  every 
one  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall 
keep '  himself  to  the  inheritance 
of  the  tribe  of  his  fathers. 

8  And  '^  every  daughter  that 
possesseth  an  inheritance  in  any 
tribe  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
shall  be  wife  unto  one  of  the 

/  ver.  12.  Gan.  24.  3.    2  Cor.  6.  14.         g  1  K.  21.  3. 
h  1  Chr.  23.  22. 

lidity  of  their  plea,  having  referred  it 
to  the  Most  High  himself,  and  there- 
upon is  moved  to  utter  the  divine  sen- 
tence regarding  the  case,  to  wit,  that 
these  daughters  and  heiresses  of  Ze- 
lophehad should  not  only  be  restricted 
from  marrying  out  of  their  own  tribe, 
but  that  even  within  the  limits  of  that 
tribe  they  should  connect  themselves 
with  some  branch  of  their  own  family. 
This  is  the  import  of  the  words,  "  Only 
to  the  family  of  the  tribe  of  their  father 
shall  they  marry,"  and  also  of  the  sim- 
ilar clause,  V.  8.  The  reason  of  the  law, 
moreover,  was  that  the  family  as  well 
as  the  tribe  might  be  preserved ;  and 
the  daughters  of  Zelophehad,  when 
they  besought  an  inheritance,  said,  ch. 
27  : 4,  "  Why  should  the  name  of  our 
father  be  done  away  from  among  his 
family  ?"  This  was,  doubtless,  one  of  the 
grounds  of  the  law  requiring  the  mar- 
riage of  a  brother's  wife.  Deut.  26  :  6. 

V.  8.  Every  daughter  that  possesseth 
an  inheritance,  etc.  Heb.  "■  That  is  heir 
of  a  possession ;"  the  father  having  no 
son  to  inherit  his  estate.    The  passage 


474 


NUMBERS. 


[B.C.  1451. 


family  of  the  tribe  of  her  father, 
that  the  children  of  Israel  may 
enjoy  every  man  the  inheritance 
of  his  fathers. 

9  Neither  shall  the  inherit- 
ance remove  from  one  tribe  to 
another  tribe  ;  but  every  one  of 
the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael shall  keep  himself  to  his 
own  inheritance. 

10  Even 'as  the  Lord  com- 


designates  those  to  whom  the  law  ap- 
plies. It  was  not  intended  to  restrict 
other  women  who  had  no  inheritance ; 
and  even  of  those  who  had,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  if  they  were  willing  to  aban- 
don their  inheritance  they  might  marry 
whom  they  pleased.  Priests  and  Le- 
vites,  having  no  inheritance,  were  at 
liberty  to  marry  into  any  of  the  ti'ibes. 
2  Chron.  22  :  11. 

V.  9.  Neither  shall  the  inheritance 
remove  from  {one)  tribe  to  another. 
Heb.  lo  tissoh,  shall  not  go  round,  re- 
volve, devolve.  Gr.  "  Shall  not  be  trans- 
ferred."  T[  Shall  keep  himself  to  his 

own  inheritance.  Heb.  yidheku,  shall 
cleave,  shall  stich  close  to.  The  term  is 
emphatic,  implying  the  tenacity  with 
which  they  were  to  adhere  to  the  divine 
ordinance  in  this  matter.  The  design 
was  to  preclude,  as  far  as  possible,  all 
danger  of  the  confusion  of  tribes.  Vulg. 
"  That  the  tribes  be  not  mingled  one 
with  another,  but  remain  so  as  they 
were  separated  by  the  Lord;"  which, 
however,  is  rather  a  paraphrase  than 
a  translation.  According  to  the  con- 
struction opposite  to  this,  if  a  woman 
were  married  into  another  tribe,  and 
her  father  and  all  her  brethren  should 
afterwards  die  without  children,  the  in- 
heritance would  fall  to  her,  and  conse- 
quently the  possession  devolve  from 
one  tribe  to  another,  viz.,  to  that  into 


manded  Moses,  so  did  the  daugh- 
ters of  Zelophehad : 

11  For  HIahlah,  Tirzah,  and 
Hoglah,  and  Milcah,  and  Noah, 
the  daughters  of  Zelophehad, 
were  married  unto  their  father's 
brothers'  sons. 

12  And  they  were  married 
into  the  families  of  the  sons  of 
Manasseh,  the  son  of  Joseph ; 
and  their  inheritance  remained 


which  she  had  married.  According, 
however,  to  the  letter  of  the  present 
text,  the  inheritance  was  rather  to  de- 
scend to  the  next  of  kin  to  the  woman, 
than  be  carried  by  her  out  of  the  tribe 
to  which  it  belonged. 

V.  11.  Were  married  unto  their  fa- 
ther's brothers'  sons.  This  would  imply, 
according  to  the  strictness  of  the  letter, 
that  they  were  married  to  their  first- 
cousins  ;  but  as  the  phrase  "  father's 
brothers'  sons  "  may,  according  to  fre- 
quent Scriptural  usage,  denote  "  father's 
brothers'  descendants,"  we  cannot  af- 
firm the  literal  construction  as  the  true 
one. 

V.  12.  Tliey  were  married  into  the 
families  of  the  sons  of  Manasseh.  Heb. 
"  They  were  married  to  some  that  were 
of  the  families,  etc.,'*  i.  e.,  to  one  of 
the  families  of  Manasseh,  from  whom 

several  other  families  descended. 

TI  Their  inheritance  remained  in  the 
tribe  of  the  family  of  their  father.  Heb. 
"Was  unto  the  tribe,  etc."  So  Dan. 
1 :  21,  "  And  Daniel  cotitinuedeven  unto 
the  first  year  of  king  Cyrus."  Heb. 
"  Was  even  unto  the  first  year."  Ruth 
1  :  2,  "And  they  came  into  the  country 
of  Moab,  and  continued,  there."  Heb. 
"  Were  there."  The  clause  might  be 
more  literally  rendered,  "  And  their  in- 
heritance was  (remained)  in  the  tribe 
(even)  the  family  of  their  fathers. 


B.C.  1451.1 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


475 


in  the  tribe   of  the  family  of 
their  father. 

13  These  are  the  command- 
ments and  the  judgments,  which 
the    Lord    commanded   by  the 

V.  13.  TJiese  are  the  commandments 
and  the  judgments,  etc.  The  distinction 
between  these  two  terms  is  probably 
that  between  precepts  relating  to  wor- 


hand  of  Moses,  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  in  ^  the  plains  of 
Moab,  by  Jordan,  near  Jericho. 


/  c.  26.  3.      33.  50. 


ship,  and  precepts  relating  to  civil  or- 
dinances, both  which  classes  we  find  in 
the  preceding  chapters,  from  ch.  26  to 
ch.  36. 


THE     END. 


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